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Heartland Express
(NASDAQ:HTLD)
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Rating:46Neutral
Price Target:
$11.50
â–¼(-6.43% Downside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:09/17/26
HTLD scores below average primarily due to weakened financial performance (declining revenue, losses, and compressed margins) and a bearish technical setup (below key moving averages with negative MACD and low RSI). A healthier balance sheet with reduced leverage, ongoing positive operating cash flow, and continued dividend payments partially offset these negatives but do not fully improve the risk profile given currently negative free cash flow and loss-making results.
Positive Factors
Conservative leverage
Lower leverage gives Heartland Express greater financial flexibility through a weak freight cycle. A stronger capitalization base can reduce financing pressure, preserve borrowing capacity, and support continued operations or investment while earnings recover.
Negative Factors
Falling revenue and losses
Prolonged revenue contraction and a move into losses weaken the company’s earnings base and reduce funds available for reinvestment. If this pattern persists, it could limit operating flexibility and make recovery more dependent on an improvement in freight conditions.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Conservative leverage
Lower leverage gives Heartland Express greater financial flexibility through a weak freight cycle. A stronger capitalization base can reduce financing pressure, preserve borrowing capacity, and support continued operations or investment while earnings recover.
Read all positive factors
Heartland Express (HTLD) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$920.26M
Dividend Yield0.67%
Average Volume (3M)692.25K
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)0.80
Revenue Growth-21.02%
EPS Growth38.05%
CountryUS
Employees3,630
SectorIndustrials
Sector Strength72
IndustryTrucking
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-0.28
Shares Outstanding77,332,610
10 Day Avg. Volume792,847
30 Day Avg. Volume692,250
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-0.18
Price to Book (P/B)0.93
Price to Sales (P/S)0.87
P/FCF Ratio-10.52
Enterprise Value/Market Cap1.37
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.71
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit22.90
Enterprise Value/Ebitda12.34
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$12.50Price Target Upside1.71% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Sell
Number of Analyst Covering4
EPS Forecast (FY)0.18
Revenue Forecast (FY)$733.43M
Heartland Express Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Heartland Express, Inc., operating with its subsidiaries, functions as a transportation company primarily focusing on short to medium-distance truckload freight across the United States and Canada. The firm's main services encompass extensive asse...
How the Company Makes Money
Heartland Express primarily makes money by transporting freight for shippers and charging rates that are generally based on factors such as lane (origin/destination), distance, equipment needs, and service type. Its core revenue stream is truckloa...
Heartland Express Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
34
Negative
Balance Sheet
67
Positive
Cash Flow
48
Neutral
| Breakdown | TTM | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 736.28M | 805.71M | 1.05B | 1.21B | 968.00M | 607.28M |
| Gross Profit | 55.13M | 67.54M | 110.16M | 145.28M | 200.69M | 128.24M |
| EBITDA | 102.33M | 102.56M | 162.43M | 243.08M | 322.69M | 210.28M |
| Net Income | -21.96M | -52.45M | -29.72M | 14.78M | 133.58M | 79.28M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 1.17B | 1.19B | 1.33B | 1.51B | 1.67B | 928.54M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 62.38M | 18.48M | 12.81M | 28.12M | 50.21M | 157.74M |
| Total Debt | 146.40M | 161.42M | 208.61M | 317.44M | 433.96M | 0.00 |
| Total Liabilities | 418.51M | 436.30M | 511.59M | 644.39M | 814.01M | 201.44M |
| Stockholders Equity | 756.28M | 755.32M | 822.60M | 865.26M | 855.48M | 727.10M |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | -85.77M | -66.85M | 34.81M | -43.33M | 34.15M | -9.22M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 78.50M | 89.31M | 144.35M | 165.27M | 194.71M | 123.42M |
| Investing Cash Flow | 30.20M | -26.00M | -46.54M | -67.87M | -663.26M | -2.65M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -69.52M | -58.15M | -112.71M | -120.69M | 359.26M | -78.14M |
Heartland Express Technical Analysis
Neutral
12.29
Price Trends
12.28
Negative
13.56
Negative
12.16
Negative
Market Momentum
-0.24
Negative
48.05
Neutral
66.43
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For HTLD, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 12.29 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 11.90, above the 50-day MA of 12.28, and above the 200-day MA of 12.16, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.24 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 48.05 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 66.43 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for HTLD.
Heartland Express Risk Analysis
Heartland Express disclosed 31 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Heartland Express reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
Heartland Express Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
63 Neutral | $10.79B | 15.43 | 7.44% | 2.01% | 2.89% | -14.66% | |
61 Neutral | $5.77B | 51.39 | 3.68% | 1.20% | 6.25% | -10.92% | |
58 Neutral | $10.87B | 248.73 | 0.61% | 1.17% | 4.07% | -74.05% | |
53 Neutral | $856.75M | 225.07 | 0.92% | 0.83% | 8.34% | -89.15% | |
52 Neutral | $2.12B | -45.84 | -3.39% | 1.58% | 9.64% | -190.02% | |
46 Neutral | $920.26M | -42.17 | -2.89% | 0.67% | -21.02% | 38.05% | |
43 Neutral | $256.33M | -6.03 | -19.59% | 3.16% | -8.77% | 6.84% |
* Industrials Sector Average
HTLD
Heartland Express
11.90
3.29
38.28%
CVLG
Covenant Logistics Group
33.76
12.21
56.67%
KNX
Knight Transportation
66.76
24.03
56.23%
PAMT
PAMT
12.24
0.82
7.18%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
35.35
7.19
25.51%
SNDR
Schneider National
32.89
11.14
51.23%
Heartland Express Corporate Events
Dividends
Heartland Express Declares Quarterly Dividend, Extends Payout Streak
Positive
Sep 17, 2026
On September 15, 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share. The dividend, estimated at a total payout of $1.5 million on approximately seventy-seven million co...
Executive/Board Changes
Heartland Express Announces Board Retirement and Committee Changes
Neutral
Sep 2, 2026
On September 1, 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. announced the immediate retirement of longtime Board member James G. Pratt after 20 years of service, noting that his departure was not due to any disagreement with management, the Board, or company po...
Dividends
Heartland Express Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend
Positive
Jun 17, 2026
On June 12, 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. announced that its board had declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share, to be paid on July 6, 2026, to shareholders of record as of June 23, 2026. The company expects to distribute abou...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.