Saia (SAIA) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $8.89B
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 683.17K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 30.8
• Beta (1Y): 1.23
• Revenue Growth: 4.23%
• EPS Growth: -23.94%
• Country: US
• Employees: 15,300
• Sector: Industrials
• Sector Strength: 95
• Industry: Trucking
• EPS (TTM): 2.67
• Shares Outstanding: 26,634,005
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 835,389
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 683,174
• PEG Ratio: -2.42
• Price to Book (P/B): 3.63
• Price to Sales (P/S): 0.00
• P/FCF Ratio: -43.41
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.01
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 1.84
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 57.28
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 14.72
• 1Y Price Target: $332.63
• Price Target Upside: -0.29% Downside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 16

• Rating: 75 Outperform
• Price Target: $342.00 ▲(2.51%Upside)

Saia's overall stock score reflects its strong financial health and short-term technical momentum. However, liquidity challenges, moderate valuation, and earnings call concerns weigh on the score. Continued focus on operational efficiency and cash flow management will be crucial for future performance.

Positive Factors

Earnings

SAIA reported earnings per share that exceeded forecasts, indicating strong performance.

Operational Efficiency

The operating ratio was better than the target, indicating improved operational efficiency.

Negative Factors

Market Conditions

Estimates for FY 2025 and 2026 are reduced due to a weak freight environment, tariff uncertainty, and increased costs from terminal openings.

Volume Growth

Saia's volume growth is slowing due to a challenging freight environment and tough comparisons to previous years.

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 predominantly through its less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation services, which allow multiple shippers to share space on a single truck. This model optimizes efficiency and cost-effectiveness for both Saia and its customers. Revenue is derived from freight charges based on shipment weight, distance, and service level. Additionally, Saia offers value-added services such as expedited shipping and customized logistics solutions, which contribute to its revenue streams. The company's financial performance is further bolstered by strategic partnerships with other logistics providers, enabling an expanded service reach and enhanced operational capabilities.

Saia Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Saia demonstrates strong financial performance with healthy revenue and profit margins, solid return on equity, and a stable capital structure. However, potential liquidity challenges are highlighted due to negative free cash flow.

Income Statement

Saia's income statement shows strong financial performance with a consistent growth trajectory. The TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) gross profit margin stands at approximately 36.3%, indicating efficient cost management. The net profit margin is healthy at 9.9%, demonstrating profitability. Revenue growth rate from 2023 to 2024 is robust at 11.4%, and the EBIT margin is solid at 13.4%. While the EBITDA margin is strong at 20.2%, the slight decrease in EBIT from 2024 to TTM suggests some operational challenges.

Balance Sheet

Saia's balance sheet reflects financial stability with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05 in TTM, demonstrating conservative leverage. The return on equity (ROE) is impressive at 13.6%, indicating efficient use of equity capital. The equity ratio is robust at 70.2%, showing a strong capital structure. However, the decline in cash and short-term investments over the period could pose liquidity risks.

Cash Flow

The cash flow statement reveals a mixed picture. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is excellent at 1.83, indicating strong cash generation. However, the free cash flow has turned negative in TTM, primarily due to high capital expenditures, which may pressure future liquidity. The free cash flow to net income ratio is concerning at -0.0003, suggesting a need for improved cash flow management.

Breakdown	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	3.21B	2.88B	2.79B	2.29B	1.82B
Gross Profit	644.41M	598.93M	590.96M	451.69M	283.85M
EBITDA	695.04M	647.61M	627.74M	472.95M	312.45M
Net Income	362.06M	354.86M	357.42M	253.24M	138.34M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	3.17B	2.58B	2.17B	1.85B	1.55B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	19.47M	296.21M	187.39M	106.59M	25.31M
Total Debt	324.46M	138.71M	154.51M	160.38M	186.51M
Total Liabilities	855.59M	642.07M	595.37M	624.92M	587.49M
Stockholders Equity	2.31B	1.94B	1.58B	1.22B	961.29M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-459.86M	138.07M	105.60M	96.85M	78.00M
Operating Cash Flow	583.70M	577.95M	473.03M	382.59M	309.14M
Investing Cash Flow	-1.04B	-448.70M	-365.51M	-277.85M	-218.82M
Financing Cash Flow	175.42M	-20.42M	-26.71M	-23.46M	-65.27M

Saia Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 333.61
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Negative
• STOCH: Negative

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 333.61 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 295.77, above the 50-day MA of 278.72, and below the 200-day MA of 395.35, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 9.96 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 72.58 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 84.78 is Negative, 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
ARCB	79 Outperform	$1.98B	11.39	14.25%	0.56%	-5.69%	51.78%
SAIA	75 Outperform	$8.89B	30.82	12.69%	―	4.23%	-23.94%
ODFL	75 Outperform	$35.31B	31.32	26.59%	0.65%	-2.63%	-6.12%
KNX	68 Neutral	$7.27B	44.21	2.33%	1.52%	-2.54%	144.49%
Sector *	67 Neutral	£2.83B	10.49	4.69%	212.98%	2.73%	-20.56%
SNDR	66 Neutral	$4.56B	36.76	4.20%	1.46%	-0.30%	-20.76%
WERN	61 Neutral	$1.81B	102.98	1.21%	1.91%	-7.66%	-78.26%

Saia Corporate Events

Saia Reports Mixed May 2025 Shipment Data

On June 5, 2025, Saia, Inc. released its shipment and tonnage data for April and May 2025, revealing a mixed performance in its LTL operations. In April, LTL shipments per workday decreased by 1.9%, while tonnage increased by 4.4%, and weight per shipment rose by 6.5%. In May, shipments declined by 3.2%, tonnage slightly decreased by 0.4%, and weight per shipment increased by 3.0%. These figures suggest fluctuations in demand and operational efficiency, impacting Saia’s market positioning and stakeholder interests.

The most recent analyst rating on (SAIA) stock is a Hold with a $455.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Saia stock, see the SAIA Stock Forecast page.

Saia Reports Q1 2025 Earnings with Revenue Growth

Saia, Inc. reported its first quarter 2025 earnings, highlighting a 4.3% increase in revenue to $787.6 million, driven by growth in newer markets and ramping terminals. Despite achieving record revenue, the company faced challenges from adverse weather conditions and a muted macroeconomic environment, which impacted their operating ratio, deteriorating it to 91.1% from 84.4% the previous year. The company remains focused on improving service levels and managing costs to maintain its position as a trusted carrier.