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Heartland Express
(NASDAQ:HTLD)
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Rating:46Neutral
Price Target:
$10.50
â–¼(-14.56% 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
Lower Leverage
Debt-to-equity has fallen to about 0.19 from 0.51 in 2022, giving HTLD a more conservative capital structure for a cyclical trucking business. Lower leverage can reduce financial strain and preserve flexibility to withstand weak freight conditions or fund future needs.
Negative Factors
Declining Revenue and Losses
Revenue has declined from 2023 through 2025 and is lower again in TTM 2026, while results shifted from profits in 2021–2022 to losses in 2024–TTM 2026. This weakens earnings capacity and shows sustained pressure on the current operating model.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Lower Leverage
Debt-to-equity has fallen to about 0.19 from 0.51 in 2022, giving HTLD a more conservative capital structure for a cyclical trucking business. Lower leverage can reduce financial strain and preserve flexibility to withstand weak freight conditions or fund future needs.
Read all positive factors
Heartland Express (HTLD) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$814.31M
Dividend Yield0.78%
Average Volume (3M)679.55K
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)0.78
Revenue Growth-17.23%
EPS Growth63.20%
CountryUS
Employees3,630
SectorIndustrials
Sector Strength72
IndustryTrucking
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-0.28
Shares Outstanding77,332,610
10 Day Avg. Volume534,299
30 Day Avg. Volume679,549
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 Cap1.18
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.31
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit17.49
Enterprise Value/Ebitda9.42
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$12.40Price Target Upside0.90% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Sell
Number of Analyst Covering5
EPS Forecast (FY)0.15
Revenue Forecast (FY)$713.67M
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
Negative
12.29
Price Trends
11.90
Negative
13.28
Negative
12.27
Negative
Market Momentum
-0.34
Positive
30.60
Neutral
20.36
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For HTLD, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 12.29 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 11.33, above the 50-day MA of 11.90, and above the 200-day MA of 12.27, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.34 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 30.60 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 20.36 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative 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 | $5.34B | 48.22 | 3.68% | 1.28% | 6.25% | -10.92% | |
58 Neutral | $10.29B | 235.66 | 0.61% | 1.23% | 4.07% | -74.05% | |
51 Neutral | $1.81B | -39.15 | -3.39% | 1.88% | 9.64% | -190.02% | |
49 Neutral | $740.02M | 195.53 | 0.92% | 0.95% | 8.34% | -89.15% | |
46 Neutral | $814.31M | -36.39 | -2.89% | 0.78% | -17.23% | 63.20% | |
43 Neutral | $235.60M | -5.27 | -19.59% | 3.16% | -8.77% | 6.84% |
* Industrials Sector Average
HTLD
Heartland Express
10.27
1.84
21.86%
CVLG
Covenant Logistics Group
29.33
7.72
35.74%
KNX
Knight Transportation
63.25
16.37
34.91%
PAMT
PAMT
10.71
-0.52
-4.63%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
29.80
1.43
5.05%
SNDR
Schneider National
30.86
7.27
30.80%
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...
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.