Marten Transport (MRTN)
NASDAQ:MRTN
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Marten Transport
(NASDAQ:MRTN)
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Rating:60Neutral
Price Target:
$17.50
â–²(17.69% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:05/12/26
The score is held back mainly by weakened profitability and persistently negative free cash flow, despite a very strong low-leverage balance sheet. Technicals are supportive with the stock trading above key moving averages, but valuation is a clear headwind due to the extremely high P/E, and recent corporate updates include a meaningful earnings decline.
Positive Factors
Very low leverage
Extremely low debt provides durable financial flexibility: it reduces refinancing and liquidity risk, allows the company to sustain operations through cyclical freight downturns, supports opportunistic investment or share returns, and preserves optionality over the next 2–6 months.
Negative Factors
Very thin margins
Substantially compressed margins and collapsing ROE indicate limited earnings power and little buffer for rising costs; with such thin profitability, modest contract rate pressure or fuel spikes can push results negative, constraining sustainable investment and shareholder returns.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Very low leverage
Extremely low debt provides durable financial flexibility: it reduces refinancing and liquidity risk, allows the company to sustain operations through cyclical freight downturns, supports opportunistic investment or share returns, and preserves optionality over the next 2–6 months.
Read all positive factors
Marten Transport (MRTN) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$1.35B
Dividend Yield2.07%
Average Volume (3M)726.99K
Price to Earnings (P/E)193.6
Beta (1Y)0.79
Revenue Growth-7.81%
EPS Growth-33.01%
CountryUS
Employees3,776
SectorIndustrials
Sector Strength72
IndustryTrucking
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.18
Shares Outstanding81,589,134
10 Day Avg. Volume972,000
30 Day Avg. Volume726,985
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-1.46
Price to Book (P/B)1.21
Price to Sales (P/S)1.05
P/FCF Ratio-18.17
Enterprise Value/Market Cap0.95
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.50
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit45.66
Enterprise Value/Ebitda11.38
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$18.00Price Target Upside21.05% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering2
EPS Forecast (FY)0.28
Revenue Forecast (FY)$891.30M
Marten Transport Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Marten Transport, Ltd. operates as a temperature-sensitive truckload carrier for shippers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It operates through four segments: Truckload, Dedicated, Intermodal, and Brokerage. The Truckload segment transport...
How the Company Makes Money
Marten Transport makes money primarily by being paid to move freight and to arrange freight movement for customers. Its key revenue streams include: (1) Asset-based truckload transportation: Marten operates company-owned tractors and trailers (inc...
Marten Transport Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
34
Negative
Balance Sheet
88
Very Positive
Cash Flow
46
Neutral
| Breakdown | TTM | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 864.03M | 883.65M | 963.71M | 1.13B | 1.26B | 973.64M |
| Gross Profit | 28.30M | 50.49M | 130.70M | 188.73M | 238.50M | 183.15M |
| EBITDA | 113.53M | 129.77M | 139.90M | 193.22M | 240.98M | 197.96M |
| Net Income | 14.49M | 17.44M | 26.92M | 70.37M | 110.35M | 85.43M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 947.23M | 949.77M | 968.76M | 990.34M | 980.52M | 884.26M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 69.79M | 43.28M | 17.27M | 53.21M | 80.60M | 56.99M |
| Total Debt | 157.00K | 388.00K | 282.00K | 249.00K | 710.00K | 540.00K |
| Total Liabilities | 183.02M | 182.14M | 200.84M | 232.95M | 276.60M | 232.59M |
| Stockholders Equity | 764.21M | 767.63M | 767.92M | 757.39M | 703.92M | 651.68M |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | -47.32M | -51.06M | -98.42M | -76.18M | 42.87M | -28.09M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 90.32M | 93.49M | 134.81M | 164.38M | 219.49M | 171.20M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -36.07M | -42.88M | -152.14M | -172.54M | -134.96M | -123.73M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -19.37M | -19.60M | -18.62M | -19.23M | -60.93M | -56.60M |
Marten Transport Technical Analysis
Positive
14.87
Price Trends
14.22
Positive
13.52
Positive
12.18
Positive
Market Momentum
0.59
Negative
73.70
Negative
97.72
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For MRTN, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 14.87 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 15.39, above the 50-day MA of 14.22, and above the 200-day MA of 12.18, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.59 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 73.70 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 97.72 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for MRTN.
Marten Transport Risk Analysis
Marten Transport disclosed 20 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Marten Transport reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
Marten Transport 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 | $1.35B | 193.61 | 1.89% | 2.07% | -7.81% | -33.01% | |
60 Neutral | $2.77B | -529.70 | 4.30% | 0.62% | -1.65% | -67.84% | |
59 Neutral | $2.39B | -103.41 | -0.62% | 1.84% | 3.28% | -154.33% | |
58 Neutral | $940.64M | 38.52 | 1.23% | 1.23% | 7.15% | -87.09% | |
57 Neutral | $1.11B | -41.77 | -5.66% | 0.87% | -23.49% | -54.25% | |
43 Neutral | $383.94M | -40.29 | -18.94% | 2.76% | -11.11% | -231.01% |
* Industrials Sector Average
MRTN
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Marten Transport Corporate Events
Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Marten Transport Shareholders Reelect Board and Approve Compensation
Positive
May 11, 2026
At its Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 5, 2026, Marten Transport, Ltd. reported that shareholders re-elected seven directors, including Chairman Randolph L. Marten, to serve until the next annual meeting or until their successors are ch...
Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Marten Transport Earnings Decline Amid Freight Recession Pressures
Negative
Apr 23, 2026
Marten Transport reported that for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, net income fell to $1.4 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, from $4.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, a year earlier as operating revenue declined to $203.5 million from $2...
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.