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Knight Transportation (KNX)
NYSE:KNX
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Knight Transportation (KNX) AI Stock Analysis

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KNX

Knight Transportation

(NYSE:KNX)

Rating:67Neutral
Price Target:
$48.00
▲(11.47% Upside)
Knight Transportation's overall stock score reflects a stable financial performance and positive corporate events, offset by technical indicators suggesting bearish momentum and a high valuation. The earnings call provided a balanced outlook with both growth achievements and market challenges.
Positive Factors
Earnings
Knight-Swift Transportation posted adjusted EPS of $0.35, up 17% year-over-year, above estimates.
Operational Performance
Truckload led with above-target utilization and cost management, mitigating rate pressure.
Negative Factors
Financial Performance
Less-than-Truckload adjusted operating income was down 37% year-over-year, falling short of estimates.
Revenue
Revenue before fuel surcharges was $1 million below estimate.

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. The company operates a fleet of trucks and trailers that transport goods for customers across various industries, charging fees based on mileage, weight, and type of cargo. Key revenue streams include dry van services, which make up a significant portion of their business, as well as refrigerated transport services for temperature-sensitive goods. Additionally, Knight offers logistics services, managing the supply chain needs of customers which adds to its revenue. Strategic partnerships with shippers and a focus on customer service enhance their earnings potential. The company also benefits from operational efficiencies and a strong focus on maintaining a modern, well-maintained fleet, which reduces costs and improves profitability.

Knight Transportation Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 30, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: 1.65%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 15, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presented a mix of positive growth in certain segments like LTL and Truckload, alongside challenges such as a soft freight environment and margin pressures due to expansion costs. Overall, while there are significant achievements in revenue and income growth, the market conditions and segment-specific challenges create a balanced outlook.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Revenue Growth and Operating Income Improvement
Revenue, excluding fuel surcharge, increased by 1.9%. Adjusted operating income improved by 17.2% year-over-year, or $15.2 million.
EPS Increase
GAAP earnings per diluted share for Q2 2025 were $0.21, a 61.5% year-over-year increase. Adjusted EPS was $0.35, a 45.8% year-over-year increase.
LTL Segment Growth
LTL business grew revenue excluding fuel surcharge by 28.4% year-over-year. Shipments per day increased by 21.7%.
Truckload Segment Performance
Truckload segment improved its adjusted operating ratio by 260 basis points and grew adjusted operating income by 87.5% year-over-year.
Logistics Segment Efficiency
Despite a 2.6% decline in revenue, the Logistics segment improved its adjusted operating ratio by 70 basis points to 94.8% and grew adjusted operating income by 13.3% year-over-year.
Cost Control Initiatives
The company made meaningful progress in cost control, reducing fixed costs on an absolute basis and keeping fixed cost per mile flat.
Negative Updates
Soft Freight Environment Impact
Most segments experienced pressure on revenue year-over-year due to a soft freight environment.
Intermodal Segment Decline
Intermodal segment saw a revenue decline of 13.8% year-over-year, driven by a 12.4% decrease in load count.
Operating Margin Pressure in LTL
Adjusted operating income for the LTL segment declined 36.8% year-over-year due to the decline in operating margin, primarily attributable to early-stage operations at new facilities.
Challenges in Cost of Expansion
The cost of expansion and integration efforts are putting pressure on margins, particularly in the LTL segment.
Uncertain Market Conditions
The fluid policy environment and soft freight demand, especially on the West Coast, have made forecasting difficult.
Company Guidance
During the Knight-Swift Transportation Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Call, the company provided several key metrics on its financial performance and guidance. Revenue, excluding fuel surcharge, increased by 1.9%, while adjusted operating income improved by 17.2% year-over-year. GAAP earnings per diluted share rose by 61.5% to $0.21, and adjusted EPS increased by 45.8% to $0.35. The adjusted operating ratio was 93.8%, an improvement of 80 basis points from the previous year. The company projected its adjusted EPS for the third quarter of 2025 to be between $0.36 and $0.42, with expectations of a sequential improvement in Truckload operating income, modest gains in LTL revenue and operating margin, and a stable contribution from the Logistics segment. Additionally, the company revised its full-year net cash CapEx guidance to $525 million to $575 million, down from the initial range of $575 million to $625 million.

