C.H. Robinson Worldwide reported a significant drop in its share price on Thursday, falling 14.5% amid a broader selloff across freight transportation stocks tied to concerns about artificial intelligence disrupting the sector. In response, the company issued a public statement defending its AI capabilities and positioning the technology as a strategic advantage rather than an existential threat.
In its statement, the logistics provider said it has been "a leader in AI for more than a decade" and argued that artificial intelligence will "strengthen our performance and widen our competitive moat." The company emphasized a measured, operations-focused deployment of AI and described its approach as "Lean AI."
According to C.H. Robinson, the Lean AI program has delivered material operational improvements: management said the initiative has increased productivity by more than 40%, automated millions of shipping tasks, saved thousands of work hours every day and lowered service costs. The company framed those gains as outcomes of combining technology with logistics expertise.
Scale was a central part of the company's defense. C.H. Robinson noted it manages in excess of 37 million shipments annually and argued that scale matters "in both technology and logistics." The firm cited its data scale, purpose-built technology and logistics know-how as competitive advantages when building AI-driven systems.
Beyond technology claims, C.H. Robinson highlighted recent financial and operational performance. The company said it has outperformed the freight market for eight consecutive quarters, maintains a strong balance sheet and holds an investment-grade credit rating. It also described itself as a "dividend aristocrat," having raised dividends for 27 consecutive years.
Market participants were not unanimous in their response. Barclays issued a research note defending the company, keeping an Overweight rating and calling the selloff "disproportionate." Barclays' analysts described the weakness as "a buying opportunity" and referred to C.H. Robinson as "the AI disrupter within the US truck brokerage market and global air and ocean freight forwarding."
The market reaction was linked in part to developments at Algorhythm (formerly The Singing Machine Company). That company published a white paper on using AI to manage higher freight volumes. Barclays noted Algorhythm had $10 million in annual recurring revenue exiting 2025 and reported a cash balance of $2.8 million in its September quarterly filing.
Separately, a subscription product referenced by market commentary evaluates C.H. Robinson among thousands of companies each month using more than 100 financial metrics. That tool, described as an AI-driven stock selection service, reportedly looks at fundamentals, momentum and valuation without bias and cited notable past winners, including Super Micro Computer (+185%) and AppLovin (+157%).
As the sector digests both company statements and analyst commentary, C.H. Robinson is emphasizing its mix of scale, experience with AI and steady financial footing as reasons investors should view the recent price movement in context.
Key points
- C.H. Robinson shares fell 14.5% on Thursday amid an AI-focused selloff in freight transportation stocks.
- The company says it has been "a leader in AI for more than a decade," citing its "Lean AI" program and scale managing over 37 million shipments annually.
- Barclays maintained an Overweight rating, called the selloff "disproportionate" and labeled the weakness "a buying opportunity."
Risks and uncertainties
- Market sentiment around AI disruption in freight and logistics remains volatile and has driven sharp stock price movements in the sector.
- Smaller entrants publicizing AI solutions, such as Algorhythm, can influence investor expectations despite limited revenue and cash positions.
- Ongoing scrutiny of AI claims and their real-world operational impact could affect valuations and investor confidence across transportation and logistics equities.