Forward Air Corporation Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Acquisitions, Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Details)

Acquisitions, Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									10 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 09, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Feb. 02, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 04, 2013 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill, Net	$ 205,609				$ 144,412						$ 205,609	$ 144,412
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired											61,878	90,172	$ 45,328
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties Accrued	156				170						156	170
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued	371				414						371	414
Operating Income (Loss)	29,015	$ 24,601	$ 19,908	$ 8,248	25,634	$ 26,906	$ 27,595	$ 16,271			81,772	96,406	84,355
Net income (loss)	$ 23,228	$ 15,687	$ 11,824	$ 4,836	$ 17,045	$ 16,744	$ 17,178	$ 10,202			$ 55,575	$ 61,169	$ 54,467
Basic (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 0.75	$ 0.51	$ 0.38	$ 0.16	$ 0.56	$ 0.55	$ 0.56	$ 0.33			$ 1.80	$ 1.99	$ 1.81
Diluted (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 0.75	$ 0.50	$ 0.38	$ 0.16	$ 0.55	$ 0.54	$ 0.55	$ 0.33			$ 1.78	$ 1.96	$ 1.77
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue											$ 993,352	$ 1,017,005	$ 964,673
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Changes in Accounting and Extraordinary Items, Net of Tax											79,465	89,650	67,529
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)											$ 53,096	$ 56,092	$ 30,363
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic \| $ / shares											$ 1.72	$ 1.82	$ 1.00
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted \| $ / shares											$ 1.70	$ 1.79	$ 0.98
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt											$ 125,000	$ 0	$ 0
Long-term Debt, Description											2 year
Forward Air [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill, Net	$ 155,039				$ 93,842						$ 155,039	93,842
Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Restructuring Liabilities														$ 1,355
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid														61,878
Escrow Deposit														16,500
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs											$ 9,197
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount														24,068
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment														2,916
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets														2,095
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets														614
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets														29,693
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill														66,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles														127,197
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities														28,920
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other														3,886
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt														59,544
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities														2,662
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities														95,012
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net Assets														156,890
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets														61,878
Number of service points											61
Number of independent contractor tractors											525
Other Revenue, Net												230,000
Severance Costs											$ 2,624
Restructuring Charges											11,722
Increase (Decrease) in Restructuring Reserve											(6,346)
Restructuring Reserve	6,731										$ 6,731
Towne [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											20 years
Towne [Member] \| Goodwill [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles														61,197
RGL and MMT [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets															$ 287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets															287
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles															7,888
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities															1,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities															1,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net Assets															8,175
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets															7,175
RGL and MMT [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill															92
RGL and MMT [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill															3,590
RGL and MMT [Member] \| Goodwill [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles															4,206
MMT [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid															5,825
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High															$ 1,000
RGL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid						$ 1,350
CST [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Logistics revenue												52,061
Other revenues												20,253
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid																$ 82,998
Escrow Deposit																10,000
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount																9,339
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment																101
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets																2,132
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets																35
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets																11,607
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																89,140
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities																6,535
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt																11,215
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities																17,750
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net Assets																100,747
Operating Income (Loss)												7,525
Net income (loss)												$ 4,586
Basic (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares												$ 0.15
Diluted (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares												$ 0.15
Business Acquisition, Transaction Costs					900							$ 900
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets																82,997
CST [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																930
CST [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											2 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																500
CST [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																36,000
CST [Member] \| Goodwill [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																$ 51,710
TQI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Logistics revenue										$ 41,842
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired																	100.00%
Goodwill, Net	45,164				$ 45,164						$ 45,164	$ 45,164
Business Acquisition, Cash Paid																	$ 45,328
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability	$ 0										$ 0						615
Escrow Deposit																	4,500
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low																	0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High																	5,000
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate													10.90%
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs													$ 943
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount																	5,639
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment																	1,093
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets																	5,103
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets																	728
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets																	947
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Total Tangible Assets																	13,510
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																	68,934
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities																	4,725
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other																	1,735
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt																	20,113
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities																	10,543
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities																	37,116
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net Assets																	82,444
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increase Resulting from Acquisition									$ 1,120
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate																	853
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties Accrued																	174
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued																	93
Business Combination, Indemnification Assets, Amount as of Acquisition Date																	728
Operating Income (Loss)										3,600
Net income (loss)										$ 1,961
Basic (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares										$ 0.07
Diluted (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares										$ 0.06
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Total Liabilities Assumed, Net Total Assets																	45,328
TQI [Member] \| Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																	470
TQI [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											5 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																	1,000
TQI [Member] \| Customer Relationships [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life											15 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																	22,300
TQI [Member] \| Goodwill [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																	$ 45,164
Towne possible net working capital shortfall [Member] \| Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Escrow Deposit														2,000
Towne potential claims [Member] \| Towne [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Escrow Deposit														$ 14,500