Knight Transportation Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Knight Transportation's financials reflect stability with consistent revenue and cash flow generation. The company maintains a strong equity base and prudent debt management, though profitability and ROE could be improved. Overall, the financial position is sound, but there is room for enhanced profitability.
Income Statement
75
Positive
Knight Transportation's income statement showcases solid gross and net profit margins with a Gross Profit Margin of 18.2% and a Net Profit Margin of 2.0% for TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). Revenue growth appears stable, with a slight increase from the previous year, indicating consistent business performance. EBIT and EBITDA margins reflect steady operational efficiency, though there is a noticeable decline in EBIT margin from previous years. Overall, the income statement reflects a stable yet not exceptional profitability trajectory in a competitive trucking industry.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The balance sheet indicates a stable financial position with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.19, suggesting prudent financial leverage. Return on Equity (ROE) for TTM is modest at 2.1%, which is quite low and shows room for improvement in generating returns for shareholders. The Equity Ratio stands strong at 56.4%, indicating a robust equity base relative to total assets, providing a cushion against liabilities. Overall, the balance sheet reflects a sound financial structure but with modest shareholder returns.
Cash Flow
68
Positive
Cash flow analysis shows a Free Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio of 0.81 for TTM, indicating a robust cash generation relative to net income, though the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate shows volatility over the years. The Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is high at 5.77, highlighting strong cash conversion efficiency. However, capital expenditures have been significant, impacting free cash flow. The cash flow statement presents a stable cash-generating capability but with potential pressure from capital investments.
BreakdownDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue7.41B7.14B7.43B6.00B4.67B
Gross Profit1.03B1.25B1.77B1.41B969.12M
EBITDA1.11B1.13B1.77B1.62B1.17B
Net Income117.63M217.15M771.33M743.39M410.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets12.70B12.87B10.95B10.66B8.47B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments218.26M168.54M196.77M261.00M156.70M
Total Debt3.28B3.20B2.09B2.24B817.08M
Total Liabilities5.58B5.77B4.00B4.11B2.60B
Stockholders Equity7.11B7.09B6.95B6.53B5.87B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-20.09M90.06M635.29M656.06M398.58M
Operating Cash Flow799.06M1.16B1.44B1.19B919.64M
Investing Cash Flow-759.12M-1.23B-646.18M-1.82B-480.71M
Financing Cash Flow-139.40M150.69M-754.35M779.33M-443.88M

Knight Transportation Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price43.06
Price Trends
50DMA
44.30
Negative
100DMA
43.17
Negative
200DMA
48.27
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.64
Negative
RSI
48.04
Neutral
STOCH
87.51
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KNX, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 43.06 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 43.23, below the 50-day MA of 44.30, and below the 200-day MA of 48.27, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.64 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 48.04 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 87.51 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative 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
72
Outperform
$4.31B34.544.20%1.54%2.20%7.86%
69
Neutral
$1.67B10.9312.50%0.65%-6.42%25.72%
67
Neutral
$6.94B42.152.33%1.54%-2.54%144.49%
66
Neutral
$8.13B28.2012.69%4.23%-23.94%
63
Neutral
$10.80B16.556.58%2.06%2.37%-15.86%
61
Neutral
$1.69B33.053.65%1.98%-6.43%-13.76%
58
Neutral
$989.66M47.312.72%1.98%-11.77%-52.06%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
KNX
Knight Transportation
43.06
-9.66
-18.32%
MRTN
Marten Transport
12.14
-4.88
-28.67%
SAIA
Saia
305.27
-87.22
-22.22%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
28.31
-8.40
-22.88%
ARCB
ArcBest
73.51
-34.84
-32.16%
SNDR
Schneider National
24.72
-1.68
-6.36%

Knight Transportation Corporate Events

Dividends
Knight Transportation Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
Positive
Aug 7, 2025

On August 6, 2025, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.’s board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share, payable to stockholders of record as of September 5, 2025, with payment expected on September 22, 2025. This announcement reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to returning value to its shareholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (KNX) stock is a Buy with a $62.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Knight Transportation stock, see the KNX Stock Forecast page.

Private Placements and FinancingBusiness Operations and Strategy
Knight Transportation Secures New $2.5 Billion Credit Facility
Positive
Jul 14, 2025

On July 8, 2025, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. entered into a new $2.5 billion unsecured credit facility, replacing its previous $2.3 billion credit facility and $250 million term loan. This new agreement includes a $1.5 billion revolving line of credit and two term loans, with varying maturity dates extending to 2030. The new credit facility is expected to streamline the company’s financial structure by consolidating its debt under more favorable terms, potentially enhancing its operational flexibility and financial stability.

The most recent analyst rating on (KNX) stock is a Buy with a $62.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Knight Transportation stock, see the KNX 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: Aug 15, 2025