Marten Transport (MRTN) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $816.02M
• Dividend Yield: 2.45%
• Average Volume (3M): 738.46K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 42.1
• Beta (1Y): 0.77
• Revenue Growth: -9.74%
• EPS Growth: -42.57%
• Country: US
• Employees: 3,776
• Sector: Industrials
• Sector Strength: 72
• Industry: Trucking
• EPS (TTM): 0.03
• Shares Outstanding: 81,520,424
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 1,055,192
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 738,463
• PEG Ratio: -0.76
• Price to Book (P/B): 1.65
• Price to Sales (P/S): 1.32
• P/FCF Ratio: -12.91
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.00
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 0.80
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 2.59
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 6.52
• 1Y Price Target: N/A
• Price Target Upside: N/A
• Rating Consensus: N/A
• Number of Analyst Covering: 0
• EPS Forecast (FY): 0.24
• Revenue Forecast (FY): $897.74M

• Rating: 54 Neutral
• Price Target: $10.00 ▼(-8.59% Downside)

Marten Transport's overall score is primarily influenced by its strong balance sheet and cost management. However, the stock faces significant challenges with bearish technical indicators and a high P/E ratio, suggesting potential overvaluation. The lack of earnings call data and notable corporate events limits further insights.

Marten Transport Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) is a leading freight transportation and logistics company based in the United States. The company specializes in providing truckload services, primarily through its refrigerated and dry van segments, catering to a diverse range of industries including food and beverage, retail, and manufacturing. Marten's operations encompass long-haul, regional, and dedicated services, allowing it to effectively meet the transportation needs of its customers while maintaining a commitment to safety and efficiency.

How the Company Makes Money

Marten Transport generates revenue primarily through its freight transportation services, which include truckload services for temperature-sensitive products via refrigerated trailers and dry van freight. The company's revenue model is built on charging customers for transporting goods over various distances, with pricing influenced by factors such as fuel costs, market demand, and service type. Key revenue streams include long-haul trucking, dedicated contract carriage, and regional deliveries. Additionally, Marten maintains strategic partnerships with various shippers and logistics companies, enhancing its service offerings and market reach. The company's focus on efficiency and customer service, combined with a well-maintained fleet and technology-driven operations, supports its earnings and competitive positioning in the logistics sector.

Marten Transport Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Marten Transport shows strong cost management and a solid balance sheet with minimal leverage. However, the company faces challenges with declining revenue growth and profitability margins, as well as issues in free cash flow generation.

Income Statement

Marten Transport's income statement shows a mixed performance. The TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) data indicates a slight decline in revenue growth, with a negative growth rate of -1.84%. The gross profit margin has improved significantly to 38.44% in TTM, indicating better cost management. However, the net profit margin has decreased to 2.14%, reflecting challenges in maintaining profitability. The EBIT and EBITDA margins have also seen a slight decline, suggesting pressure on operational efficiency.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet of Marten Transport is strong, with a very low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.0003, indicating minimal leverage and financial risk. The return on equity (ROE) is modest at 2.52% in TTM, showing a decrease from previous years, which may concern investors looking for higher returns. The equity ratio remains stable, suggesting a solid capital structure.

Cash Flow

The cash flow statement reveals some challenges, particularly with free cash flow, which has seen a significant decline of -66.64% in TTM. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong at 0.97, indicating good cash generation relative to net income. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio is lower at 0.48, suggesting potential issues in converting earnings into free cash flow.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	1.03B	963.71M	1.13B	1.26B	973.64M	874.37M
Gross Profit	317.13M	130.70M	188.73M	238.50M	183.15M	170.76M
EBITDA	125.79M	139.90M	193.22M	240.98M	197.96M	185.69M
Net Income	19.38M	26.92M	70.37M	110.35M	85.43M	69.50M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	975.65M	968.76M	990.34M	965.68M	870.69M	831.64M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	49.48M	17.27M	53.21M	80.60M	56.99M	66.13M
Total Debt	250.00K	578.00K	249.00K	409.00K	291.00K	411.00K
Total Liabilities	207.45M	200.84M	232.95M	261.76M	219.01M	211.30M
Stockholders Equity	768.20M	767.92M	757.39M	703.92M	651.68M	620.33M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	53.36M	-98.42M	-76.18M	42.87M	-28.09M	16.55M
Operating Cash Flow	111.70M	134.81M	164.38M	219.49M	171.20M	189.60M
Investing Cash Flow	-80.63M	-152.14M	-172.54M	-134.96M	-123.73M	-106.33M
Financing Cash Flow	-19.57M	-18.62M	-19.23M	-60.93M	-56.60M	-48.61M

