Celadon Group Inc.’s quarterly profit grew nearly 23 percent, to $5.4 million, or 24 cents a share, on revenue of $141.5 million, the company announced Wednesday.

Revenue for the the company's fiscal first quarter, which ended Sept. 30, was up just 0.8 percent

“Cost controls and improved freight yields continued to positively impact results,” CEO Stephen Russell said in a prepared statement. “We have continued to improve our operating efficiency.”

The company has nearly $174 million in stockholder equity. In the first quarter, Celadon spent more than $25 million in cash and borrowed another $6.7 million.

Celadon in mid-October announced it had acquired a 6.3-percent stake in the smaller, Arkansas-based USA Truck Inc. Officials asked for a meeting to discuss a potential "association" between the two companies, but USA Truck declined the invitation.

Russell said Celadon’s board met earlier this week and “decided to consider alternative actions.”