Heartland Express (NASDAQ:HTLD) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.01 EPS

Key Points

• Heartland Express reported quarterly EPS of $0.01, missing analysts’ consensus estimate of $0.02 by $0.01. The company posted a negative net margin of 2.98% and negative return on equity of 0.92%.
• Shares fell 1.7% to $10.36 during Tuesday trading, well below the company’s 52-week high of $16.64. The stock has a market capitalization of approximately $800.75 million.
• The company maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.02 per share, equivalent to an annualized dividend of $0.08 and a 0.8% yield. Analyst sentiment remains cautious, with a consensus “Reduce” rating and an average target price of $12.40.

Heartland Express (NASDAQ:HTLD - Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The transportation company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.02 by ($0.01), Zacks reports. Heartland Express had a negative net margin of 2.98% and a negative return on equity of 0.92%.

Heartland Express Trading Down 1.7%

Shares of HTLD traded down $0.17 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $10.36. The company's stock had a trading volume of 94,234 shares, compared to its average volume of 601,046. The stock has a market cap of $800.75 million, a PE ratio of -36.97 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Heartland Express has a 52 week low of $6.99 and a 52 week high of $16.64. The company's fifty day moving average price is $11.93 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.08.

Heartland Express Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 25th were paid a dividend of $0.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, September 25th. This represents a $0.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Heartland Express's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -28.57%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

HTLD has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Heartland Express from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Heartland Express in a report on Monday, September 21st. Robert W. Baird reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $12.00 price target (down from $16.00) on shares of Heartland Express in a report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Heartland Express from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, September 19th. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Heartland Express from $14.00 to $12.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus target price of $12.40.

Heartland Express Company Profile

Heartland Express, Inc NASDAQ: HTLD is a transportation and logistics company that provides truckload freight services across North America. Its operations primarily involve the over-the-road movement of general, non-refrigerated freight using dry van equipment.

The company offers irregular-route and dedicated transportation services to shippers, along with logistics and related freight solutions. Heartland Express serves customers throughout the contiguous United States and, through its broader network, supports cross-border freight movements involving Canada and Mexico.

Founded in 1978 by Russell Gerdin, the company is headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa.

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