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SAIASaia, Inc.Sell5.9·$357.94+3.51%
SellModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

Saia's solid earnings beat streak and above-average technical momentum cannot overcome a negative analyst upside and free cash flow conversion rate of only 14%, making the stock a hold at best until valuation normalizes to a more attractive entry point.

Thesis pillars

  • Earnings Beat ConsistencyDeteriorating
  • Fcf Quality Red FlagStable
  • Rich Valuation Negative UpsideImproving
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Saia, Inc. (SAIA) Stock Analysis

SellGrowthModerate Confidence

Industrials · Trucking

Sell if holding. At $357.94, A.R:R 1.0:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Thin upside margin: 9.6%; V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=4.8).

We provide national less-than-truckload (LTL) services through a single integrated organization. While approximately 97% of our revenue is derived from transporting LTL shipments, we also offer customers a wide range of other value-added services, including brokered truckload... Read more

$357.94+9.6% A.UpsideScore 5.9/10#1 of 13 Trucking
QualityF-score8 / 9FCF yield1.48%
Stop $332.88Target $392.14(analyst − 10%)A.R:R 1.0:1
Analyst target$435.71+21.7%21 analysts
$392.14our TP
$357.94price
$435.71mean
$285
$510

Sell if holding. At $357.94, A.R:R 1.0:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Thin upside margin: 9.6%; V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=4.8). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 5.9/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/7 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, earnings proximity 55d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: aggressive.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-09-05
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Thu, Oct 29, 202655d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (3/4)
Strong growth profile
Risks
Thin upside margin: 9.6%
V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=4.8)
Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)32.0
P/E (Fwd)24.4
Mkt Cap$9.2B
EV/EBITDA15.2
Profit Mgn8.2%
ROE10.8%
Rev Growth17.1%
Beta2.14
DividendNone
Rating analysts27

Quality Signals

Piotroski F8/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C0.90neutral
IV49%normal

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

10 dimensions · all in-band

GatesA.R:R 1.0 < 1.5@spotMomentum 6.5>=5.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsEARNINGS PROXIMITY 55d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Aggressive
RSI
38 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $324.57Resistance $389.56

Price Targets

$333
$392
A.Upside+9.6%
A.R:R1.0:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeRisk-Off

Risk Alerts

! asymmetry at 1.0 (below the engine's 1.5 threshold)@spot

Earnings

B
B
B
M
3/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-29 (55d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SAIA stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. At $357.94, A.R:R 1.0:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Thin upside margin: 9.6%; V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=4.8). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $332.88. Score 5.9/10, moderate confidence.

What is the SAIA stock price target?

Take-profit target: $392.14 (+9.6% upside). Prior stop was $332.88. Stop-loss: $332.88.

What are the risks of investing in SAIA?

Thin upside margin: 9.6%; V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=4.8); Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7.

Is SAIA overvalued or undervalued?

Saia, Inc. trades at a P/E of 32.0 (forward 24.4). TrendMatrix value score: 5.4/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about SAIA?

27 analysts cover SAIA with a consensus score of 3.9/5. Average price target: $436.

What does Saia, Inc. do?We provide national less-than-truckload (LTL) services through a single integrated organization. While approximately...

We provide national less-than-truckload (LTL) services through a single integrated organization. While approximately 97% of our revenue is derived from transporting LTL shipments, we also offer customers a wide range of other value-added services, including brokered truckload and expedited transportation and other logistics services across North America.

Related stocks: TFII (TFI International Inc.) · ODFL (Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.) · ARCB (ArcBest Corporation) · WERN (Werner Enterprises, Inc.) · XPO (XPO, Inc.)
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