Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.11 EPS

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The transportation company reported $3.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.30 by $0.11, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $982.45 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $966.98 million. Saia had a net margin of 8.01% and a return on equity of 10.53%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 17.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.81 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Saia’s conference call:

• Record third-quarter results: Revenue rose 17% to $982.5 million, tonnage increased 8.9%, operating income grew 17.5%, and adjusted diluted EPS increased 21.4% to $3.41. The 87.6% operating ratio was stable year over year despite typically unfavorable seasonal trends.
• Network investments and the REV initiative are improving service and density. Saia reported record-low cargo claims of 0.3%, a 15% increase in internal Net Promoter Score, improved handling efficiency, and faster transit times across more than 2,000 lanes.
• Management expects fourth-quarter operating-ratio deterioration from Q3 to be roughly 200 basis points, better than the historical 250–300 basis-point seasonal increase, implying more than 200 basis points of year-over-year improvement. Executives also see continued margin expansion into 2027 as newer terminals gain density.
• The board authorized up to $250 million in share repurchases, supported by more than $240 million of year-to-date free cash flow, $203 million in cash, only $100 million of debt, and moderating capital expenditures as the major network buildout concludes.
• Profitability remains exposed to mix and cost pressures. Heavier shipments increased network complexity and contributed to a 2.2% year-over-year decline in fuel-excluded yield, while wages, health insurance, purchased transportation, and fuel expenses continued to rise; newer terminals also remain below company-average profitability and the Los Angeles region remained weak.

Saia Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:SAIA traded up $1.54 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $344.61. 560,546 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 361,040. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a current ratio of 1.83. Saia has a twelve month low of $249.32 and a twelve month high of $494.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.66, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 2.19. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $342.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $387.51.

Key Saia News

Here are the key news stories impacting Saia this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results exceeded expectations: Revenue reached a record $982.5 million, up 17% year over year, while diluted EPS of $3.41 topped consensus estimates near $3.30. LTL tonnage per workday increased 8.9%, and revenue per shipment excluding fuel surcharges rose 5.8%. Saia Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Capital returns strengthened: Saia authorized up to $250 million in common-stock repurchases. Year-to-date free cash flow exceeded $240 million, while cash increased to $202.5 million and total debt declined to $100 million, providing financial flexibility for buybacks and network investment. Saia Q3 Revenue and Repurchase Program
• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup became more bullish, raising its price target from $429 to $434 and assigning a “buy” rating. The new target implies substantial upside from the recent trading level. Citigroup Raises Saia Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Board expertise expanded: Saia appointed transportation and logistics veteran Todd C. Fowler to its board and Audit Committee, adding experience in capital markets, autonomous trucking and supply-chain technology. Saia Expansion Terminals and Q3 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability remains a concern: The operating ratio increased to 87.6% from 85.9% a year earlier, indicating cost pressure despite revenue growth. Wells Fargo cut its target to $370 with an “equal weight” rating, while TD Cowen lowered its target to $393 and moved to “hold.” Wells Fargo Saia Rating

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have weighed in on SAIA. Stephens cut their target price on shares of Saia from $520.00 to $490.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 31st. TD Cowen cut their price objective on Saia from $400.00 to $393.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Saia in a research report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Saia from $295.00 to $285.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $410.00 target price on shares of Saia in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $436.16.

About Saia

Saia, Inc is a transportation and logistics company headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia. Through its primary subsidiary, Saia LTL Freight, the company provides less-than-truckload transportation, moving palletized and other freight shipments that do not require a full trailer. Its services include standard and time-definite delivery, expedited transportation, guaranteed services, and shipment tracking.

Saia also provides non-asset-based logistics services through Saia Logistics Services, which helps customers arrange freight transportation using third-party carriers.