Heartland Express (NASDAQ:HTLD) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Key Points

• Heartland Express reported quarterly EPS of $0.01, missing the $0.03 consensus estimate by $0.02. The company posted a 1.77% negative net margin and 0.30% return on equity.
• Shares rose 1.9% to $10.38, while the company maintained a quarterly dividend of $0.02 per share, equivalent to an annualized yield of 0.8%.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: Heartland Express has a consensus rating of “Reduce”, with four Hold ratings, three Sell ratings, and an average price target of $11.80.

Heartland Express (NASDAQ:HTLD - Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The transportation company reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.03 by ($0.02), Briefing.com reports. Heartland Express had a positive return on equity of 0.30% and a negative net margin of 1.77%.

Heartland Express Stock Up 1.9%

Shares of Heartland Express stock traded up $0.19 on Thursday, hitting $10.38. 788,940 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 605,546. Heartland Express has a 12-month low of $6.99 and a 12-month high of $16.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.58, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market cap of $802.69 million, a PE ratio of 339.67 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $11.56 and a 200 day moving average price of $12.28.

Heartland Express Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 25th were issued a dividend of $0.02 per share. This represents a $0.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 25th. Heartland Express's payout ratio is currently -50.00%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on HTLD shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Heartland Express in a research report on Monday, September 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Heartland Express from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. Barclays dropped their price target on Heartland Express from $12.00 to $10.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen downgraded Heartland Express from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, September 19th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on Heartland Express from $13.00 to $12.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Heartland Express presently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $11.80.

Heartland Express Company Profile

Heartland Express, Inc is a North American truckload carrier that provides freight transportation services primarily through an asset-based fleet of tractors and dry van trailers. The company transports general commodities, including consumer and industrial goods, over irregular routes and short- to medium-length hauls.

The company serves customers throughout the contiguous United States and also provides cross-border transportation services involving Mexico and Canada. Its offerings include standard truckload transportation, dedicated capacity, expedited and regional services, and logistics support designed to help shippers manage freight movements and supply chains.

Heartland Express was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa.

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