Heartland Express (HTLD) vs Knight-Swift Transportation (KNX)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Knight-Swift Transportation (KNX) has outperformed Heartland Express (HTLD) over the past year, gaining 48.7% versus a gain of 34.1%. Over five years, KNX leads with a +28.6% price change compared with -31.9% for HTLD. Knight-Swift Transportation is the larger company by market cap ($10.59 billion vs $877.7 million), about 12.1 times the size.
On valuation, Knight-Swift Transportation trades at a lower forward P/E (16.2x vs 22.6x for Heartland Express). Knight-Swift Transportation offers the higher dividend yield (1.17% vs 0.70%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | HTLD | KNX |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $11.35 | $65.05 |
| Market cap | $877.73M | $10.59B |
| 1-day change | +0.62% | +2.25% |
| YTD return | +24.92% | +21.69% |
| 1-year return | +34.13% | +48.68% |
| 5-year return | -31.93% | +28.63% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 240.93 |
| Forward P/E | 22.61 | 16.17 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.29 | $0.27 |
| Dividend yield | 0.70% | 1.17% |
| Annual dividend | $0.08 | $0.76 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $7.47B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +0.80% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $65.95M |
| Operating margin | — | 2.89% |
| Net margin | — | 0.88% |
| 52-week high | $16.64 | $82.86 |
| 52-week low | $7.00 | $41.24 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -31.79% | -21.49% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +16.30% | +33.13% |
| Average volume | 728.65K | 3.61M |
| Shares outstanding | 77.33M | 162.76M |
| Employees | 3,630 | 37,100 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Trucking Freight/Courier Services | Trucking Freight/Courier Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Knight-Swift Transportation is about 12.1 times larger than Heartland Express by market value ($10.59B vs $877.73M).
- KNX has outperformed HTLD by 14.6 percentage points over the past year.
About Heartland Express
HTLD stock →Heartland Express, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides short, medium, and long-haul truckload carrier and transportation services in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It primarily provides nationwide asset-based dry van truckload services for shippers; cross-border freight and other transportation services; and temperature-controlled truckload services.
Industrials · Trucking Freight/Courier Services · 3,630 employees
About Knight-Swift Transportation
KNX stock →Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a freight transportation company in the United States and Mexico. The company operates through four segments: Truckload, LTL, Logistics, and Intermodal.
Industrials · Trucking Freight/Courier Services · 37,100 employees
HTLD vs KNX FAQ
Which is bigger, Heartland Express or Knight-Swift Transportation?
Knight-Swift Transportation (KNX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $10.59B compared with $877.73M for Heartland Express (HTLD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HTLD or KNX?
KNX returned +48.68% over the past 12 months, compared with +34.13% for HTLD (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Heartland Express or Knight-Swift Transportation?
Knight-Swift Transportation has the higher yield at 1.17%, compared with 0.70% for Heartland Express.
Are Heartland Express and Knight-Swift Transportation in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Trucking Freight/Courier Services industry within the Industrials sector.