Heartland Express (HTLD) vs Marten Transport (MRTN)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Heartland Express (HTLD) has outperformed Marten Transport (MRTN) over the past year, gaining 34.1% versus a gain of 20.6%. Over five years, MRTN leads with a -18.7% price change compared with -31.9% for HTLD. Marten Transport is the larger company by market cap ($1.04 billion vs $877.7 million), about 1.2 times the size.
On valuation, Marten Transport trades at a lower forward P/E (19.7x vs 22.6x for Heartland Express). Marten Transport offers the higher dividend yield (1.88% 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 | MRTN |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $11.35 | $12.79 |
| Market cap | $877.73M | $1.04B |
| 1-day change | +0.62% | +0.95% |
| YTD return | +24.92% | +11.34% |
| 1-year return | +34.13% | +20.55% |
| 5-year return | -31.93% | -18.73% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 85.27 |
| Forward P/E | 22.61 | 19.68 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.29 | $0.15 |
| Dividend yield | 0.70% | 1.88% |
| Annual dividend | $0.08 | $0.24 |
| 52-week high | $16.64 | $18.48 |
| 52-week low | $7.00 | $9.35 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -31.79% | -30.79% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +16.30% | +32.92% |
| Average volume | 728.65K | 669.97K |
| Shares outstanding | 77.33M | 81.66M |
| Employees | 3,630 | 3,502 |
| 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
- HTLD has outperformed MRTN by 13.6 percentage points over the past year.
- Marten Transport offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.88% vs 0.70%).
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 Marten Transport
MRTN stock →Marten Transport, Ltd. operates as a temperature-sensitive truckload carrier for shippers in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Industrials · Trucking Freight/Courier Services · 3,502 employees
HTLD vs MRTN FAQ
Which is bigger, Heartland Express or Marten Transport?
Marten Transport (MRTN) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.04B compared with $877.73M for Heartland Express (HTLD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HTLD or MRTN?
HTLD returned +34.13% over the past 12 months, compared with +20.55% for MRTN (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Heartland Express or Marten Transport?
Marten Transport has the higher yield at 1.88%, compared with 0.70% for Heartland Express.
Are Heartland Express and Marten Transport in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Trucking Freight/Courier Services industry within the Industrials sector.