Saia (SAIA) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $9.05B
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 476.30K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 32.1
• Beta (1Y): 1.06
• Revenue Growth: 1.96%
• EPS Growth: -24.55%
• Country: US
• Employees: 15,300
• Sector: Industrials
• Sector Strength: 72
• Industry: Trucking
• EPS (TTM): 2.81
• Shares Outstanding: 26,642,641
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 619,391
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 476,299
• PEG Ratio: 18.65
• Price to Book (P/B): 5.26
• Price to Sales (P/S): 3.79
• P/FCF Ratio: -26.46
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 0.92
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 2.58
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 13.48
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 13.21
• 1Y Price Target: $333.00
• Price Target Upside: -1.99% Downside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 16
• EPS Forecast (FY): N/A
• Revenue Forecast (FY): N/A

• Rating: 73 Outperform
• Price Target: $370.00 ▲(8.90% Upside)

Saia's strong operational efficiency and strategic expansion efforts are key strengths, but challenges such as declining revenue growth, negative free cash flow, and valuation concerns weigh on the overall score. The stock's bullish momentum is tempered by overbought technical indicators.

Positive Factors

Operational Efficiency

Saia's focus on cost control and operational efficiency helps maintain profitability and competitiveness, crucial for long-term success.

Network Expansion

Strategic network expansion enhances service capabilities and market reach, supporting sustainable growth and competitive positioning.

Balance Sheet Strength

A strong balance sheet with low leverage provides financial stability and flexibility for future investments and growth opportunities.

Negative Factors

Revenue Stagnation

Stagnant revenue growth can limit the company's ability to invest in new opportunities and may impact long-term financial performance.

Negative Free Cash Flow

Negative free cash flow suggests challenges in converting profits into cash, potentially restricting future investments and financial flexibility.

Increased Operating Expenses

Rising operating expenses can erode profit margins and reduce the company's ability to invest in growth initiatives, impacting long-term profitability.

Saia Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Saia, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a transportation company in North America. The company provides less-than-truckload services for shipments between 400 and 10,000 pounds; and other value-added services, including non-asset truckload, expedited, and logistics services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 176 owned and leased facilities; and owned approximately 5,600 tractors and 19,300 trailers. The company was formerly known as SCS Transportation, Inc. and changed its name to Saia, Inc. in July 2006. Saia, Inc. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia.

How the Company Makes Money

Saia generates revenue primarily through its less-than-truckload (LTL) services, which involve transporting smaller freight shipments that do not require a full truckload. This model allows Saia to efficiently consolidate shipments from multiple customers, maximizing truck utilization and minimizing costs. Key revenue streams include freight charges from LTL shipments, accessorial services such as liftgate deliveries and residential services, and specialized services for time-sensitive deliveries. Additionally, Saia benefits from long-term relationships with various industries, including retail, manufacturing, and e-commerce, which provide a steady stream of business. Strategic partnerships with other logistics providers and technology investments that enhance operational efficiency also contribute to the company's profitability.

Saia Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Saia shows strong operational efficiency and a solid balance sheet with low leverage, reflected in a high balance sheet score. However, challenges such as declining revenue growth and negative free cash flow impact the overall financial performance score.

Income Statement

Saia's income statement shows a strong gross profit margin of 36.64% for TTM, indicating efficient cost management. However, the net profit margin has decreased to 8.77% from 11.28% in the previous year, reflecting reduced profitability. The revenue growth rate is negative at -7.6%, suggesting a decline in sales performance. Despite these challenges, the company maintains a healthy EBITDA margin of 19.51%, showcasing operational efficiency.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet reflects a solid financial position with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, indicating minimal leverage and financial risk. The return on equity is 11.78%, demonstrating effective use of equity to generate profits. The equity ratio stands at 72.14%, highlighting a strong capital structure with significant equity backing.

Cash Flow

Cash flow analysis reveals a concerning free cash flow growth rate of -87.9%, indicating significant cash outflows. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong at 2.12, suggesting robust cash generation relative to net income. However, the negative free cash flow to net income ratio of -0.18 points to challenges in converting profits into free cash flow.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	3.23B	3.21B	2.88B	2.79B	2.29B	1.82B
Gross Profit	618.04M	644.41M	598.93M	590.96M	451.69M	283.85M
EBITDA	630.93M	695.04M	647.61M	627.86M	477.69M	316.11M
Net Income	283.62M	362.06M	354.86M	357.42M	253.24M	138.34M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	3.50B	3.17B	2.58B	2.17B	1.85B	1.55B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	35.50M	19.47M	296.21M	187.39M	106.59M	25.31M
Total Debt	348.38M	324.46M	138.71M	154.51M	160.38M	186.51M
Total Liabilities	974.93M	855.59M	642.07M	595.37M	624.92M	587.49M
Stockholders Equity	2.53B	2.31B	1.94B	1.58B	1.22B	961.29M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-13.66M	-459.86M	138.07M	105.60M	96.85M	78.00M
Operating Cash Flow	622.40M	583.70M	577.95M	473.03M	382.59M	309.14M
Investing Cash Flow	-622.11M	-1.04B	-448.70M	-365.51M	-277.85M	-218.82M
Financing Cash Flow	20.80M	175.42M	-20.42M	-26.71M	-23.46M	-65.27M

Saia Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 339.77
• 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 SAIA, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 339.77 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 306.00, above the 50-day MA of 297.30, and above the 200-day MA of 301.91, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 16.20 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 68.50 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 60.92 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for SAIA.

Saia Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
SAIA	73 Outperform	$9.05B	32.10	11.92%	―	1.96%	-24.55%
WERN	67 Neutral	$1.82B	74.78	1.78%	1.84%	-3.42%	-43.86%
ARCB	66 Neutral	$1.78B	18.77	7.40%	0.61%	-5.34%	-48.16%
KNX	64 Neutral	$8.68B	61.04	2.01%	1.35%	>-0.01%	279.47%
Sector *	63 Neutral	$10.79B	15.43	7.44%	2.01%	2.89%	-14.66%
SNDR	59 Neutral	$4.69B	41.26	3.81%	1.40%	5.46%	2.31%
MRTN	58 Neutral	$948.08M	48.91	2.53%	2.05%	-9.74%	-42.57%

Saia Corporate Events

Saia Reports November 2025 Shipment and Tonnage Growth

On December 2, 2025, Saia, Inc. released its shipment and tonnage data for October and November 2025, showing a decline in LTL shipments and tonnage per workday in October by 3.4% and 3.3% respectively, while November saw an increase of 2.6% in shipments and 1.8% in tonnage compared to the previous year. These fluctuations in shipping metrics reflect the dynamic nature of the transportation industry and could have implications for Saia’s operational strategies and market positioning.

Saia Reports Q3 2025 Earnings with Expense Reduction

Saia, Inc. reported its third quarter 2025 earnings, highlighting a $14.5 million net operating expense reduction due to real estate transactions. Despite a flat revenue of $839.6 million compared to the previous year, the company improved its adjusted operating ratio to 87.6% from the second quarter. Saia’s strategic expansion and network optimization efforts have led to sequential growth in both legacy and newer markets, with a notable 4.2% improvement in shipments per workday at ramping facilities. The company continues to focus on efficiency and customer service, implementing a 5.9% general rate increase in October to enhance profitability amidst an inflationary environment.