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HTLD Stock Forecast: Heartland Express, Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 11 Sept 2026
$12
+1.23% on the day

The 6 Wall Street analysts covering Heartland Express, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $13 — +5.3% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 80 of 100 as at 12 Sept 2026 — inside the top quartile. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$954.3M
Ticker Nerd rank
80 / 100
Median analyst target
$13
Analysts covering
6
Revenue$184.1M−12.5% y/y
Operating income−$8.5M
Net income$10.6M
Free cash flow−$34.6M
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 30 June 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
−0.2%
1M
+4.6%
YTD
+37.1%
1Y
+43.5%
From 52W high
−23.8%
From 52W low
+75.3%
$7
$16
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

HTLD stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Heartland Express, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 12 Sept 2026
80 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Accruals
95
Issuance
95
Revisions
88
Momentum
81
Volatility
65
Size
45
Growth
39
Value
31
Quality
22

Accruals (95): Reported profit is backed by cash, and the company is not expanding recklessly.

Quality (22): Profits are thin or unreliable for the size of the business, or they are not turning into cash.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

HTLD stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on HTLD, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$6$8$10$12$14$16Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26HTLDHigh $16Median $13Low $12

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says6 analysts
1 Buy3 Hold2 Sell
Low $12Median $13High $16

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +5.3% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 3 moved their price target up and 1 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
13 Aug 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight$14 → $12
6 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$12 → $13
31 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight$11 → $12
31 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight—
6 July 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight$12 → $13
6 July 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight—
26 June 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
28 Apr 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
24 Apr 2026BairdMaintainsOutperform—
24 Apr 2026JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight—
24 Apr 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
3 Mar 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
5 Feb 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
15 Jan 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
5 Jan 2026BairdUpgradeOutperform—
8 Dec 2025Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight—
3 Nov 2025BairdMaintainsNeutral—
8 Oct 2025JP MorganMaintainsUnderweight—
6 Oct 2025Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight—
6 Aug 2025BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. HTLD appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

HTLD vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 11 Sept 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. returned +43.5% against +17.5% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

HTLD vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
80100120140160180200Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26HTLDS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

HTLD analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
+1369.5%
Analysts raising
5
Analysts cutting
0
Fundamentals

Heartland Express, Inc. (HTLD) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
52.4×

Cheaper than 14% of US stocks

Price / sales
1.3×

Cheaper than 64% of US stocks

Price / book
1.3×

Cheaper than 65% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
11.0×

Cheaper than 34% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
−12.5%

Higher than 14% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
−12.5%

Higher than 25% of US stocks

Gross margin
10.1%

Higher than 9% of US stocks

Operating margin
−4.6%

Higher than 28% of US stocks

Net margin
−3.0%

Higher than 26% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
−2.8%

Higher than 41% of US stocks

Return on assets
−2.5%

Higher than 36% of US stocks

Dividend yield
0.6%

Higher than 13% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Heartland Express, Inc. (HTLD) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • Heartland Express, Inc. has a market value of $954.3M and an enterprise value of $1.0B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $736.3M. The latest quarter shrank 12.5% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: −$22.0M, a −3.0% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $−0.28.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: −$85.8M.

  • Heartland Express, Inc. spent $6.2M on dividends in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.

  • Shares outstanding: 77.3M.

  • Trailing P/E: 52.4×; forward P/E: 24.6× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 0.65%, paying out 42% of earnings.

  • Heartland Express, Inc. employs 3,630 people — $203K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 30 June 2026 · market figures as at 13 Sept 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

HTLD vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelTrucking
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
HTLDHeartland Express, Inc.$954.3M
80
CVLGCovenant Logistics Group, Inc.$904.2M
58
MRTNMarten Transport Ltd.$1.1B
62
ULHUniversal Logistics Holdings, Inc.$487.4M
80
WERNWerner Enterprises, Inc.$2.2B
59
ARCBArcBest Corp.$3.0B
91
RXORXO, Inc.$3.2B
72

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Heartland Express, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest HTLD news & analysis

Heartland Express, Inc. Announces Participation in Upcoming Conference

GlobeNewsWire · 11 Sept 2026neutral

Heartland Express, Inc. announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Chris Strain, will participate in the Morgan Stanley 14th Annual Laguna Conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The announcement was made on September 11, 2026.

