Heartland Express, Inc. (HTLD)Industrials | Trucking | North Liberty, United States | NasdaqGS
12.18 USD
-0.17
(-1.416%) ⇩
(Aug. 28, 2026, 4 p.m.
EDT)
After hours: 12.18 |
Hot Take ↕ | Aug. 22, 2026, 2:49 a.m. EDT
The investment case for Heartland Express is severely compromised by a brutal multi-year decline in business value. Over the last nine years, the stock has lost nearly 55% of its value, driven by five consecutive years of negative annual returns, with the most recent year seeing a catastrophic 28% drop. This trajectory is not a temporary correction; it reflects a structural deterioration where revenue is shrinking by 12.5% annually and the company is generating negative free cash flow while posting negative operating margins. Despite the company cutting debt and leases, the fundamentals remain broken with negative return on equity and assets. The meager 0.65% dividend yield is insufficient to offset the risk of permanent capital loss given the deteriorating operational metrics. On the short end, the technical picture is grim, trading well below its 50-day moving average with low-volume support failing to hold. While the options market is screaming 'downside' with heavy put positioning, this confirms the bearish thesis rather than offering a contrarian opportunity. The statistical forecast model offers no help, showing a weak, low-confidence signal that cannot override the clear fundamental damage. This is a value trap where the low price reflects a business that is actively losing ground. |
| Model | MAE |
|---|---|
| AutoTheta ✓ | 0.087206 |
| AutoETS | 0.087472 |
| MSTL | 0.092702 |
| AutoARIMA | 0.239266 |
Forecast horizon: 45 days | Selected: AutoTheta
| Forecast Reliability | |
|---|---|
| Score | 38% |
| H-stat | 15.69 |
| Ljung-Box p | 0.000 |
| Jarque-Bera p | 0.030 |
| Excess Kurtosis | -0.25 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Sector | Industrials |
| Ex Dividend Date | 2026-06-22 |
| Last Dividend Date | 2026-06-22 |
| Debt to Equity Ratio | 19.358 |
| Revenue per Share | 9.508 |
| Market Cap | 941,911,168 |
| Forward P/E | 24.28 |
| Beta | 1.33 |
| Profit Margins | -2.98% |
| Website | https://www.heartlandexpress.com |
As of Aug. 22, 2026, 2:49 a.m. EDT: Speculators are heavily positioning for downside protection, evidenced by massive open interest in out-of-the-money puts (98% of put volume) compared to negligible call activity. The strike distribution shows significant concentration at the $10 level for both calls and puts, suggesting a consensus view that the stock will trade near or below this floor. While there is some speculative call buying at the $15 strike, the overwhelming weight of the options chain indicates a bearish bias with traders betting on further weakness rather than a rebound.
| Last Yield | 1yr Yield | 3yr Avg | 5yr Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.14% | 0.79% | 0.73% | 1.24% |
| Date | Dividend | Yield % |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | 0.020 | 0.136612 |
| 2026-03-24 | 0.020 | 0.196271 |
| 2025-12-26 | 0.020 | 0.217391 |
| 2025-09-23 | 0.020 | 0.235571 |
| 2025-06-23 | 0.020 | 0.227790 |
| 2025-03-25 | 0.020 | 0.212993 |
