Arkansas Best Corporation                    
                                                                        Year Ended December 31
                                                    1994           1993          1992          1991          1990  
                                                                    ($ in thousands except per share amounts)
Statement of Operations Data:
  Operating revenues                       $  1,098,421   $  1,009,918   $   959,949   $   884,498   $   848,737
  Operating income                               48,115         51,369        57,255        43,123        47,671
  Gain on sale of subsidiary stock                    -              -             -        14,141             -
  Minority interest in subsidiary                 3,523          3,140         2,825           690             -
  Other expenses, net                               968            731         1,496         6,638         4,533
  Interest expense                                6,985          7,248        17,285        34,421        39,257
  Income before income taxes, 
   extraordinary item and cumulative 
   effect of accounting change                   36,639         40,250        35,649        15,515        3,881

  Provisions for income taxes                    17,932         19,278        16,894         7,763        3,415
  Income before extraordinary item and 
   cumulative effect of accounting change        18,707         20,972        18,755         7,752          466
  Extraordinary item (1)                              -           (661)      (15,975)         (515)           -
  Cumulative effect on prior years of change 
   in revenue recognition method (2)                  -              -        (3,363)            -            -
  Net income (loss)                              18,707         20,311          (583)        7,237          466
  Income per common share before 
   extraordinary item and cumulative 
   effect of accounting change                      .74            .89           .99           .61          .04

  Net income (loss) per common share                .74            .85          (.03)          .57          .04
  Cash dividends paid per
   common share (3)                                 .04            .04           .02             -            -

Pro Forma Data (4):
  Income (loss) before extraordinary item  $     18,707   $     20,972   $    18,755   $     8,253   $   (1,124)
  Income (loss) before extraordinary
   item per common share                            .74            .89           .99           .65         (.09)
  Net income (loss)                              18,707         20,311         2,780         7,738       (1,124)
  Net income (loss) per common share                .74            .85           .15           .61         (.09)

Balance Sheet Data 
 (as of the end of the period):
  Total assets                             $    569,045   $    447,733   $   428,345   $   447,098   $   475,487
  Current portion of long-term debt              65,161         15,239        28,348        34,995        39,957
  Long-term debt (including capital leases 
   and excluding current portion)                59,295         43,731       107,075       210,987       270,193

Other Data 
  Capital expenditures (5)                 $     64,098   $     33,160   $    26,596   $    19,369   $    31,336
  Depreciation and amortization                  28,087         28,266        34,473        39,755        40,002
  Goodwill amortization                           3,527          3,064         3,034         3,024         3,024
  Other amortization                                501            319           755         2,290         3,103


(1) For 1993, represents an extraordinary charge of $661,000 (net of tax of
    $413,000) from the loss on extinguishment of debt.  For 1992, represents
    an extraordinary charge of $15,975,000 (net of tax of $9,700,000) from 
    the loss on extinguishment of debt relating to the Recapitalization in 
    May 1992. For 1991, represents an extraordinary charge of $515,000 (net 
    of tax of $320,000) from the loss on extinguishment of debt relating to 
    the Treadco Offering in September 1991.


(2) Represents a charge of $3,363,000 (net of tax of $2,100,000) to reflect 
    the cumulative effect on prior years of the change in method of 
    accounting for the recognition of revenue as required under the Financial 
    Accounting Standards Board’s Emerging Issues Task Force Ruling 91-9 
    (“EITF 91-9”).

(3) No cash dividends were paid by the Company from 1990 until the third 
    quarter of 1992. 

(4) Assumes the change in accounting method for recognition of revenue as 
    required under EITF 91-9 occurred January 1, 1990. 

(5) Net of equipment trade-ins. Does not include revenue equipment placed in 
    service under operating leases, which amounted to $24.8 million in 1993, 
    $25.5 million in 1992, $15 million in 1991, and $5 million in 1990. There 
    were no operating leases for revenue equipment entered into for 1994. See 
    “Management’s Discussion and Analysis-Liquidity and Capital 
    Resources.”