Saia (SAIA) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $8.34B
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 620.16K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 28.9
• Beta (1Y): 1.25
• Revenue Growth: 4.23%
• EPS Growth: -23.94%
• Country: US
• Employees: 15,300
• Sector: Industrials
• Sector Strength: 73
• Industry: Trucking
• EPS (TTM): 2.67
• Shares Outstanding: 26,636,045
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 602,572
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 620,164
• PEG Ratio: N/A
• Price to Book (P/B): N/A
• Price to Sales (P/S): N/A
• P/FCF Ratio: N/A
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 0.93
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 2.40
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 13.63
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 12.37
• 1Y Price Target: $341.87
• Price Target Upside: 9.17% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 15

• Rating: 69 Neutral
• Price Target: $343.00 ▲(9.53% Upside)

Saia's overall stock score reflects a mixed financial performance with strong profitability but declining revenue and cash flow issues. Technical analysis shows a slightly positive trend, while valuation concerns and recent shipment declines weigh on the score. Improvements in operating efficiency and strategic initiatives are positive, but challenges remain.

Positive Factors

Earnings Performance

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

Market Reaction

The company's share price saw a significant increase in premarket trading, suggesting positive market reaction to the earnings report.

Operational Efficiency

Saia's OR improved 330 bps sequentially, outperforming the historical average and expectations.

Negative Factors

Guidance Concerns

3Q OR deterioration guidance was confusing and worse than estimated.

Volume Growth

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

Yield Pressure

Yield pressure in 2Q was attributed to sequential mix headwind from shifts to national and retail customers.

Saia Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Saia, Inc. (SAIA) is a prominent transportation and logistics company based in the United States, specializing in less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping services. Established in 1924, Saia operates a network that spans across the U.S., providing regional and national delivery solutions. The company serves a diverse range of sectors, including retail, manufacturing, and e-commerce, and offers additional services such as truckload shipping, logistics, and warehousing.

How the Company Makes Money

Saia generates revenue primarily through its LTL freight services, which account for a significant portion of its earnings. The company charges customers based on weight, distance, and service type, providing tailored solutions for shipping needs. In addition to LTL shipping, Saia also earns revenue from truckload services and logistics solutions, catering to customers with larger freight requirements. The company has established partnerships with various businesses and e-commerce platforms, enhancing its market reach and service offerings. Furthermore, Saia's focus on operational efficiency and strategic investments in technology and infrastructure contributes to cost management and improved profitability.

Saia Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Saia's financial performance is mixed. The company shows strong profitability and a solid balance sheet with low leverage. However, the decline in revenue growth and negative free cash flow are areas of concern. Continued focus on revenue growth and cash flow management will be crucial for future stability and growth.

Income Statement

Saia's income statement shows a mixed performance. The company experienced a decline in revenue growth rate in the TTM period, which is a concern. However, it maintains a healthy gross profit margin and net profit margin, indicating operational efficiency. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are also strong, suggesting good profitability despite the revenue decline.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet is robust with a low debt-to-equity ratio, indicating conservative leverage. Return on equity has decreased in the TTM period but remains reasonable, reflecting decent profitability. The equity ratio is strong, showcasing a solid capital structure with a good proportion of equity financing.

Cash Flow

Cash flow analysis reveals some challenges. The free cash flow is negative in the TTM period, which is concerning. However, the operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong, indicating good cash generation relative to net income. The negative free cash flow growth rate highlights potential cash management issues.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	3.24B	3.21B	2.88B	2.79B	2.29B	1.82B
Gross Profit	569.51M	644.41M	598.93M	590.96M	451.69M	283.85M
EBITDA	627.92M	695.04M	647.61M	627.74M	472.95M	312.45M
Net Income	290.05M	362.06M	354.86M	357.42M	253.24M	138.34M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	3.46B	3.17B	2.58B	2.17B	1.85B	1.55B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	18.84M	19.47M	296.21M	187.39M	106.59M	25.31M
Total Debt	444.34M	324.46M	138.71M	154.51M	160.38M	186.51M
Total Liabilities	1.02B	855.59M	642.07M	595.37M	624.92M	587.49M
Stockholders Equity	2.44B	2.31B	1.94B	1.58B	1.22B	961.29M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-112.90M	-459.86M	138.07M	105.60M	96.85M	78.00M
Operating Cash Flow	626.27M	583.70M	577.95M	473.03M	382.59M	309.14M
Investing Cash Flow	-743.55M	-1.04B	-448.70M	-365.51M	-277.85M	-218.82M
Financing Cash Flow	124.95M	175.42M	-20.42M	-26.71M	-23.46M	-65.27M

Saia Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 313.15
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Negative
• MACD: Positive
• 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 313.15 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 299.88, above the 50-day MA of 297.98, and below the 200-day MA of 369.62, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.95 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 56.76 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 40.86 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
SNDR	69 Neutral	$4.30B	34.47	4.20%	1.55%	2.20%	7.86%
SAIA	69 Neutral	$8.34B	28.93	12.69%	―	4.23%	-23.94%
ARCB	69 Neutral	$1.72B	11.25	12.50%	0.63%	-6.42%	25.72%
KNX	67 Neutral	$7.00B	42.47	2.33%	1.62%	-2.54%	144.49%
Sector *	65 Neutral	$2.66B	14.67	12.46%	3.53%	2.94%	43.39%
WERN	64 Neutral	$1.71B	33.40	3.65%	1.96%	-6.43%	-13.76%
MRTN	56 Neutral	$957.05M	45.75	2.72%	2.04%	-11.77%	-52.06%

Saia Corporate Events

Saia Reports Decline in August 2025 LTL Shipments

On September 5, 2025, Saia, Inc. released its shipment and tonnage data for July and August 2025, revealing a decline in LTL shipments per workday by 1.2% in July and 2.2% in August compared to the previous year. Despite these declines, LTL weight per shipment saw slight increases, indicating shifts in operational metrics that could impact Saia’s market positioning and stakeholder interests.

Saia Reports Q2 2025 Earnings with Revenue Decline

Saia, Inc. reported its second quarter 2025 earnings, highlighting a slight year-over-year revenue decline of 0.7% to $817 million, attributed to muted volume trends due to macroeconomic conditions. Despite this, the company achieved a sequential operating ratio improvement, driven by cost optimization and network efficiency efforts. Saia’s newer markets showed strong customer acceptance, with terminals opened less than three years ago seeing a 4% improvement in shipments per workday. The company’s focus on customer service and operational efficiency resulted in a 4% sequential decrease in cost per shipment, despite headwinds from increased depreciation expenses. Saia continues to adapt to changing market conditions while executing its long-term strategy.