| 2024-12-27 | 0.020 | 0.179695 |
| 2024-09-27 | 0.020 | 0.165700 |
| 2024-06-25 | 0.020 | 0.167084 |
| 2024-03-25 | 0.020 | 0.174216 |
| 2023-12-04 | 0.020 | 0.144300 |
| 2023-09-22 | 0.020 | 0.132538 |
| 2023-06-23 | 0.020 | 0.127389 |
| 2023-03-27 | 0.020 | 0.129702 |
| 2022-12-08 | 0.020 | 0.124766 |
| 2022-09-26 | 0.020 | 0.141343 |
| 2022-06-24 | 0.020 | 0.142857 |
| 2022-03-24 | 0.020 | 0.139082 |
| 2021-12-06 | 0.020 | 0.115942 |
| 2021-08-31 | 0.520 | 3.098927 |
| 2021-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.118977 |
| 2021-03-19 | 0.020 | 0.104275 |
| 2020-12-07 | 0.020 | 0.107124 |
| 2020-09-18 | 0.020 | 0.104548 |
| 2020-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.095785 |
| 2020-03-19 | 0.020 | 0.114548 |
| 2019-12-09 | 0.020 | 0.094787 |
| 2019-09-19 | 0.020 | 0.094162 |
| 2019-06-20 | 0.020 | 0.109649 |
| 2019-03-21 | 0.020 | 0.103252 |
| 2018-12-03 | 0.020 | 0.098863 |
| 2018-09-20 | 0.020 | 0.098571 |
| 2018-06-21 | 0.020 | 0.102987 |
| 2018-03-22 | 0.020 | 0.104004 |
| 2017-12-11 | 0.020 | 0.089485 |
| 2017-09-21 | 0.020 | 0.087108 |
| 2017-06-21 | 0.020 | 0.097418 |
| 2017-03-22 | 0.020 | 0.100000 |
| 2016-12-02 | 0.020 | 0.091996 |
| 2016-09-21 | 0.020 | 0.106326 |
| 2016-06-17 | 0.020 | 0.111857 |
| 2016-03-17 | 0.020 | 0.104603 |
| 2015-12-04 | 0.020 | 0.112045 |
| 2015-09-15 | 0.020 | 0.094922 |
| 2015-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.096946 |
| 2015-03-19 | 0.020 | 0.080483 |
| 2014-12-05 | 0.020 | 0.076540 |
| 2014-09-16 | 0.020 | 0.082542 |
| 2014-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.091075 |
| 2014-03-19 | 0.020 | 0.090580 |
| 2013-12-06 | 0.020 | 0.108755 |
| 2013-09-18 | 0.020 | 0.142857 |
| 2013-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.143164 |
| 2013-03-20 | 0.020 | 0.142653 |
| 2012-12-05 | 1.020 | 7.950117 |
| 2012-09-19 | 0.020 | 0.150602 |
| 2012-06-14 | 0.020 | 0.140548 |
| 2012-03-21 | 0.020 | 0.133511 |
| 2011-12-07 | 0.020 | 0.144092 |
| 2011-09-21 | 0.020 | 0.148699 |
| 2011-06-22 | 0.020 | 0.125628 |
| 2011-03-22 | 0.020 | 0.118765 |
| 2010-12-08 | 0.020 | 0.120773 |
| 2010-09-22 | 1.020 | 7.005494 |
| 2010-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.131234 |
| 2010-03-23 | 0.020 | 0.121654 |
| 2009-12-09 | 0.020 | 0.131666 |
| 2009-09-17 | 0.020 | 0.139567 |
| 2009-06-17 | 0.020 | 0.137268 |
| 2009-03-18 | 0.020 | 0.139470 |
| 2008-12-10 | 0.020 | 0.137363 |
| 2008-09-17 | 0.020 | 0.115607 |
| 2008-06-18 | 0.020 | 0.136705 |
| 2008-03-18 | 0.020 | 0.135962 |
| 2007-12-19 | 0.020 | 0.139470 |
| 2007-09-18 | 0.020 | 0.132890 |
| 2007-05-22 | 2.020 | 11.959740 |
| 2007-03-20 | 0.020 | 0.123229 |
| 2006-12-19 | 0.020 | 0.133067 |
| 2006-09-18 | 0.020 | 0.125235 |
| 2006-06-20 | 0.020 | 0.116347 |
| 2006-03-21 | 0.015 | 0.085727 |
| 2005-12-20 | 0.015 | 0.101937 |
| 2005-09-20 | 0.015 | 0.103734 |
| 2005-06-16 | 0.015 | 0.101989 |
| 2005-03-17 | 0.015 | 0.099010 |
| 2004-12-21 | 0.015 | 0.091617 |
| 2004-09-16 | 0.015 | 0.109349 |
| 2004-06-17 | 0.010 | 0.076103 |
| 2004-03-18 | 0.010 | 0.090868 |
| 2003-12-18 | 0.010 | 0.079872 |
| 2003-09-15 | 0.010 | 0.076307 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| 52 Week Change | 0.47670245 |
