Saia Q1 revenue gowth beats analyst estimates on recovery in March

Overview

• U.S. LTL carrier's Q1 revenue rose 2.4%, beating analyst expectations

• Diluted EPS for Q1 was flat at $1.86 yr/yr

• Operating income fell 4.8% as operating ratio worsened to 91.7%

• Company says revenue growth driven by higher shipments in March after slow January and February

Outlook

• Saia anticipates 2026 net capital expenditures of $350 mln to $400 mln

Result Drivers

• MARCH VOLUME RECOVERY - Co said revenue growth was driven by higher shipment volumes in March after a challenging January and February

• EFFICIENCY METRICS - Co cited year-over-year improvements in core efficiency metrics as its national network matures

• SHIPMENT GROWTH IN LEGACY AND NEW FACILITIES - Shipments grew in both legacy and ramping facilities compared to the prior year, per CFO Matt Batteh

Company press release: ID:nGNX5yzpRM

Key Details

Analyst Coverage

• The current average analyst rating on the shares is "buy" and the breakdown of recommendations is 9 "strong buy" or "buy", 10 "hold" and 1 "sell" or "strong sell"

• The average consensus recommendation for the ground freight & logistics peer group is "buy"

• Wall Street's median 12-month price target for Saia Inc is $404.50, about 4.2% below its April 29 closing price of $422.04

• The stock recently traded at 36 times the next 12-month earnings vs. a P/E of 30 three months ago

For questions concerning the data in this report, contact Estimates.Support@lseg.com. For any other questions or feedback, contact reuters.support@thomsonreuters.com.