Baird Maintains Neutral on Heartland Express, Lowers Price Target to $8.5
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jul 28 2025
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Should l Buy HTLD?
Source: Benzinga
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Analyst Views on HTLD
Wall Street analysts forecast HTLD stock price to fall
3 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 11.140
Low
8.00
Averages
9.33
High
12.00
Current: 11.140
Low
8.00
Averages
9.33
High
12.00
About HTLD
Heartland Express, Inc. is a holding company. The Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a short, medium and long-haul truckload carrier and transportation services provider. It primarily provides a nationwide asset-based dry van truckload service for various shippers across the United States, along with cross-border freight and other transportation services offered through third-party partnerships in Mexico. The Company’s primary customers include retailers, manufacturers and parcel carriers. Its over-the-road tractors are equipped with mobile communication systems. It operates 28 terminal facilities throughout the contiguous United States and one in Mexico. The Company’s subsidiaries include Heartland Express, Inc. of Iowa, Heartland Express Services, Inc., Heartland Express Maintenance Services, Inc., Midwest Holding Group, LLC, Millis Transfer, LLC, Smith Transport, Inc., Transportation Resources, Inc., Contract Freighters, Inc., and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Heartland Express Reports Q4 Earnings with Declining EPS
- Earnings Report: Heartland Express reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of -$0.25, indicating challenges in profitability and reflecting a secular decline in returns on capital, which raises concerns about financial health.
- Revenue Figures: The company generated $179.4 million in revenue for the fourth quarter, which, while stable, suggests limited growth potential compared to industry benchmarks, potentially impacting future investment attractiveness.
- Growth Prospects: Analysts highlight that Heartland Express faces limited growth prospects; although risks appear to be priced in, the company must implement strategies to enhance its financial performance moving forward.
- Rating Analysis: According to Seeking Alpha's quant rating, Heartland Express's performance is under scrutiny, prompting investors to carefully assess its long-term investment value amidst the current financial challenges.
See More
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- Transport Services Outlook: Baird raised the price target for J B Hunt Transport Services Inc (NASDAQ:JBHT) from $173 to $215, with analyst Daniel Moore maintaining an Outperform rating, reflecting optimism about a rebound in transportation demand.
- Electrical Equipment Upgrade: UBS increased Emerson Electric Co (NYSE:EMR) price target from $131 to $168 and upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy, signaling enhanced market confidence in its future performance.
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- Market Outlook: Goldman highlighted that growth in emerging products like tokenization and prediction markets will further enhance Coinbase's market position, attracting more investor interest.
- Investor Confidence: With Goldman’s rating upgrade, market confidence in Coinbase is likely to strengthen, potentially attracting more capital inflows and driving the stock price higher.
- Industry Impact: Coinbase's successful transformation could set a benchmark for the entire cryptocurrency industry, prompting other companies to undertake similar strategic adjustments to adapt to market changes.
See More
Biohaven Ltd's Depression Drug Trial Fails to Meet Primary Endpoint, Shares Plunge 14.3%
- Drug Trial Failure: Biohaven Ltd announced that its depression drug BHV-7000 failed to significantly reduce depressive symptoms in a six-week clinical trial, causing shares to plummet 14.3% to $9.27 in pre-market trading, reflecting a substantial decline in market confidence regarding its R&D capabilities.
- Severe Market Reaction: The news of the trial's failure triggered panic among investors, leading to a rapid decline in Biohaven's stock price during pre-market trading, indicating the high sensitivity of the biopharmaceutical sector to clinical outcomes, which may impact the company's future financing and R&D plans.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: With Biohaven's drug trial failure, market attention shifts to other competitors, particularly in the depression treatment space, potentially leading investors to reassess the market outlook and investment value of related companies.
- Wider Industry Implications: Biohaven's failure could have a ripple effect across the biopharmaceutical industry, particularly in terms of R&D investments and clinical trial designs, prompting other companies to more cautiously evaluate their drug development strategies.
See More
Heartland Express Declares $0.02 Quarterly Cash Dividend
- Consistent Dividend Record: Heartland Express has declared a $0.02 cash dividend per share, payable on January 7, 2026, marking the company's 90th consecutive quarterly dividend, which enhances investor confidence in its financial stability.
- Total Dividend Payout: The upcoming dividend is estimated to total approximately $1.6 million based on the company's roughly 78 million shares outstanding, reflecting its strong profitability and cash flow position.
- Historical Dividend Achievement: Since the implementation of its dividend program in Q3 2003, Heartland Express has paid a total of $561.4 million in cash dividends, including four special dividends, demonstrating a long-term commitment to shareholder returns.
- Future Outlook: While the company has issued forward-looking statements indicating potential risks and uncertainties, its ongoing dividend policy continues to provide a stable financial foundation in the competitive transportation industry.
See More
Heartland Express Declares $0.02 Quarterly Dividend Per Share
- Dividend Continuity: Heartland Express has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share, payable on January 7, 2026, reflecting the company's strong commitment to returning value to shareholders over 90 consecutive quarters.
- Total Shareholder Payout: The dividend is expected to amount to approximately $1.6 million based on the company's roughly 78 million shares outstanding, reinforcing its dedication to shareholder returns.
- Historical Dividend Achievement: Since the implementation of its dividend program in Q3 2003, the company has paid a total of $561.4 million in cash dividends, including four special dividends, showcasing its stable financial health.