| Address1 | 901 Heartland Way |
| All Time High | 27.96 |
| All Time Low | 0.242133 |
| Ask | 15.53 |
| Ask Size | 2 |
| Audit Risk | 3 |
| Average Analyst Rating | 3.0 - Hold |
| Average Daily Volume10 Day | 750,460 |
| Average Daily Volume3 Month | 705,574 |
| Average Volume | 705,574 |
| Average Volume10Days | 750,460 |
| Beta | 1.328 |
| Bid | 8.98 |
| Bid Size | 2 |
| Board Risk | 8 |
| Book Value | 9.78 |
| City | North Liberty |
| Compensation As Of Epoch Date | 1,767,139,200 |
| Compensation Risk | 5 |
| Country | United States |
| Crypto Tradeable | 0 |
| Currency | USD |
| Current Price | 12.18 |
| Current Ratio | 1.585 |
| Custom Price Alert Confidence | HIGH |
| Date Short Interest | 1,786,665,600 |
| Day High | 12.53 |
| Day Low | 12.07 |
| Debt To Equity | 19.358 |
| Display Name | Heartland Express |
| Dividend Date | 1,783,296,000 |
| Dividend Rate | 0.08 |
| Dividend Yield | 0.65 |
| Earnings Timestamp | 1,785,414,600 |
| Earnings Timestamp End | 1,793,277,000 |
| Earnings Timestamp Start | 1,793,277,000 |
| Ebitda | 94,473,000 |
| Ebitda Margins | 0.12831001 |
| Enterprise To Ebitda | 10.859 |
| Enterprise To Revenue | 1.393 |
| Enterprise Value | 1,025,929,216 |
| Eps Current Year | 0.18707 |
| Eps Forward | 0.5016 |
| Eps Trailing Twelve Months | -0.28 |
| Esg Populated | 0 |
| Ex Dividend Date | 1,782,172,800 |
| Exchange | NMS |
| Exchange Data Delayed By | 0 |
| Exchange Timezone Name | America/New_York |
| Exchange Timezone Short Name | EDT |
| Fifty Day Average | 13.802 |
| Fifty Day Average Change | -1.6219997 |
| Fifty Day Average Change Percent | -0.11751918 |
| Fifty Two Week Change Percent | 47.670246 |
| Fifty Two Week High | 16.64 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change | -4.459999 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change Percent | -0.2680288 |
| Fifty Two Week Low | 7.0 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change | 5.1800003 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent | 0.74000007 |
| Fifty Two Week Range | 7.0 - 16.64 |
| Financial Currency | USD |
| First Trade Date Milliseconds | 531,585,000,000 |
| Five Year Avg Dividend Yield | 0.65 |
| Float Shares | 54,003,682 |
| Forward Eps | 0.5016 |
| Forward P E | 24.282295 |
| Free Cashflow | -80,482,624 |
| Full Exchange Name | NasdaqGS |
| Full Time Employees | 3,630 |
| Fullday Change | -0.174999 |
| Fullday Change Percent | -1.41642 |
| Fullday Price | 12.18 |
| Gmt Off Set Milliseconds | -14,400,000 |
| Governance Epoch Date | 1,785,542,400 |
| Gross Margins | 0.28059998 |
| Gross Profits | 206,600,000 |
| Has Pre Post Market Data | 1 |
| Held Percent Insiders | 0.51383996 |
| Held Percent Institutions | 0.5161 |
| Implied Shares Outstanding | 77,332,611 |
| Industry | Trucking |
| Industry Disp | Trucking |
| Industry Key | trucking |
| Ir Website | http://www.heartlandexpress.com/investors/ |
| Is Earnings Date Estimate | 1 |
| Language | en-US |
| Last Dividend Date | 1,782,172,800 |
| Last Dividend Value | 0.02 |
| Last Fiscal Year End | 1,767,139,200 |
| Last Split Date | 1,147,737,600 |
| Last Split Factor | 4:3 |
