Saia (SAIA) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $7.68B
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 545.23K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 27.2
• Beta (1Y): 1.18
• Revenue Growth: 1.96%
• EPS Growth: -24.55%
• Country: US
• Employees: 15,300
• Sector: Industrials
• Sector Strength: 72
• Industry: Trucking
• EPS (TTM): 2.81
• Shares Outstanding: 26,642,641
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 728,082
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 545,227
• PEG Ratio: 18.65
• Price to Book (P/B): 5.26
• Price to Sales (P/S): 3.79
• P/FCF Ratio: -26.46
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.09
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 2.58
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 13.48
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 13.21
• 1Y Price Target: $329.64
• Price Target Upside: 14.37% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 14
• EPS Forecast (FY): 9.28
• Revenue Forecast (FY): $3.21B

• Rating: 68 Neutral
• Price Target: $310.00 ▲(7.55% Upside)

Saia's overall stock score is driven by strong operational efficiency and a solid balance sheet, but is tempered by declining revenue growth, negative free cash flow, and a high P/E ratio. Technical indicators suggest a bearish trend, while the earnings call highlights both operational improvements and challenges.

Positive Factors

Operational Efficiency

Saia's focus on cost control and operational efficiency, as evidenced by reduced cost per shipment, enhances long-term profitability and competitiveness.

Network Expansion

Saia's network expansion and optimization into new markets supports future growth and strengthens its market position in the LTL sector.

Balance Sheet Strength

A strong balance sheet with low leverage provides financial stability and flexibility, enabling Saia to invest in growth opportunities.

Negative Factors

Revenue Stagnation

Flat revenue growth reflects challenges in market conditions, potentially limiting Saia's ability to scale and improve profitability.

Increased Operating Expenses

Rising operating expenses can erode margins and reduce profitability, impacting Saia's financial performance over the long term.

Volume Decline

Declining shipment volumes indicate potential demand challenges, which could affect Saia's revenue and market share.

Saia Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Saia, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a transportation company in North America. The company provides less-than-truckload services for shipments between 400 and 10,000 pounds; and other value-added services, including non-asset truckload, expedited, and logistics services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 176 owned and leased facilities; and owned approximately 5,600 tractors and 19,300 trailers. The company was formerly known as SCS Transportation, Inc. and changed its name to Saia, Inc. in July 2006. Saia, Inc. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia.

How the Company Makes Money

Saia generates revenue primarily through its LTL freight services, which account for a significant portion of its earnings. The company charges customers based on weight, distance, and service type, providing tailored solutions for shipping needs. In addition to LTL shipping, Saia also earns revenue from truckload services and logistics solutions, catering to customers with larger freight requirements. The company has established partnerships with various businesses and e-commerce platforms, enhancing its market reach and service offerings. Furthermore, Saia's focus on operational efficiency and strategic investments in technology and infrastructure contributes to cost management and improved profitability.

Saia Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Saia's financial performance is marked by strong operational efficiency and a solid balance sheet with low leverage. However, challenges include declining revenue growth and negative free cash flow, which could impact future financial flexibility. The company needs to focus on improving profitability and cash flow generation.

Income Statement

Saia's income statement shows a strong gross profit margin of 36.64% for TTM, indicating efficient cost management. However, the net profit margin has decreased to 8.77% from 11.28% in the previous year, reflecting reduced profitability. The revenue growth rate is negative at -7.6%, suggesting a decline in sales performance. Despite these challenges, the company maintains a healthy EBITDA margin of 19.51%, showcasing operational efficiency.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet reflects a solid financial position with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, indicating minimal leverage and financial risk. The return on equity is 11.78%, demonstrating effective use of equity to generate profits. The equity ratio stands at 72.14%, highlighting a strong capital structure with significant equity backing.

Cash Flow

Cash flow analysis reveals a concerning free cash flow growth rate of -87.9%, indicating significant cash outflows. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong at 2.12, suggesting robust cash generation relative to net income. However, the negative free cash flow to net income ratio of -0.18 points to challenges in converting profits into free cash flow.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	3.23B	3.21B	2.88B	2.79B	2.29B	1.82B
Gross Profit	618.04M	644.41M	598.93M	590.96M	451.69M	283.85M
EBITDA	630.93M	695.04M	647.61M	627.86M	477.69M	316.11M
Net Income	283.62M	362.06M	354.86M	357.42M	253.24M	138.34M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	3.50B	3.17B	2.58B	2.17B	1.85B	1.55B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	35.50M	19.47M	296.21M	187.39M	106.59M	25.31M
Total Debt	130.38M	324.46M	138.71M	154.51M	160.38M	186.51M
Total Liabilities	974.93M	855.59M	642.07M	595.37M	624.92M	587.49M
Stockholders Equity	2.53B	2.31B	1.94B	1.58B	1.22B	961.29M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-13.66M	-459.86M	138.07M	105.60M	96.85M	78.00M
Operating Cash Flow	622.40M	583.70M	577.95M	473.03M	382.59M	309.14M
Investing Cash Flow	-622.11M	-1.04B	-448.70M	-365.51M	-277.85M	-218.82M
Financing Cash Flow	20.80M	175.42M	-20.42M	-26.71M	-23.46M	-65.27M

Saia Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Negative
• Last Price: 288.23
• 50DMA: Negative
• 100DMA: Negative
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SAIA, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 288.23 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 297.72, below the 50-day MA of 301.54, and below the 200-day MA of 326.94, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -4.84 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 45.24 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 44.51 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for SAIA.

Saia Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
ARCB	69 Neutral	$1.62B	10.61	12.50%	0.65%	-6.42%	25.72%
SAIA	68 Neutral	$7.68B	27.23	11.92%	―	1.96%	-24.55%
KNX	64 Neutral	$7.27B	51.15	2.01%	1.56%	>-0.01%	279.47%
Sector *	63 Neutral	$10.79B	15.43	7.44%	2.01%	2.89%	-14.66%
WERN	59 Neutral	$1.57B	64.63	1.78%	2.13%	-3.42%	―
SNDR	57 Neutral	$3.84B	33.80	3.81%	1.68%	5.46%	2.31%
MRTN	54 Neutral	$817.65M	42.18	2.53%	2.39%	-9.74%	-42.57%

Saia Corporate Events

Saia Inc. Earnings Call: Resilience Amid Challenges

Saia Inc. Earnings Call Reflects Resilience Amid Economic Challenges

Saia, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2025 Earnings

Saia, Inc., headquartered in Georgia, is a prominent transportation provider specializing in less-than-truckload (LTL), non-asset truckload, expedited, and logistics services across a national network of 213 terminals.

Saia Reports Decline in August 2025 LTL Shipments

On September 5, 2025, Saia, Inc. released its shipment and tonnage data for July and August 2025, revealing a decline in LTL shipments per workday by 1.2% in July and 2.2% in August compared to the previous year. Despite these declines, LTL weight per shipment saw slight increases, indicating shifts in operational metrics that could impact Saia’s market positioning and stakeholder interests.

The most recent analyst rating on (SAIA) stock is a Hold with a $311.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Saia stock, see the SAIA Stock Forecast page.