Heartland Express (HTLD) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $726.46M
• Dividend Yield: 0.87%
• Average Volume (3M): 568.39K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): ―
• Beta (1Y): 0.92
• Revenue Growth: -19.56%
• EPS Growth: -54.39%
• Country: US
• Employees: 5,220
• Sector: Industrials
• Sector Strength: 72
• Industry: Trucking
• EPS (TTM): -0.11
• Shares Outstanding: 77,447,540
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 712,700
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 568,393
• PEG Ratio: 0.10
• Price to Book (P/B): 1.07
• Price to Sales (P/S): 0.84
• P/FCF Ratio: 25.38
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.11
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 0.86
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 46.28
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 5.77
• 1Y Price Target: $8.25
• Price Target Upside: -10.52% Downside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Sell
• Number of Analyst Covering: 4
• EPS Forecast (FY): -0.52
• Revenue Forecast (FY): $820.07M

• Rating: 55 Neutral
• Price Target: $9.50 ▲(3.04% Upside)

Heartland Express faces significant financial challenges, particularly in cash flow and profitability, which weigh heavily on its overall score. While technical indicators show bullish momentum, overbought signals suggest caution. The strategic integration of CFI and consistent dividends are positive, but the valuation remains a concern due to negative earnings.

Positive Factors

Strategic Integration

The integration of CFI's operations is a strategic move to enhance operational efficiency and fleet capacity, potentially improving long-term financial performance and market position.

Modern Fleet and Technology

Investing in a modern fleet and technology for route optimization supports operational efficiency and cost management, enhancing competitive advantage in the trucking industry.

Consistent Dividend Policy

The consistent dividend policy reflects financial stability and a commitment to returning value to shareholders, indicating confidence in long-term cash flow generation.

Negative Factors

Declining Revenue

Declining revenue growth suggests challenges in maintaining market share and demand, which could impact long-term profitability and business sustainability.

Profitability Pressures

Profitability pressures with negative margins indicate operational challenges and may affect the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities or return value to shareholders.

Cash Flow Challenges

Significant cash flow challenges can constrain the company's ability to fund operations, invest in growth, and meet financial obligations, impacting long-term financial health.

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 Florida and New England to California; and temperature-controlled truckload services. The company offers its services under the Heartland Express and Millis Transfer brand names. It primarily serves retailers and manufacturers in consumer goods, appliances, food products, and automotive industries. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa.

How the Company Makes Money

Heartland Express generates revenue primarily through its transportation services, which include full truckload (FTL) services for various cargo types. The company charges customers based on the distance traveled and the type of service provided, with rates influenced by market demand, fuel costs, and operational efficiency. Key revenue streams include contracts with large shippers and brokers, spot market transactions, and dedicated fleet services that cater to specific customer needs. Additionally, Heartland Express benefits from strategic partnerships with other logistics providers, enhancing its service offerings and expanding its market reach. The company's focus on maintaining a modern fleet and investing in technology for route optimization further contributes to its profitability.

Heartland Express Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Heartland Express faces declining revenue growth and profitability challenges, with negative net profit and EBIT margins. Despite a stable gross profit margin and manageable leverage, significant negative free cash flow growth is a concern.

Income Statement

Heartland Express has experienced declining revenue growth, with a negative growth rate of -6.46% in the TTM period. The company also faces profitability challenges, as indicated by negative net profit and EBIT margins. However, the gross profit margin remains relatively stable at 46.95% in the TTM period, suggesting some operational efficiency.

Balance Sheet

The company's balance sheet shows moderate leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25 in the TTM period, which is manageable. However, the return on equity is negative, reflecting recent profitability issues. The equity ratio is stable, indicating a solid capital structure.

Cash Flow

Heartland Express has faced significant challenges in cash flow, with a negative free cash flow growth rate of -390.42% in the TTM period. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is healthy, but the negative free cash flow to net income ratio indicates cash flow constraints.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	932.24M	1.05B	1.21B	968.00M	607.28M	645.26M
Gross Profit	17.38M	38.88M	78.20M	149.87M	93.82M	110.27M
EBITDA	139.36M	162.43M	243.08M	322.69M	210.13M	204.20M
Net Income	-35.86M	-29.72M	14.78M	133.58M	79.28M	70.81M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	1.30B	1.33B	1.51B	1.67B	928.54M	951.18M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	22.88M	12.81M	28.12M	50.21M	157.74M	114.93M
Total Debt	198.45M	208.61M	317.44M	433.96M	0.00	0.00
Total Liabilities	512.63M	511.59M	644.39M	814.01M	201.44M	226.84M
Stockholders Equity	786.74M	822.60M	865.26M	855.48M	727.10M	724.33M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-31.42M	34.81M	-43.33M	34.15M	-9.22M	-25.49M
Operating Cash Flow	120.22M	144.35M	165.27M	194.71M	123.42M	178.85M
Investing Cash Flow	-61.23M	-46.54M	-67.87M	-663.26M	-2.65M	-111.05M
Financing Cash Flow	-59.57M	-112.71M	-120.69M	359.26M	-78.14M	-32.74M

Heartland Express Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 9.22
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: 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 9.22 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 8.51, above the 50-day MA of 8.16, and above the 200-day MA of 8.50, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.42 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 66.86 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 69.95 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for HTLD.

Heartland Express Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
WERN	67 Neutral	$1.82B	74.78	1.78%	1.83%	-3.42%	-43.86%
ARCB	66 Neutral	$1.78B	18.77	7.40%	0.60%	-5.34%	-48.16%
CVLG	64 Neutral	$582.85M	19.66	6.84%	1.20%	1.62%	-22.52%
Sector *	63 Neutral	$10.79B	15.43	7.44%	2.01%	2.89%	-14.66%
MRTN	58 Neutral	$948.08M	48.91	2.53%	2.09%	-9.74%	-42.57%
HTLD	55 Neutral	$726.46M	-20.66	-4.35%	0.87%	-19.56%	-54.39%
ULH	52 Neutral	$425.76M	-10.65	-6.66%	2.60%	-7.55%	-130.67%

Heartland Express Corporate Events

Heartland Express Announces CFI Integration Plan

On December 9, 2025, Heartland Express announced the integration of Contract Freighters, Inc.’s U.S. operations into its own, effective December 31, 2025. This move aims to improve operational and financial performance by aligning driver compensation packages and increasing fleet capacity. The integration will maintain current CFI offices and offer continued employment opportunities for CFI employees, while assessing the impact on goodwill and intangible assets.

Heartland Express Approves Equity Grant for Director

On October 22, 2025, Heartland Express‘s Compensation Committee approved an equity grant under the company’s 2021 Restricted Stock Award Plan for David P. Millis, Director and President of Millis Transfer. The award, consisting of 11,947 shares, vested immediately, potentially impacting the company’s leadership incentives and aligning executive interests with shareholder value.

Heartland Express Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

On September 12, 2025, Heartland Express, Inc. announced the declaration of a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share, to be paid on October 3, 2025, to shareholders of record as of September 23, 2025. This marks the company’s eighty-ninth consecutive quarterly dividend, totaling $559.9 million in cash dividends since the program’s inception in 2003, reflecting its commitment to returning value to shareholders.