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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)

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Neutral 57 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:57Neutral
Price Target:
$17.50
▲(14.23% Upside)
Universal Logistics Holdings faces significant financial and market challenges, reflected in its declining revenue, profitability margins, and high leverage. Technical indicators suggest bearish momentum, adding to the risk profile. However, the stock's low P/E ratio and reasonable dividend yield offer some valuation appeal. The mixed sentiment from the earnings call highlights both opportunities and ongoing pressures, resulting in a cautious outlook.

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

Universal Logistics Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionUniversal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH) is a leading provider of logistics and transportation services in North America. The company operates across multiple sectors, including truckload, logistics management, intermodal, and dedicated contract carriage. ULH offers a comprehensive suite of services, including freight brokerage, warehousing, and supply chain management, aimed at optimizing the movement of goods for its diverse customer base ranging from small businesses to large corporations.
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:Nov 06, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 05, 2026
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 faces a challenging financial landscape with declining revenue and profitability margins, high leverage, and cash flow constraints. While operational efficiency remains a strength, the company must address its leverage and cash flow issues to improve financial stability and investor confidence.
Income Statement
65
Positive
Universal Logistics shows a mixed performance in its income statement. The TTM data indicates a decline in revenue growth rate by 3.94%, reflecting a challenging market environment. Gross profit margin stands at 13.23%, and net profit margin at 3.66%, both showing a decrease from the previous year, indicating pressure on profitability. However, the company maintains a reasonable EBIT margin of 7.32% and an EBITDA margin of 15.62%, suggesting operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
60
Neutral
The balance sheet reveals a high debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, indicating significant leverage, which poses a risk in volatile markets. Return on equity is 9.47%, showing a decline from previous periods, which may concern investors. The equity ratio is 34.23%, suggesting a moderate level of equity financing relative to total assets.
Cash Flow
55
Neutral
Cash flow analysis indicates challenges, with a negative free cash flow growth rate of 11.93% and a free cash flow to net income ratio of -0.38, highlighting cash flow constraints. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 0.83, suggesting that operating cash flow is not fully covering net income, which could impact liquidity.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.67B1.85B1.66B2.02B1.75B1.39B
Gross Profit220.77M315.88M255.82M352.40M215.33M159.54M
EBITDA260.49M332.40M225.54M318.37M177.76M152.68M
Net Income61.05M129.91M92.90M168.63M73.73M48.13M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.86B1.79B1.25B1.20B1.14B1.06B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments34.20M30.94M23.28M57.18M21.96M15.30M
Total Debt911.70M838.44M475.54M484.33M537.90M560.13M
Total Liabilities1.21B1.14B721.33M756.75M835.28M823.48M
Stockholders Equity653.69M647.02M532.20M446.93M302.21M239.57M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-66.77M-139.23M-30.31M96.31M44.44M8.63M
Operating Cash Flow175.96M112.37M210.25M213.41M83.28M99.34M
Investing Cash Flow-448.34M-462.90M-236.77M-103.74M-33.23M-86.56M
Financing Cash Flow299.56M365.04M-8.56M-78.24M-44.56M-8.95M

Universal Logistics Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price15.32
Price Trends
50DMA
21.29
Negative
100DMA
23.36
Negative
200DMA
25.44
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-1.70
Positive
RSI
23.76
Positive
STOCH
9.75
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ULH, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 15.32 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 17.80, below the 50-day MA of 21.29, and below the 200-day MA of 25.44, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -1.70 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 23.76 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 9.75 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative 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 (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
62
Neutral
$1.61B16.797.40%0.65%-5.34%-48.16%
59
Neutral
$505.65M17.026.84%1.37%1.62%-22.52%
59
Neutral
$1.57B64.631.78%2.19%-3.42%
57
Neutral
$425.49M6.989.67%2.74%-5.55%-52.21%
54
Neutral
$816.02M42.092.53%2.43%-9.74%-42.57%
48
Neutral
$597.59M-4.35%1.05%-19.56%-54.39%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ULH
Universal Logistics
15.11
-35.96
-70.41%
CVLG
Covenant Logistics Group
19.58
-8.99
-31.47%
HTLD
Heartland Express
7.63
-4.26
-35.83%
MRTN
Marten Transport
9.89
-7.83
-44.19%
WERN
Werner Enterprises
26.20
-13.70
-34.34%
ARCB
ArcBest
66.99
-48.75
-42.12%

Universal Logistics Corporate Events

Executive/Board Changes
Universal Logistics Appoints Marcus Hudson to Audit Committee
Neutral
Oct 27, 2025

On October 22, 2025, Universal Logistics appointed Marcus D. Hudson, an independent director, to its audit committee. This decision aligns with Nasdaq’s listing standards and enhances the company’s governance structure by adding financial expertise to the committee.

The most recent analyst rating on (ULH) stock is a Hold with a $20.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Universal Logistics stock, see the ULH Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Universal Logistics Announces Impairment Charge in Intermodal Segment
Negative
Oct 23, 2025

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. announced on October 21, 2025, that it will record a material non-cash impairment charge related to intangible assets in its intermodal segment. This decision is part of the preparation of its financial statements for the third quarter ended September 27, 2025. The company has postponed the release of its financial results and the investor conference call originally scheduled for late October 2025 to allow more time for financial reporting procedures related to the impairment calculation. New dates will be announced once the process is complete.

The most recent analyst rating on (ULH) stock is a Hold with a $20.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Universal Logistics stock, see the ULH Stock Forecast page.

Universal Logistics Holdings Inc. Faces Risks from Tariffs and Trade Policies Amid Global Supply Chain Challenges
Aug 9, 2025

Universal Logistics Holdings Inc. faces significant risks from economic and geopolitical developments, particularly protectionist trade policies like tariffs and export controls. As a participant in global supply chains, the company is vulnerable to disruptions and increased costs resulting from government-imposed tariffs, which could negatively impact its financial condition and operations. Sustained tariff increases on imports to the United States, especially from key trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China, pose a threat to the company’s performance. Additionally, retaliatory measures by other countries could further exacerbate these challenges.

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: Oct 30, 2025