Logistics services provider UTi Worldwide Inc faces a fresh snag in its attempt to return to growth with the sudden resignation of its chief executive on Monday. UTi shares posted their largest percentage fall in 10 months on Tuesday after the company reported its eighth straight quarterly loss and said Eric Kirchner, its CEO of six years, had resigned. UTi, which acts as a broker between shippers and freight companies, did not give a reason for Kirchner’s departure. Company officials declined to take questions about it on a conference call with analysts. “We think Kirchner’s departure at such a critical juncture may raise questions about the company’s ability to return to growth and reduce costs,” RBC Capital Markets analyst John Barnes wrote in a note to clients. UTi, which was expected to post a profit two quarters ago, has been grappling with higher costs related to the implementation of a new service and billing platform. The company has lagged the wider U.S. logistics market this year that boosted results of rivals such as C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc, XPO Logistics Inc and Expeditors International of Washington Inc. Truck tonnage level in October was the second highest on record after August, according to the American Trucking Association. While shares of C.H. Robinson and XPO have jumped about 60 percent and 25 percent in the past year, UTi shares have dropped about 30 percent. Analysts on average were expecting revenues of C.H. Robinson, XPO and Expeditors to rise in the year ending December, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. UTi’s revenue, however, is forecast to fall 1 percent in its year ending January. Long Beach, California-based UTi’s new CEO, Edward Feitzinger, said on Tuesday the company’s service problems were largely behind it, but did not say if he expected revenue to pick up in the coming quarters. At Monday’s close of $13, UTi traded at 46.3 times forward 12-months earnings estimates - much higher than an average 20.5 times of C.H. Robinson, Expeditors and Hub Group Inc, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine. At 252.1 times, XPO was the most expensive of the group.