Marten Transport Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Negative
• Last Price: 10.94
• 50DMA: Negative
• 100DMA: Negative
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For MRTN, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 10.94 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 10.32, above the 50-day MA of 10.83, and below the 200-day MA of 12.72, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.27 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 36.22 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 35.57 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for MRTN.

Marten Transport Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
Sector *	63 Neutral	$10.79B	15.43	7.44%	2.01%	2.89%	-14.66%
ARCB	62 Neutral	$1.61B	16.79	7.40%	0.65%	-5.34%	-48.16%
CVLG	59 Neutral	$505.65M	17.02	6.84%	1.37%	1.62%	-22.52%
WERN	59 Neutral	$1.57B	64.63	1.78%	2.19%	-3.42%	―
ULH	57 Neutral	$425.49M	6.98	9.67%	2.74%	-5.55%	-52.21%
MRTN	54 Neutral	$816.02M	42.09	2.53%	2.45%	-9.74%	-42.57%
HTLD	48 Neutral	$597.59M	―	-4.35%	1.05%	-19.56%	-54.39%

Marten Transport Corporate Events

Marten Transport Reports Decline in Q3 Earnings

Marten Transport, Ltd., headquartered in Mondovi, Wisconsin, is a leading temperature-sensitive truckload carrier in the United States, specializing in transporting food, beverages, and other consumer packaged goods requiring temperature-controlled environments. The company operates across five distinct business platforms, including Temperature-Sensitive and Dry Truckload, Dedicated, Brokerage, and MRTN de Mexico, with its common stock traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol MRTN.

Marten Transport Reports Q3 2025 Income Decline

Marten Transport reported a decrease in net income for the third quarter of 2025, with earnings of $2.2 million compared to $3.8 million in the same period of 2024. Operating revenue also declined from $237.4 million to $220.5 million year-over-year. The company attributes the financial pressure to the prolonged freight market recession, inflationary costs, and disruptions in freight networks. Despite these challenges, Marten remains focused on maintaining a strong, debt-free balance sheet and investing in technology and fleet modernization to capitalize on future growth opportunities. The company also finalized the sale of its intermodal business to Hub Group, Inc. for $51.8 million, emphasizing its commitment to core operations.

The most recent analyst rating on (MRTN) stock is a Hold with a $12.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Marten Transport stock, see the MRTN Stock Forecast page.

Marten Transport CEO Timothy Kohl Retires

Marten Transport announced that its CEO, Timothy M. Kohl, will retire on September 30, 2025. In connection with his retirement, Kohl entered into a separation agreement with the company, which includes a severance package of $620,000 and COBRA coverage for up to three months. The agreement also outlines obligations for cooperation, non-disparagement, confidentiality, and non-solicitation.

The most recent analyst rating on (MRTN) stock is a Hold with a $12.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Marten Transport stock, see the MRTN Stock Forecast page.

Marten Transport Announces CEO Retirement and Transition

On August 19, 2025, Marten Transport announced the retirement of its CEO, Timothy M. Kohl, effective September 30, 2025. Randolph L. Marten, who has been with the company since 1974 and has held various leadership roles, will assume the position of Chairman of the Board and CEO starting October 1, 2025. This leadership transition marks a significant change for the company, as Mr. Kohl was instrumental in transforming Marten into a multifaceted business, leading to unprecedented growth. The announcement reflects the company’s strategic continuity and stability, with Mr. Marten’s extensive experience expected to guide the company forward.

The most recent analyst rating on (MRTN) stock is a Hold with a $13.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Marten Transport stock, see the MRTN Stock Forecast page.