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Covenant Logistics Group (CVLG)
NYSE:CVLG

Covenant Logistics Group (CVLG) AI Stock Analysis

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CVLG

Covenant Logistics Group

(NYSE:CVLG)

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Neutral 63 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:63Neutral
Price Target:
$24.50
â–²(13.37% Upside)
The score is driven primarily by mixed financial performance—strong growth but pressured profitability and weak free cash flow—while technicals are supportive. Valuation is reasonable but not compelling given earnings and cash-flow risks, and the latest earnings call points to a difficult near-term operating environment with rising indebtedness.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
The increase in freight revenue indicates strong demand for Covenant's services, suggesting a robust market position and potential for sustained growth.
Dedicated Segment Expansion
Expansion in the Dedicated segment reflects Covenant's ability to capture new business in specialized niches, enhancing its competitive advantage.
Regulatory Tailwinds
Regulatory changes could limit industry capacity, potentially benefiting Covenant by increasing demand for its services and improving pricing power.
Negative Factors
Operating Income Decline
A significant decline in operating income suggests challenges in managing costs and maintaining profitability, which could impact long-term financial health.
Increased Indebtedness
Rising debt levels may constrain Covenant's financial flexibility and increase risk, potentially affecting future investment and growth opportunities.
Cash Flow Challenges
Severe cash flow issues indicate difficulties in generating sufficient cash to support operations and growth, posing a risk to financial stability.

Covenant Logistics Group (CVLG) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Covenant Logistics Group Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCovenant Logistics Group (CVLG) is a leading provider of integrated logistics and transportation solutions, primarily operating in the trucking and freight sectors. The company offers a wide range of services including truckload, logistics, and dedicated contract carriage, serving both domestic and international markets. With a focus on technology-driven solutions and operational efficiency, CVLG aims to provide exceptional service to its clients while optimizing supply chain management.
How the Company Makes MoneyCovenant Logistics Group generates revenue through multiple streams, primarily from its trucking services, which include long-haul and short-haul transportation of freight. The company's revenue model is based on the transportation of goods for customers across various industries, using both owned assets and contract carriers. Key revenue streams include truckload services, logistics management, and dedicated fleet services. Additionally, CVLG benefits from strategic partnerships with major retailers and manufacturers that require reliable logistics solutions. The company also leverages technology to improve route efficiency and reduce operational costs, enhancing profitability.

Covenant Logistics Group Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue By Segment
Revenue By Segment
Chart Insights
Data provided by:The Fly

Covenant Logistics Group Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Oct 22, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jan 29, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Negative
The earnings call highlighted positive aspects such as increased freight revenue and growth in the Dedicated segment, along with an optimistic long-term outlook on market capacity due to regulatory changes. However, these were overshadowed by significant challenges including a decline in operating income, increased indebtedness, underperformance in key segments, and the negative impact of the government shutdown on specific business areas.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Consolidated Freight Revenue Increase
Consolidated freight revenue increased by 4% or approximately $10.2 million to $268.9 million year-over-year.
Dedicated Segment Growth
Dedicated fleet grew by 136 tractors or approximately 9.6% compared to the prior year, winning new business in specialized and high service niches.
Optimistic Outlook on Capacity Constraints
CEO David Parker expressed optimism about future capacity constraints due to government regulations and the potential impact on supply, projecting positive changes in the market over the next few years.
Negative Updates
Operating Income Decline
Consolidated adjusted operating income decreased by 22.5% to $15 million, primarily due to year-over-year increases within the combined Truckload segment.
Increased Net Indebtedness
Net indebtedness increased by $48.6 million to $268.3 million as of September 30th, with an adjusted leverage ratio of approximately 2.1x and a debt-to-capital ratio of 38.8%.
Expedited and Dedicated Segments Performance
Both Expedited and Dedicated segments fell short of expectations with adjusted operating ratios of 93.6% and 94.7%, respectively.
Warehouse Segment Revenue and Income Decline
The Warehouse segment experienced a decline in freight revenue and adjusted operating income compared to the prior year.
Government Shutdown Impact
The U.S. government shutdown negatively impacted volumes of freight carried for the Department of Defense, with expectations of continued challenges.
TEL Business Challenges
TEL's pretax net income decreased to $3.6 million from $4 million in the prior year, with expectations of continued impact from capacity exits in the general freight environment.
Company Guidance
In the third quarter of 2025, Covenant Logistics Group faced a challenging environment marked by compressed margins, particularly in its Asset-Based Truckload segment, due to inflationary costs and high claims expenses. Despite these difficulties, consolidated freight revenue increased by 4%, or approximately $10.2 million, reaching $268.9 million. However, consolidated adjusted operating income decreased by 22.5% to $15 million. The company's net indebtedness rose by $48.6 million to $268.3 million as of September 30th, with an adjusted leverage ratio of approximately 2.1x and a debt-to-capital ratio of 38.8%. The Expedited segment reported a 93.6% adjusted operating ratio, while the Dedicated segment's adjusted operating ratio was 94.7%. Managed Freight exceeded both revenue and adjusted operating income compared to the prior year but was sequentially impacted by the loss of a short-term customer. The Warehouse segment saw a slight decrease in freight revenue and adjusted operating income, yielding an adjusted operating ratio of 92.1%. The company's minority investment in TEL contributed $3.6 million in pretax net income for the quarter. Looking ahead, Covenant anticipates a challenging fourth quarter due to a soft freight market and company-specific factors, but remains optimistic about market recovery, driven by government policy enforcement and potential improvements in consumer demand.

