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SAIASaia, Inc.Sell5.0·$427.89+0.38%
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 UpsideStable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Saia, Inc. (SAIA) Stock Analysis

Range Bound setup

SellVALUE-TRAP 1/5Moderate Confidence

Industrials · Trucking

Earnings in 7 days (2026-07-30). Expect elevated volatility around the report — consider waiting for post-earnings price action before new entries.

Sell if holding. Engine safety override at $427.89: Quality below floor (3.9 < 4.0) triggers a hard block regardless of the otherwise-positive setup — overall score 5.0/10. Specifically: Elevated put/call ratio: 5.09; Below-average business quality; Rich valuation.

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

$427.89-1.9% A.UpsideScore 5.0/10#7 of 12 Trucking
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield0.31%
Stop $398.39Target $435.91(resistance)A.R:R -0.3:1
Analyst target$464.86+8.6%21 analysts
$435.91our TP
$427.89price
$464.86mean
$295
$550

Sell if holding. Engine safety override at $427.89: Quality below floor (3.9 < 4.0) triggers a hard block regardless of the otherwise-positive setup — overall score 5.0/10. Specifically: Elevated put/call ratio: 5.09; Below-average business quality; Rich valuation. Chart setup: RSI 56 mid-range, Bollinger mid-band. Score 5.0/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/8 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio and earnings proximity 7d<=7d. Suitability: aggressive.

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

Recent developments

updated 2026-07-24

Recent Developments — Saia, Inc.

Generated 2026-07-27T13:13:02Z.

TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Thu, Jul 30, 20267d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
No bull case signals
Risks
Target reached (-1.9% upside)
Quality below floor (3.9 < 4.0)

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)45.4
P/E (Fwd)29.3
Mkt Cap$11.3B
EV/EBITDA19.7
Profit Mgn7.8%
ROE10.2%
Rev Growth2.4%
Beta2.13
DividendNone
Rating analysts26

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9

Options Flow

P/C5.09bearish
IV62%elevated

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

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About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

Not investment advice. TrendMatrix is not a registered investment adviser. Our content is for informational and educational purposes only. Consult your own licensed investment adviser, broker, or tax professional before making any investment decision.

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Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

3 floor-breakers

Growth below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Earnings Growth
2.0
Revenue Growth
3.1

Priced at a premium — multiples above sector norms. Needs delivery on growth + margins to justify.static

Ev Ebitda
0.2
Pe
2.7
Analyst Target
4.0
Forward Pe
4.1
Peg Ratio
4.3
Ps
7.9
Forward P/E: 29.3xPEG: 2.17

Quality below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Gross Margin
0.7
Fcf Quality
1.1
Operating Margin
3.3
Roe
3.4
Net Margin
3.9
Roa
4.0
Moat
5.2
Current Ratio
5.6
Piotroski F
7.8
Earnings quality RED FLAG: 14% FCF/NINo competitive moatStrong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9
GatesA.R:R -0.3=NEGATIVEEARNINGS PROXIMITY 7d<=7dMomentum 7.0>=5.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARRange BoundSuitability: Aggressive
RSI
56 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $401.53Resistance $444.81

Price Targets

$398
$436
A.Upside-1.9%
A.R:R-0.3:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-1.9% upside)
! Quality below floor (3.9 < 4.0)
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
M
3/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-07-30 (7d)

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. Engine safety override at $427.89: Quality below floor (3.9 < 4.0) triggers a hard block regardless of the otherwise-positive setup — overall score 5.0/10. Specifically: Elevated put/call ratio: 5.09; Below-average business quality; Rich valuation. Chart setup: RSI 56 mid-range, Bollinger mid-band. Prior stop was $398.39. Score 5.0/10, moderate confidence.

What is the SAIA stock price target?

Take-profit target: $435.91 (-1.9% upside). Prior stop was $398.39. Stop-loss: $398.39.

What are the risks of investing in SAIA?

Target reached (-1.9% upside); Quality below floor (3.9 < 4.0).

Is SAIA overvalued or undervalued?

Saia, Inc. trades at a P/E of 45.4 (forward 29.3). TrendMatrix value score: 3.9/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about SAIA?

26 analysts cover SAIA with a consensus score of 3.6/5. Average price target: $465.

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: ARCB (ArcBest Corporation) · XPO (XPO, Inc.) · CVLG (Covenant Logistics Group, Inc.) · WERN (Werner Enterprises, Inc.) · SNDR (Schneider National, Inc.)
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