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Knight Transportation (KNX)
NYSE:KNX

Knight Transportation (KNX) AI Stock Analysis

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KNX

Knight Transportation

(NYSE:KNX)

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Neutral 64 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:64Neutral
Price Target:
$48.00
▼(-8.33% Downside)
Knight Transportation's overall stock score reflects a stable financial position with strong cash flow performance and manageable leverage. However, high valuation metrics and mixed earnings call sentiment, particularly challenges in the Truckload segment, weigh on the score. Technical indicators suggest a positive short-term trend, but valuation concerns and market uncertainties limit upside potential.
Positive Factors
Strong Cash Flow Generation
Robust free cash flow growth enhances financial flexibility, allowing for reinvestment in operations, debt reduction, or shareholder returns, supporting long-term business stability.
LTL Segment Revenue Growth
Strong growth in the LTL segment indicates successful market penetration and service demand, contributing to diversified revenue streams and long-term growth potential.
Cost Structure Improvements
Reducing fixed costs improves operational efficiency and margin sustainability, enhancing profitability and competitive positioning in the long term.
Negative Factors
Truckload Segment Challenges
Declining revenue in the Truckload segment suggests market or operational challenges, potentially impacting overall revenue growth and profitability.
Unusual Charges Impacting Earnings
Significant unusual charges can distort earnings and indicate underlying operational issues, affecting investor confidence and financial performance.
Softness in LTL Demand
Softening demand in the LTL segment could pressure margins and impact revenue growth, posing challenges to maintaining profitability in the near term.

Knight Transportation (KNX) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Knight Transportation Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionKnight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides truckload transportation services in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The company operates through four segments: Trucking, Logistics, Less-than-truckload (LTL), and Intermodal. Its trucking services include irregular route, dedicated, refrigerated, flatbed, expedited, dry van, drayage, and cross-border transportation of various products, goods, and materials. The company also provides logistics and intermodal services, such as brokerage, intermodal, and certain logistics; freight management; and non-trucking services. In addition, it offers various support services, including repair and maintenance shop services, warranty, insurance, and equipment leasing; and trailer parts manufacturing and warehousing services, as well as engages in the driving academy activities. In addition, it offers regional direct services to customers national transportation needs by utilizing carriers for coverage areas outside networks. The company operates a total of 18,019 tractors, which comprises 16,166 company tractors and 1,853 independent contractor tractors, as well as 67,606 trailers; 2,735 tractors and 7,413 trailers; and 597 tractors and 10,847 intermodal containers. It serves retail, food and beverage, consumer products, paper products, transportation and logistics, housing and building, automotive, and manufacturing industries. Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
How the Company Makes MoneyKnight Transportation generates revenue primarily through its truckload transportation services, which include long-haul and regional freight transportation. The company operates a fleet of trucks, which it uses to transport goods for various clients, charging them based on distance, weight, and service levels. Key revenue streams include contracts with large shippers, spot market transactions, and dedicated freight services that provide stable, recurring revenue. Additionally, Knight benefits from strategic partnerships with other logistics providers, enhancing its service offerings and expanding its market reach. The company's focus on operational efficiency, coupled with its investments in technology and fleet management, also contributes significantly to its profitability.

Knight Transportation Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Oct 22, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jan 28, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presented a mixed picture with notable achievements in the LTL and Intermodal segments, but also significant challenges due to unusual charges and softness in demand, particularly in the Truckload segment.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Revenue Growth in LTL Segment
The LTL segment grew revenue excluding fuel surcharge by 21.5% year-over-year, with shipments per day up 14.2%.
Intermodal Segment Improvement
The Intermodal segment improved its adjusted operating ratio by 160 basis points year-over-year to 99.8%, driven by a 3.5% increase in revenue per load.
Cost Structure Improvements
The company made significant progress in reducing fixed costs, positively impacting operating income and positioning for future margin growth.
LTL Branding Consolidation
The company announced the adoption of the AAA Cooper brand across its entire LTL business, which is expected to enhance brand recognition and operational efficiency.
Negative Updates
Unusual Charges Impacting Earnings
The GAAP results included $58 million of significant unusual items, such as trade name impairments and higher insurance and claims costs, negatively affecting adjusted EPS by $0.10.
Truckload Segment Challenges
The Truckload segment saw a decline in revenue of 2.1% year-over-year due to a 2.3% decrease in loaded miles, with adjusted operating income declining by 15%.
Logistics Volume Decline
Logistics volumes were down year-over-year with a 6.2% decline in load count, although revenue per load increased by 3.6%.
Softness in LTL Demand
LTL demand appeared softer than normal early in the fourth quarter, which could pressure margins despite strong service levels and customer base growth.
Company Guidance
During the Knight-Swift Transportation Third Quarter 2025 earnings call, the company provided guidance for the fourth quarter, projecting an adjusted EPS range of $0.34 to $0.40. Key assumptions include modest sequential improvement in revenue per mile and a slight seasonal decline in utilization for the Truckload segment. The company anticipates continued year-over-year revenue growth for the LTL segment, with adjusted operating margins expected to remain similar year-over-year. Logistics segment earnings are projected to climb sequentially, while Intermodal's contribution is expected to remain stable. The company also forecasts full-year net cash CapEx between $475 million to $525 million and an effective tax rate of 23% to 24% for Q4.

