Heartland Express (HTLD) vs Saia (SAIA)
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 Saia (SAIA) over the past year, gaining 34.1% versus a gain of 9.5%. Over five years, SAIA leads with a +28.0% price change compared with -31.9% for HTLD. Saia is the larger company by market cap ($9.04 billion vs $880.0 million), about 10.3 times the size.
On valuation, Heartland Express trades at a lower forward P/E (22.7x vs 23.9x for Saia). Heartland Express pays a dividend yielding 0.70%, while Saia does not currently pay one.
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 | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $11.38 | $339.86 |
| Market cap | $880.05M | $9.04B |
| 1-day change | +0.89% | +1.54% |
| YTD return | +24.92% | +2.51% |
| 1-year return | +34.13% | +9.54% |
| 5-year return | -31.93% | +27.97% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 32.81 |
| Forward P/E | 22.67 | 23.86 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.29 | $10.36 |
| Dividend yield | 0.70% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.08 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $3.23B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +0.79% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $255.04M |
| Operating margin | — | 10.89% |
| Net margin | — | 7.89% |
| 52-week high | $16.64 | $494.71 |
| 52-week low | $7.00 | $249.32 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -31.61% | -31.30% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +15.99% | +25.79% |
| Average volume | 728.65K | 426.50K |
| Shares outstanding | 77.33M | 26.61M |
| Employees | 3,630 | 13,734 |
| 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
- Saia is about 10.3 times larger than Heartland Express by market value ($9.04B vs $880.05M).
- HTLD has outperformed SAIA by 24.6 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 Saia
SAIA stock →Saia, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a transportation company in North America. The company provides less-than-truckload services for shipments between 100 and 10,000 pounds.
Industrials · Trucking Freight/Courier Services · 13,734 employees
HTLD vs SAIA FAQ
Which is bigger, Heartland Express or Saia?
Saia (SAIA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $9.04B compared with $880.05M for Heartland Express (HTLD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HTLD or SAIA?
HTLD returned +34.13% over the past 12 months, compared with +9.54% for SAIA (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Heartland Express or Saia?
Heartland Express pays a dividend yielding 0.70%, while Saia does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Heartland Express and Saia in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Trucking Freight/Courier Services industry within the Industrials sector.