Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.04 EPS
by Jessica Moore · The Cerbat GemSaia (NASDAQ:SAIA – Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The transportation company reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.82 by $0.04, Briefing.com reports. The business had revenue of $806.23 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $789.08 million. Saia had a return on equity of 9.86% and a net margin of 7.89%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.86 EPS.
Here are the key takeaways from Saia’s conference call:
- Saia reported strong operational and service metrics in Q1, including a cargo claims ratio of 0.5%, record first-quarter miles between preventable accidents, improved hours between lost-time injuries, and productivity (touches) up ~2.5% year-over-year.
- Revenue was a Q1 record at $806.2 million (+2.4% year-over-year) with shipments up 1% for the quarter and contractual renewals of 6.7%, signaling improving customer traction and pricing momentum.
- Profitability was pressured by a rapid ~30% diesel price spike in March that created an estimated $3.5 million margin headwind due to weekly fuel-surcharge timing, and the operating ratio widened to 91.7% with diluted EPS flat at $1.86 year-over-year.
- Management highlighted continued heavy investment in the national network — roughly $1.8 billion over 36 months and 70 new facilities since 2017 — and expects material leverage as ramping terminals mature, targeting ~400–450 bps of OR improvement Q1→Q2 if seasonality holds.
Saia Trading Up 0.0%
Shares of NASDAQ SAIA traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $448.84. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 69,806 shares, compared to its average volume of 543,979. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. The business’s 50 day moving average is $382.27 and its two-hundred day moving average is $346.22. Saia has a 12-month low of $244.94 and a 12-month high of $457.99. The firm has a market cap of $11.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 2.04.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets set a $425.00 price objective on Saia in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $441.00 price objective on shares of Saia in a research note on Thursday. Benchmark raised their price objective on Saia from $425.00 to $500.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $493.00 price objective on shares of Saia in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on Saia from $431.00 to $442.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $418.78.
View Our Latest Research Report on SAIA
More Saia News
Here are the key news stories impacting Saia this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Benchmark (and coverage reports) raised Saia’s price target to $500 and reiterated a Buy rating — this lift signals stronger analyst confidence and creates upside vs. prior targets. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat consensus: EPS of $1.86 vs. $1.82 expected and revenue $806.2M vs. $789.1M expected; revenue was up 2.4% year-over-year — the topline and slight EPS beat support near-term upside. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: Management’s Q1 call highlighted record sales in parts of the network and hopes for a margin rebound, but the tone was cautious — indicates potential margin upside over time but no clear near-term acceleration. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: TD Cowen’s Jason Seidl lifted his price target to $445 but maintained a Hold — a mixed signal that raises targets while remaining cautious on near-term upside. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Underlying growth is modest and EPS was flat year-over-year, which keeps valuation scrutiny high given a premium P/E and multi-year margin assumptions embedded in higher price targets. Article Title
Insider Transactions at Saia
In other Saia news, EVP Patrick D. Sugar sold 2,706 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $386.74, for a total transaction of $1,046,518.44. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 9,121 shares in the company, valued at $3,527,455.54. This trade represents a 22.88% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Raymond R. Ramu sold 5,226 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $387.95, for a total value of $2,027,426.70. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 3,631 shares in the company, valued at $1,408,646.45. The trade was a 59.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 15,533 shares of company stock valued at $6,015,055. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wellspring Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Saia in the 4th quarter valued at $209,000. Cerity Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Saia in the 4th quarter valued at $206,000. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Saia by 5.8% in the 4th quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 563 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $184,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the period. State of Wyoming increased its holdings in shares of Saia by 502.0% in the 4th quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 608 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $199,000 after acquiring an additional 507 shares during the period. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of Saia by 471.2% in the 3rd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 417 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $125,000 after acquiring an additional 344 shares during the period.
About Saia
Saia, Inc is a publicly traded transportation company specializing in less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services across North America. Headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, the company focuses on the efficient movement of time-sensitive freight for a diverse customer base that spans retail, manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare industries. By leveraging a network of terminals and service centers, Saia provides tailored solutions designed to optimize supply chain performance.
The company’s core offerings include regional, interregional, and national LTL shipping, supported by volumetric LTL and port intermodal services.