TrueBlue posts loss, but other customers help fill the gap

Fourth-quarter revenues dropped for Tacoma-based TrueBlue by 9 percent to $735 million, compared with the last three months of 2015, according to the company.

TrueBlue, which hires temporary workers for other firms, had in the past sent many of its workers to its largest customer, Amazon. But TrueBlue told investors in October that the Seattle-based online retailer didn’t need its services any longer to staff delivery stations, the relatively small facilities close to cities where Amazon sorts packages for their final destination.

Not counting Amazon, revenues at TrueBlue increased by 5 percent to $701 million for the quarter, the company said in a news release.

TrueBlue also touted its recent acquisitions, such as PeopleScout, a company that recruits talent for other companies. Such acquisitions are “positioning us for continued long-term success in this fast-growing, high-margin business,” said TrueBlue CEO Steve Cooper.

The company estimated first quarter 2017 revenues at around $560 million to $575 million.

The Seattle Times contributed to this report.

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 4:45 PM with the headline "TrueBlue posts loss, but other customers help fill the gap."