Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA)

Sector: Industrials Industry: Trucking CIK: 0001177702
Market Cap 10.38 Bn
P/B 4.11
P/E 36.60
P/S 3.21
ROIC (Qtr) 10.18
Div Yield % 0.00
Rev 1y % (Qtr) -0.29
Total Debt (Qtr) 348.38 Mn
Debt/Equity (Qtr) 0.14
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About

Saia Inc., a transportation company based in Johns Creek, Georgia, operates under the ticker symbol SAIA and is a key player in the less-than-truckload (LTL) services industry. The company's primary business activities involve transporting LTL shipments, which typically weigh between 100 and 10,000 pounds, across North America. Saia's extensive network includes 198 owned and leased facilities, three general offices, and one warehouse. Saia's operations are mainly centered around its LTL services, which generate over 97% of its revenue. These services...

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Investment thesis

Bull case

  • Strong operating cash flow of 622.40M provides robust 1.79x coverage of total debt 348.38M, indicating excellent debt servicing capability and financial flexibility.
  • Operating cash flow of 622.40M provides exceptional 37.75x coverage of interest expenses 16.49M, showing strong debt service capability.
  • Operating cash flow of 622.40M provides strong 43.70x coverage of stock compensation 14.24M, indicating sustainable incentive practices.
  • Strong tangible asset base of 3.49B provides 10x coverage of total debt 348.38M, indicating robust asset backing and low credit risk.
  • Operating cash flow of 622.40M provides solid 2.10x coverage of current liabilities 295.90M, showing strong operational health.

Bear case

  • Operating cash flow of 622.40M barely covers its investment activities of (622.11M), with a coverage ratio of -1, indicating heavy reliance on external financing for growth which may not be sustainable in a tighter credit environment.
  • