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Universal Logistics (ULH)
NASDAQ:ULH
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Universal Logistics (ULH) AI Stock Analysis

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ULH

Universal Logistics

(NASDAQ:ULH)

Rating:66Neutral
Price Target:
$27.00
▲(5.68% Upside)
Universal Logistics Holdings faces challenges with declining revenue and negative cash flow, impacting its financial performance. While valuation metrics are reasonable, technical indicators suggest limited momentum. The earnings call highlighted mixed results, with resilience in some segments but overall pressure on margins and revenue.

Universal Logistics (ULH) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Universal Logistics Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionUniversal Logistics Holdings, Inc. provides transportation and logistics solutions in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Colombia. It offers truckload services, which include dry van, flatbed, heavy-haul, and refrigerated operations; domestic and international freight forwarding, and customs brokerage services; and final mile and ground expedite services. The company transports various commodities comprising automotive parts, machinery, building materials, paper, food, consumer goods, furniture, steel, and other metals. It also provides value-added services for individual customer requirements, including material handling, consolidation, sequencing, sub-assembly, cross-dock, kitting, repacking, warehousing, and returnable container management; and intermodal support services comprising short-to-medium distance delivery of steamship and rail truck containers between the port or railhead, and the customer and drayage services. The company serves automotive, steel, oil and gas, alternative energy, and manufacturing industries, as well as other transportation companies who aggregate loads from various shippers. The company was formerly known as Universal Truckload Services, Inc. and changed its name to Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. in April 2016. Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Warren, Michigan.
How the Company Makes MoneyUniversal Logistics generates revenue through several key streams, primarily by providing logistics and transportation services. Its truckload segment contributes significantly to earnings by offering transportation of goods via a fleet of owned and leased trucks. The logistics management services also represent a vital revenue source, where ULH acts as an intermediary for customers needing freight brokerage and supply chain solutions. Additionally, the intermodal services, which combine rail and truck transportation, provide cost-effective and efficient shipping options for clients. Significant partnerships with major retailers and manufacturers enhance the company's service offerings and contribute to its earnings, along with the growing demand for third-party logistics solutions. Furthermore, ULH leverages technology to optimize its operations and improve efficiency, which helps in maintaining competitive pricing and profitability.

Universal Logistics Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 24, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 23, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflected a mixed performance for Universal Logistics Holdings. While there were some positive developments, particularly in the Contract Logistics segment and sales initiatives, the overall revenue and income decline, coupled with challenges in the Trucking and Intermodal segments, indicate significant pressure. The sentiment is balanced, with equal highlights and lowlights.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Contract Logistics Segment Performance
The Contract Logistics segment remained the cornerstone of Universal's results, with revenues of $260.6 million. Despite a slight decline from last year, the integration of Parsec contributed $55 million in revenue.
Truck Segment Resilience
Trucking revenues were $64.1 million, down nearly 30% year-over-year. However, operating margin improved to 5.2% from 4.8%, with operating income at $3.3 million.
Intermodal Segment Progress
Intermodal segment revenues were $68.9 million, down 13.5% year-over-year, but the operating loss narrowed from $10.7 million in Q1 to $5.7 million.
Sales and Business Development Initiatives
The company expanded its sales organization with new senior sales directors and rolled out a new CRM solution, enhancing customer relationship management and sales pipeline visibility.
Negative Updates
Overall Revenue and Income Decline
Universal reported a decline in operating revenues to $393.8 million from $462.2 million last year, and net income decreased to $8.3 million from $30.7 million.
Trucking Revenue and Load Volume Drop
Trucking segment revenues decreased nearly 30% year-over-year, with a 22.6% drop in load volumes and an 8.9% decrease in revenue per load.
Intermodal Segment Under Pressure
Intermodal segment revenues declined 13.5% year-over-year, and load volumes declined nearly 13%.
Reduced Operating and EBITDA Margins
Operating margin decreased to 5.1% from 10.2% last year, and EBITDA margin dropped to 14.3% from 18.4%.
Challenges in Class 8 and Automotive Sectors
Class 8 production faced challenges with significant year-over-year declines, and the SAAR for autos dropped recently.
Company Guidance
During the Universal Logistics Holdings' second quarter 2025 earnings call, the company reported operating revenues of $393.8 million, with a net income of $8.3 million, or $0.32 per diluted share. The company achieved an operating income of $19.9 million, marking a 5.1% operating margin, and an EBITDA of $56.2 million, which represented 14.3% of revenue. The Contract Logistics segment remained pivotal, generating $260.6 million in revenue, while Trucking revenues fell to $64.1 million due to a 22.6% drop in load volumes. The Intermodal segment faced challenges, with revenues down to $68.9 million, but managed to narrow its operating loss to $5.7 million from $10.7 million in the first quarter. For the third quarter of 2025, Universal projects revenues between $390 million and $410 million, with operating margins expected in the 5% to 7% range and EBITDA margins between 14% and 16%. The company anticipates full-year revenues between $1.6 billion and $1.7 billion, maintaining similar margin ranges as Q3 guidance.

Universal Logistics Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Universal Logistics shows solid operational efficiency with healthy EBIT and EBITDA margins. However, declining revenue growth and negative free cash flow are concerning, indicating financial instability that needs addressing.
Income Statement
72
Positive
Universal Logistics shows a mixed performance in its income statement. The TTM Gross Profit Margin stands at 14.6%, indicating efficiency in controlling production costs. However, the Net Profit Margin has decreased to 4.8% in the TTM, reflecting a decline in overall profitability from the previous year. The Revenue Growth Rate is negative at -5.9% from the prior annual report, which could be concerning if the trend continues. The EBIT Margin and EBITDA Margin for the TTM are healthy at 8.3% and 16.5%, respectively, suggesting operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
68
Positive
The balance sheet reveals a solid equity base with a Debt-to-Equity ratio of 1.3 in the TTM, indicating moderate leverage. The Return on Equity (ROE) is 12.9% in the TTM, showing effective use of equity capital. The Equity Ratio stands at 35.9%, suggesting a balanced approach to financing with a reasonable level of equity coverage for assets. The company should monitor its debt levels to avoid increased financial risk.
Cash Flow
60
Neutral
Universal Logistics exhibits a concerning trend in cash flow. The Free Cash Flow is negative in the TTM at -$75.8 million. However, the Operating Cash Flow to Net Income ratio is 1.9, indicating efficient cash generation relative to net earnings. The Free Cash Flow to Net Income ratio is negative, highlighting challenges in covering net income with free cash flow.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.74B1.85B1.66B2.02B1.75B1.39B
Gross Profit253.62M315.88M255.82M352.40M215.33M159.54M
EBITDA289.96M332.40M225.54M318.37M170.50M152.68M
Net Income83.46M129.91M92.90M168.63M73.73M48.13M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.80B1.79B1.25B1.20B1.14B1.06B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments32.59M30.94M23.28M57.18M21.96M15.30M
Total Debt838.88M838.44M475.54M484.33M537.90M560.13M
Total Liabilities1.15B1.14B721.33M756.75M835.28M823.48M
Stockholders Equity646.40M647.02M532.20M446.93M302.21M239.57M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-75.81M-139.23M-30.31M96.31M44.44M8.63M
Operating Cash Flow159.80M112.37M210.25M213.41M83.28M99.34M
Investing Cash Flow-446.02M-462.90M-236.77M-103.74M-33.23M-86.56M
Financing Cash Flow310.50M365.04M-8.56M-78.24M-44.56M-8.95M

Universal Logistics Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price25.55
Price Trends
50DMA
25.47
Positive
100DMA
24.96
Positive
200DMA
31.15
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.15
Negative
RSI
52.11
Neutral
STOCH
31.77
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ULH, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 25.55 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 24.99, above the 50-day MA of 25.47, and below the 200-day MA of 31.15, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.15 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 52.11 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 31.77 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ULH.

Universal Logistics Risk Analysis

Universal Logistics disclosed 36 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Universal Logistics reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Universal Logistics Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (64)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
69
Neutral
$1.69B10.7812.50%0.63%-6.42%25.72%
69
Neutral
$602.47M18.438.58%1.10%0.75%-15.76%
66
Neutral
$661.93M10.859.67%1.64%-5.55%-52.21%
64
Neutral
$1.72B33.243.65%1.96%-6.43%-13.76%
64
Neutral
$10.73B15.747.56%2.01%2.76%-15.10%
56
Neutral
$958.68M45.832.72%2.04%-11.77%-52.06%
49
Neutral
$664.16M-4.42%0.93%-16.42%-49.44%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ULH
Universal Logistics
25.55
-13.45
-34.49%
CVLG
Covenant Logistics Group
23.93
-1.43
-5.64%
HTLD
Heartland Express
8.61
-3.05
-26.16%
MRTN
Marten Transport
11.74
-5.01
-29.91%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
28.61
-7.04
-19.75%
ARCB
ArcBest
75.70
-22.90
-23.23%

Universal Logistics Corporate Events

DividendsBusiness Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Universal Logistics Reports Q2 Revenue Decline
Negative
Jul 24, 2025

On July 24, 2025, Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. announced its second quarter financial results, reporting a decrease in operating revenues to $393.8 million, down 14.8% from the previous year. The company also declared a cash dividend of $0.105 per share, payable on October 1, 2025. Despite a challenging freight environment, Universal’s contract logistics and trucking segments showed resilience, while the intermodal segment continued to underperform. The company remains focused on strategic investments and long-term growth initiatives.

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.Date of analysis: Sep 06, 2025