- Future Outlook: While the company has issued forward-looking statements highlighting potential risks and uncertainties, the ongoing dividend payments indicate confidence in its future profitability.
See More
Heartland Express Reports Q4 Earnings with Declining EPS
- Earnings Report: Heartland Express reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of -$0.25, indicating challenges in profitability and reflecting a secular decline in returns on capital, which raises concerns about financial health.
- Revenue Figures: The company generated $179.4 million in revenue for the fourth quarter, which, while stable, suggests limited growth potential compared to industry benchmarks, potentially impacting future investment attractiveness.
- Growth Prospects: Analysts highlight that Heartland Express faces limited growth prospects; although risks appear to be priced in, the company must implement strategies to enhance its financial performance moving forward.
- Rating Analysis: According to Seeking Alpha's quant rating, Heartland Express's performance is under scrutiny, prompting investors to carefully assess its long-term investment value amidst the current financial challenges.
See More
Guggenheim Cuts Ultragenyx Price Target to $52 Amidst Analyst Rating Changes
- Price Target Adjustment: Guggenheim cut Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc (NASDAQ:RARE) price target from $64 to $52 while maintaining a Buy rating, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future growth potential.
- Transport Services Outlook: Baird raised the price target for J B Hunt Transport Services Inc (NASDAQ:JBHT) from $173 to $215, with analyst Daniel Moore maintaining an Outperform rating, reflecting optimism about a rebound in transportation demand.
- Electrical Equipment Upgrade: UBS increased Emerson Electric Co (NYSE:EMR) price target from $131 to $168 and upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy, signaling enhanced market confidence in its future performance.
- Tech Stock Prospects: Jefferies raised IBM's (NYSE:IBM) price target from $300 to $360, with analyst Brent Thill upgrading the stock from Hold to Buy, acknowledging IBM's potential in cloud computing and AI sectors.
See More
Goldman Sachs Upgrades Coinbase to Buy, Highlights Structural Growth Potential
- Rating Upgrade: Goldman Sachs has upgraded Coinbase from Neutral to Buy, reflecting its structural growth potential in the derivatives business and crypto infrastructure, which is expected to drive future performance improvements.
- Market Outlook: Goldman highlighted that growth in emerging products like tokenization and prediction markets will further enhance Coinbase's market position, attracting more investor interest.
- Investor Confidence: With Goldman’s rating upgrade, market confidence in Coinbase is likely to strengthen, potentially attracting more capital inflows and driving the stock price higher.
- Industry Impact: Coinbase's successful transformation could set a benchmark for the entire cryptocurrency industry, prompting other companies to undertake similar strategic adjustments to adapt to market changes.
See More
Biohaven Ltd's Depression Drug Trial Fails to Meet Primary Endpoint, Shares Plunge 14.3%
- Drug Trial Failure: Biohaven Ltd announced that its depression drug BHV-7000 failed to significantly reduce depressive symptoms in a six-week clinical trial, causing shares to plummet 14.3% to $9.27 in pre-market trading, reflecting a substantial decline in market confidence regarding its R&D capabilities.
- Severe Market Reaction: The news of the trial's failure triggered panic among investors, leading to a rapid decline in Biohaven's stock price during pre-market trading, indicating the high sensitivity of the biopharmaceutical sector to clinical outcomes, which may impact the company's future financing and R&D plans.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: With Biohaven's drug trial failure, market attention shifts to other competitors, particularly in the depression treatment space, potentially leading investors to reassess the market outlook and investment value of related companies.
- Wider Industry Implications: Biohaven's failure could have a ripple effect across the biopharmaceutical industry, particularly in terms of R&D investments and clinical trial designs, prompting other companies to more cautiously evaluate their drug development strategies.
See More
Heartland Express Declares $0.02 Quarterly Cash Dividend
- Consistent Dividend Record: Heartland Express has declared a $0.02 cash dividend per share, payable on January 7, 2026, marking the company's 90th consecutive quarterly dividend, which enhances investor confidence in its financial stability.
- Total Dividend Payout: The upcoming dividend is estimated to total approximately $1.6 million based on the company's roughly 78 million shares outstanding, reflecting its strong profitability and cash flow position.
- Historical Dividend Achievement: Since the implementation of its dividend program in Q3 2003, Heartland Express has paid a total of $561.4 million in cash dividends, including four special dividends, demonstrating a long-term commitment to shareholder returns.
- Future Outlook: While the company has issued forward-looking statements indicating potential risks and uncertainties, its ongoing dividend policy continues to provide a stable financial foundation in the competitive transportation industry.
See More
Heartland Express Declares $0.02 Quarterly Dividend Per Share
- Dividend Continuity: Heartland Express has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share, payable on January 7, 2026, reflecting the company's strong commitment to returning value to shareholders over 90 consecutive quarters.
- Total Shareholder Payout: The dividend is expected to amount to approximately $1.6 million based on the company's roughly 78 million shares outstanding, reinforcing its dedication to shareholder returns.
- Historical Dividend Achievement: Since the implementation of its dividend program in Q3 2003, the company has paid a total of $561.4 million in cash dividends, including four special dividends, showcasing its stable financial health.
- Future Outlook: While the company has issued forward-looking statements highlighting potential risks and uncertainties, the ongoing dividend payments indicate confidence in its future profitability.
See More
