HTLDIndustrials · TruckingThe 6 Wall Street analysts covering Heartland Express, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $13 — +14.5% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 64 of 100 as at 8 Oct 2026 — in the upper half.
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.
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): 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.
The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on HTLD, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.
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
The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +14.5% from it.
Of the 20 most recent actions, 3 moved their price target up and 1 moved it down.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Aug 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Underweight | $14 → $12 |
| 6 Aug 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | $12 → $13 |
| 31 July 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Underweight | $11 → $12 |
| 31 July 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 6 July 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Maintains | Equal-Weight | $12 → $13 |
| 6 July 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Maintains | Equal-Weight | — |
| 26 June 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 28 Apr 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Baird | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 24 Apr 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 24 Apr 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 3 Mar 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 5 Feb 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 15 Jan 2026 | Barclays | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 5 Jan 2026 | Baird | Upgrade | Outperform | — |
| 8 Dec 2025 | Morgan Stanley | Maintains | Equal-Weight | — |
| 3 Nov 2025 | Baird | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 8 Oct 2025 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Underweight | — |
| 6 Oct 2025 | Morgan Stanley | Maintains | Equal-Weight | — |
| 6 Aug 2025 | Barclays | Maintains | Underweight | — |
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
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.
Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.
Over the twelve months to 8 Oct 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. returned +30.1% against +16.2% for the S&P 500, dividends included.
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Data provided by Twelve Data
Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.
A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.
Cheaper than 14% of US stocks
Cheaper than 64% of US stocks
Cheaper than 67% of US stocks
Cheaper than 37% of US stocks
Higher than 14% of US stocks
Higher than 25% of US stocks
Higher than 9% of US stocks
Higher than 28% of US stocks
Higher than 26% of US stocks
Higher than 41% of US stocks
Higher than 36% of US stocks
Higher than 68% of US dividend payers
Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.
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 $876.2M and an enterprise value of $960.2M.
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.
Trailing P/E: 52.4×; forward P/E: 22.6× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.
Forward dividend yield: 0.71%, paying out 42% of earnings.
Heartland Express, Inc. employs 3,630 people — $203K of revenue per employee.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.
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 →
Heartland Express (HTLD) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reflecting growing optimism about the company's earnings prospects. The upgrade reflects improved expectations for the company's near-term performance.
Why it matters — HTLD watchers would note the upgraded Zacks ranking as a sign of improving sentiment around the company's earnings outlook.
Heartland Express, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. The announcement was made on September 15, 2026, from the company's headquarters in North Liberty, Iowa.
Why it matters — HTLD watchers would care because the declaration of a regular quarterly dividend signals the company's continued commitment to returning value to shareholders.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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. 64 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 8 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 8 Oct 2026, Heartland Express, Inc. ranks 64 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).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 6 analysts implies +14.5% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Heartland Express, Inc. 64 out of 100 as at 8 Oct 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.
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.
Heartland Express, Inc. returned +30.1% over the 12 months to 8 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
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 most recent item we track (Zacks Investment Research, 30 Sept 2026): "What Makes Heartland Express (HTLD) a New Strong Buy Stock". Heartland Express (HTLD) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reflecting growing optimism about the company's earnings prospects. The upgrade reflects improved expectations for the company's near-term performance.
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