Knight Transportation Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Knight Transportation demonstrates steady financial health with moderate revenue growth and improving profitability metrics. The balance sheet is strong with manageable leverage and good equity utilization. Cash flow performance is particularly strong, with significant improvements in free cash flow generation. While there are challenges in maintaining high profit margins, the overall financial position is stable and shows potential for growth.
Income Statement
65
Positive
Knight Transportation shows moderate revenue growth with a TTM increase of 0.68% and a previous annual growth of 3.76%. However, the gross profit margin has decreased from 24.34% in 2024 to 16.39% in TTM, indicating rising costs or pricing pressures. The net profit margin improved slightly to 1.90% in TTM from 1.59% in 2024, but remains low, suggesting profitability challenges. EBIT and EBITDA margins are stable, reflecting consistent operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The company's debt-to-equity ratio is stable at 0.39 in TTM, indicating a balanced leverage position. Return on equity improved to 2.00% in TTM from 1.65% in 2024, showing better utilization of equity. The equity ratio remains strong, suggesting a solid capital structure with a significant portion of assets financed by equity.
Cash Flow
75
Positive
Knight Transportation's free cash flow growth is robust at 80.23% in TTM, recovering from negative growth in 2024. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is healthy at 0.74, indicating strong cash generation relative to net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio improved significantly, reflecting better cash conversion efficiency.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue7.48B7.41B7.14B7.43B6.00B4.67B
Gross Profit1.23B1.80B1.96B2.41B1.97B1.46B
EBITDA1.06B1.03B1.01B1.66B1.47B1.07B
Net Income142.24M117.63M217.15M771.33M743.39M410.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets12.62B13.07B13.26B11.14B10.82B8.62B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments294.35M365.94M466.35M389.74M354.11M205.03M
Total Debt2.76B2.82B2.67B1.67B1.96B1.03B
Total Liabilities5.50B5.96B6.16B4.18B4.27B2.75B
Stockholders Equity7.11B7.11B7.09B6.95B6.53B5.87B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow352.45M-20.09M90.06M635.29M656.06M398.58M
Operating Cash Flow817.75M799.06M1.16B1.44B1.19B919.64M
Investing Cash Flow-564.61M-759.12M-1.23B-646.18M-1.82B-480.71M
Financing Cash Flow-274.04M-139.40M150.69M-754.35M779.33M-443.88M

Knight Transportation Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price52.36
Price Trends
50DMA
46.49
Positive
100DMA
44.22
Positive
200DMA
43.73
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
2.20
Negative
RSI
66.79
Neutral
STOCH
65.10
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KNX, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 52.36 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 49.78, above the 50-day MA of 46.49, and above the 200-day MA of 43.73, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 2.20 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 66.79 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 65.10 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for KNX.

Knight Transportation Risk Analysis

Knight Transportation disclosed 38 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Knight Transportation 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

Knight Transportation Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
$8.53B30.2611.92%1.96%-24.55%
67
Neutral
$1.81B74.461.78%1.85%-3.42%-43.86%
66
Neutral
$1.77B18.617.40%0.61%-5.34%-48.16%
64
Neutral
$8.50B59.802.01%1.37%>-0.01%279.47%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
59
Neutral
$4.73B41.653.81%1.41%5.46%2.31%
58
Neutral
$934.22M48.192.53%2.09%-9.74%-42.57%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
KNX
Knight Transportation
52.36
0.34
0.65%
MRTN
Marten Transport
11.46
-3.81
-24.95%
SAIA
Saia
320.29
-144.56
-31.10%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
30.29
-4.86
-13.83%
ARCB
ArcBest
78.41
-14.50
-15.61%
SNDR
Schneider National
27.01
-1.71
-5.95%

Knight Transportation Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesDividends
Knight Transportation Increases CFO Salary Amidst Leadership Changes
Neutral
Nov 7, 2025

On November 4, 2025, Knight-Swift’s Compensation Committee approved equity awards for its named executive officers, to be granted on November 28, 2025, under the Omnibus Plan. These awards include performance-based stock units and restricted stock units, aligning with the company’s long-term growth objectives. Additionally, the base salary of CFO Andrew Hess was increased, effective November 8, 2025. The company also announced the retirement of General Counsel Todd Carlson, effective January 1, 2026, and declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share, payable on December 22, 2025.

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: Nov 01, 2025