Why it matters — A Heartland Express watcher would care because it signals the company's executive visibility and participation at a major investor conference, which could provide opportunities for investor engagement.

Heartland Express Inc. Earns 21st Quest for Quality Award

GlobeNewsWire · 10 Sept 2026positive

Heartland Express, Inc. announced it has been recognized with Logistics Management Magazine's Quest for Quality Award for the twenty-first time in the last twenty-three years. The award was announced on September 10, 2026.

Why it matters — This recognition highlights Heartland Express's consistent service quality in the trucking industry, which could reinforce its reputation among customers and stakeholders.

Is Heartland Express (HTLD) Stock Outpacing Its Transportation Peers This Year?

Zacks Investment Research · 11 Aug 2026neutral

Zacks Investment Research reports on how Heartland Express (HTLD) and JB Hunt (JBHT) have performed so far this year compared to their transportation sector. The piece compares the year-to-date performance of both stocks against their industry peers.

Why it matters — HTLD watchers would care because it shows where the company's stock stands relative to JB Hunt and the broader transportation sector this year.

Heartland Express (HTLD) Q2 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

Zacks Investment Research · 30 July 2026neutral

Heartland Express (HTLD) reported its Q2 2026 earnings, with the article noting that key metrics can be compared to Wall Street estimates and year-ago values.

Why it matters — HTLD watchers would care because the quarterly earnings report offers insight into the company's recent financial performance relative to analyst expectations and prior results.

Heartland Express, Inc. Reports Net Income and Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2026

GlobeNewsWire · 30 July 2026positive

Heartland Express, Inc. reported financial results for the second quarter of 2026, showing operating revenue of $184.1 million and net income of $10.6 million. The company also reported an operating ratio of 91.0%, repurchased 172,061 shares of common stock, and made $15 million in payments to reduce acquisition-related debt.

Why it matters — The quarter's improved operating ratio and debt-reduction payments indicate operational efficiency and continued progress on the company's post-acquisition balance sheet strategy.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about HTLD stock

What is the HTLD stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 6 Wall Street analysts covering Heartland Express, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $13, with estimates ranging from $12 to $16. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is HTLD stock a buy right now?

Of the 6 analysts covering Heartland Express, Inc., 1 rate it a Buy, 3 a Hold and 2 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Heartland Express, Inc. 80 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 12 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank HTLD?

As at 12 Sept 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. ranks 80 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Accruals (95 of 100).

Will HTLD stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 6 analysts implies +5.3% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Heartland Express, Inc. 80 out of 100 as at 12 Sept 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the HTLD stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Heartland Express, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for HTLD are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $12 to $16 over the next 12 months.

How has HTLD stock performed over the past year?

Heartland Express, Inc. returned +43.5% over the 12 months to 11 Sept 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Heartland Express, Inc. do?

Heartland Express, Inc. is a truckload transportation company that provides short-, medium-, and long-haul freight services across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

What is the latest news on HTLD?

The most recent item we track (GlobeNewsWire, 11 Sept 2026): "Heartland Express, Inc. Announces Participation in Upcoming Conference". Heartland Express, Inc. announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Chris Strain, will participate in the Morgan Stanley 14th Annual Laguna Conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The announcement was made on September 11, 2026.

Company

About Heartland Express, Inc.

Heartland Express, Inc. is a truckload transportation company that provides short-, medium-, and long-haul freight services across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The company focuses on asset-based dry van trucking, temperature-controlled transportation, and cross-border logistics for shippers that need reliable over-the-road freight movement. It operates under the Heartland Express, Millis Transfer, Smith Transport, and CFI brand names, serving customers in industries such as retail, manufacturing, consumer goods, appliances, food products, and automotive. Headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa, Heartland Express plays a significant role in North American ground transportation by connecting producers, distributors, and parcel carriers through a broad network of truckload services.

CEO Mr. Michael J. Gerdin · 3,630 employees · United States · https://www.heartlandexpress.com