| Long Business Summary | 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. The company offers its services under the Heartland Express, Millis Transfer, Smith Transport, and CFI brand names. It primarily serves retailers, manufacturers, and parcel carriers in the consumer goods, appliances, food products, and automotive industries. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa. |
| Long Name | Heartland Express, Inc. |
| Market | us_market |
| Market Cap | 941,911,168 |
| Market State | CLOSED |
| Max Age | 86,400 |
| Message Board Id | finmb_277383 |
| Most Recent Quarter | 1,782,777,600 |
| Net Income To Common | -21,963,000 |
| Next Fiscal Year End | 1,798,675,200 |
| Non Diluted Market Cap | 955,057,745 |
| Number Of Analyst Opinions | 5 |
| Open | 12.38 |
| Operating Cashflow | 78,498,000 |
| Operating Margins | -0.04617 |
| Overall Risk | 4 |
| Payout Ratio | 0.42110002 |
| Peg Ratio | 1.68 |
| Phone | 319 645 7060 |
| Post Market Change | 0.0 |
| Post Market Change Percent | 0.0 |
| Post Market Price | 12.18 |
| Post Market Time | 1,787,959,805 |
| Previous Close | 12.355 |
| Price Eps Current Year | 65.10932 |
| Price Hint | 2 |
| Price To Book | 1.2453989 |
| Price To Sales Trailing12 Months | 1.2792753 |
| Profit Margins | -0.029830001 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.206 |
| Quote Source Name | Nasdaq Real Time Price |
| Quote Type | EQUITY |
| Recommendation Key | hold |
| Recommendation Mean | 3.0 |
| Region | US |
| Regular Market Change | -0.174999 |
| Regular Market Change Percent | -1.41642 |
| Regular Market Day High | 12.53 |
| Regular Market Day Low | 12.07 |
| Regular Market Day Range | 12.07 - 12.53 |
| Regular Market Open | 12.38 |
| Regular Market Previous Close | 12.355 |
| Regular Market Price | 12.18 |
| Regular Market Time | 1,787,947,201 |
| Regular Market Volume | 620,036 |
| Return On Assets | -0.0248 |
| Return On Equity | -0.028469998 |
| Revenue Growth | -0.125 |
| Revenue Per Share | 9.508 |
| Sand P52 Week Change | 0.20504117 |
| Sector | Industrials |
| Sector Disp | Industrials |
| Sector Key | industrials |
| Share Holder Rights Risk | 2 |
| Shares Outstanding | 77,332,611 |
| Shares Percent Shares Out | 0.0373 |
| Shares Short | 2,884,267 |
| Shares Short Previous Month Date | 1,784,073,600 |
| Shares Short Prior Month | 2,106,405 |
| Short Name | Heartland Express, Inc. |
| Short Percent Of Float | 0.064 |
| Short Ratio | 3.71 |
| Source Interval | 15 |
| State | IA |
| Symbol | HTLD |
| Target High Price | 16.0 |
| Target Low Price | 12.0 |
| Target Mean Price | 13.2 |
| Target Median Price | 13.0 |
| Total Cash | 62,385,000 |
| Total Cash Per Share | 0.807 |
| Total Debt | 146,403,008 |
| Total Revenue | 736,284,992 |
| Tradeable | 0 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Rate | 0.08 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Yield | 0.0064751115 |
| Trailing Eps | -0.28 |
| Trailing Peg Ratio | None |
| Triggerable | 1 |
| Two Hundred Day Average | 11.7265 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change | 0.45350075 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent | 0.038673155 |
| Type Disp | Equity |
| Volume | 620,036 |
| Website | https://www.heartlandexpress.com |
| Zip | 52,317 |