Covenant Logistics Group Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Mixed fundamentals: strong revenue growth but low and pressured margins, stable leverage metrics but rising debt, and notably weak cash generation with sharply negative free-cash-flow growth—reducing financial flexibility.
Income Statement
Covenant Logistics Group shows a mixed performance in its income statement. The TTM gross profit margin is low at 4.09%, indicating potential pricing or cost challenges. However, the company has maintained a positive net profit margin of 2.81% in the TTM, despite a significant revenue growth rate of 79.2%. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are moderate, suggesting operational efficiency. The revenue growth trajectory is strong, but the declining margins over the years could pose a risk.
Balance Sheet
The balance sheet reflects a stable financial position with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73 in the TTM, indicating manageable leverage. The return on equity is moderate at 7.48%, showing decent profitability from shareholders' investments. The equity ratio is healthy, suggesting a strong asset base relative to liabilities. However, the increasing debt levels over the years could be a concern if not managed properly.
Cash Flow
The cash flow statement reveals challenges, with a negative free cash flow growth rate of -2006.13% in the TTM, indicating cash flow issues. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is not available, but the free cash flow to net income ratio is low at 1.27%, suggesting limited cash generation relative to profits. The company needs to improve its cash flow management to support growth and operations.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.15B1.13B1.10B1.22B1.05B838.56M
Gross Profit179.90M189.65M164.20M185.99M147.28M109.55M
EBITDA140.24M146.00M150.15M137.87M117.24M55.40M
Net Income32.22M35.92M55.23M108.68M60.73M-42.72M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.03B997.57M954.44M796.64M651.66M676.72M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments268.34M35.62M2.29M68.67M8.41M8.41M
Total Debt309.11M296.89M293.46M179.63M74.25M111.59M
Total Liabilities601.89M559.23M551.02M419.52M301.96M386.07M
Stockholders Equity423.72M438.34M403.42M377.13M349.70M290.64M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-30.48M-30.07M-132.77M58.76M37.93M-31.01M
Operating Cash Flow110.03M122.89M84.84M159.23M73.22M63.04M
Investing Cash Flow-92.65M-107.67M-235.92M-86.21M10.34M138.05M
Financing Cash Flow-49.89M18.11M84.71M-12.77M-83.56M-236.27M

Covenant Logistics Group Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price21.61
Price Trends
50DMA
21.14
Positive
100DMA
21.77
Positive
200DMA
22.12
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.81
Negative
RSI
75.95
Negative
STOCH
88.26
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CVLG, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 21.61 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 23.06, above the 50-day MA of 21.14, and below the 200-day MA of 22.12, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.81 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 75.95 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 88.26 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CVLG.

Covenant Logistics Group Risk Analysis

Covenant Logistics Group disclosed 42 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Covenant Logistics Group 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

Covenant Logistics Group Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
67
Neutral
$1.93B81.171.78%1.84%-3.42%-43.86%
66
Neutral
$1.88B20.587.40%0.62%-5.34%-48.16%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
63
Neutral
$619.17M21.276.84%1.23%1.62%-22.52%
58
Neutral
$793.06M-23.38-4.35%0.87%-19.56%-54.39%
58
Neutral
$1.01B53.832.53%2.07%-9.74%-42.57%
52
Neutral
$420.23M-10.86-6.66%2.76%-7.55%-130.67%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CVLG
Covenant Logistics Group
25.17
-0.79
-3.06%
HTLD
Heartland Express
10.43
-0.17
-1.60%
MRTN
Marten Transport
12.80
-2.17
-14.50%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
33.02
-0.78
-2.30%
ARCB
ArcBest
86.74
-5.78
-6.25%
ULH
Universal Logistics
16.62
-23.76
-58.84%

Covenant Logistics Group Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Covenant Logistics Group Adopts 2026 Executive Bonus Plan
Positive
Dec 22, 2025

On December 16, 2025, Covenant Logistics Group’s board compensation committee approved a new short-term cash incentive plan for its named executive officers, effective January 1, 2026, setting bonus targets as a percentage of year-end annualized base salary at 100% for CEO David R. Parker and President M. Paul Bunn, 70% for James S. Grant, and 60% for Dustin Koehl and Joey Ballard. Under the 2026 Senior Executive Bonus Program, executives can earn up to 150% of their bonus targets based on achieving adjusted earnings per share objectives and up to an additional 25% tied to the completion of strategic projects, aligning leadership compensation more closely with financial performance and key strategic initiatives.

The most recent analyst rating on (CVLG) stock is a Buy with a $31.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Covenant Logistics Group stock, see the CVLG Stock Forecast page.

Dividends
Covenant Logistics Declares Quarterly Dividend for 2025
Positive
Nov 21, 2025

On November 20, 2025, Covenant Logistics Group‘s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share for Class A and Class B common stock. This dividend, part of a previously approved program, will be payable to stockholders of record on December 5, 2025, and is expected to be distributed on December 26, 2025. This announcement reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to returning value to its shareholders through regular dividends.

The most recent analyst rating on (CVLG) stock is a Hold with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Covenant Logistics Group stock, see the CVLG Stock Forecast page.

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.Date of analysis: Dec 25, 2025