Heartland Express (HTLD)
NASDAQ:HTLD
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Heartland Express
(NASDAQ:HTLD)
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Rating:55Neutral
Price Target:
$13.50
â–²(16.08% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:04/26/26
The score is held back primarily by deteriorating financial performance (losses, falling revenue, and sharply negative 2025 free cash flow) despite a de-levered balance sheet and positive operating cash flow. Technicals are constructive with strong trend strength, but overbought readings increase near-term risk. Valuation is constrained by negative earnings, while the dividend-related corporate event provides a modest positive offset.
Positive Factors
Improved leverage
A materially lower debt-to-equity ratio and reduced total debt provide durable financial flexibility. This improved capital structure lowers interest burden, supports access to credit for fleet maintenance or growth, and gives the company runway to manage cyclical freight weakness without imminent solvency pressure.
Negative Factors
Deteriorating profitability
A shift from multi-year profitability to recurring net losses and compressed gross margins undermines internal reinvestment capacity and erodes returns. Persistent losses reduce retained earnings, weaken ROE, and constrain investments in fleet, safety, and technology needed to sustain long-term competitiveness.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Improved leverage
A materially lower debt-to-equity ratio and reduced total debt provide durable financial flexibility. This improved capital structure lowers interest burden, supports access to credit for fleet maintenance or growth, and gives the company runway to manage cyclical freight weakness without imminent solvency pressure.
Read all positive factors
Heartland Express (HTLD) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$1.03B
Dividend Yield0.87%
Average Volume (3M)609.23K
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)0.99
Revenue Growth-23.49%
EPS Growth-54.25%
CountryUS
Employees5,220
SectorIndustrials
Sector Strength72
IndustryTrucking
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-0.06
Shares Outstanding77,462,270
10 Day Avg. Volume762,387
30 Day Avg. Volume609,233
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 Cap1.11
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.41
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit-148.30
Enterprise Value/Ebitda11.07
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$11.40Price Target Upside-1.98% Downside
Rating ConsensusHold
Number of Analyst Covering5
EPS Forecast (FY)-0.06
Revenue Forecast (FY)$735.61M
Heartland Express Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Heartland Express, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a short-to-medium haul truckload carrier in the United States and Canada. It primarily provides nationwide asset-based dry van truckload service for shippers from Washington to F...
How the Company Makes Money
Heartland Express makes money primarily by hauling full truckload shipments for customers and charging freight rates that are typically priced per mile, per load, or under contracted arrangements (often with fuel-related pricing mechanisms). Its c...
Heartland Express Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
34
Negative
Balance Sheet
62
Positive
Cash Flow
48
Neutral
| Breakdown | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 805.71M | 1.05B | 1.21B | 968.00M | 607.28M |
| Gross Profit | -7.65M | 38.88M | 78.20M | 149.87M | 93.82M |
| EBITDA | 102.56M | 162.43M | 243.08M | 322.69M | 210.13M |
| Net Income | -52.45M | -29.72M | 14.78M | 133.58M | 79.28M |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 1.19B | 1.33B | 1.51B | 1.67B | 928.54M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 18.48M | 12.81M | 28.12M | 50.21M | 157.74M |
| Total Debt | 161.42M | 208.61M | 317.44M | 433.96M | 0.00 |
| Total Liabilities | 436.30M | 511.59M | 644.39M | 814.01M | 201.44M |
| Stockholders Equity | 755.32M | 822.60M | 865.26M | 855.48M | 727.10M |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | -66.85M | 34.81M | -43.33M | 34.15M | -9.22M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 89.31M | 144.35M | 165.27M | 194.71M | 123.42M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -26.00M | -46.54M | -67.87M | -663.26M | -2.65M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -58.15M | -112.71M | -120.69M | 359.26M | -78.14M |
Heartland Express Technical Analysis
Positive
11.63
Price Trends
10.70
Positive
10.12
Positive
9.17
Positive
Market Momentum
0.26
Negative
68.63
Neutral
70.76
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For HTLD, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 11.63 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 10.64, above the 50-day MA of 10.70, and above the 200-day MA of 9.17, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.26 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 68.63 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 70.76 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive 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% | |
60 Neutral | $2.83B | -529.70 | 4.30% | 0.62% | -1.65% | -67.84% | |
59 Neutral | $874.21M | 38.52 | 1.23% | 1.23% | 7.15% | -87.09% | |
59 Neutral | $635.04M | -4.00 | -16.52% | 2.76% | -15.58% | -176.83% | |
56 Neutral | $1.22B | 193.61 | 1.89% | 2.07% | -7.81% | -33.01% | |
55 Neutral | $1.03B | -41.77 | -5.66% | 0.87% | -23.49% | -54.25% | |
54 Neutral | $2.18B | -103.35 | -1.03% | 1.84% | 3.28% | ― |
* Industrials Sector Average
HTLD
Heartland Express
13.25
5.95
81.41%
CVLG
Covenant Logistics Group
34.84
15.26
77.94%
MRTN
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14.90
2.44
19.59%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
36.39
11.96
48.93%
ARCB
ArcBest
127.06
69.63
121.23%
ULH
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24.10
2.18
9.96%
Heartland Express Corporate Events
Executive/Board Changes
Heartland Express Announces Millis Transfer President’s Retirement
Neutral
Apr 22, 2026
On April 16, 2026, Heartland Express director and Millis Transfer President David P. Millis notified the company that he will retire from his role as president effective April 24, 2026, though he will remain on the board. In connection with his re...
Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Heartland Express Announces Planned Board Leadership Transition
Neutral
Apr 1, 2026
On March 25, 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. disclosed that longtime director Dr. Benjamin J. Allen has decided not to stand for re-election at the company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, ending a 31-year tenure on the board. He will co...
Dividends
Heartland Express Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend
Positive
Mar 18, 2026
On March 13, 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. announced that its board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share, payable on April 3, 2026, to shareholders of record as of March 24, 2026. The payout is expected to total approximat...
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.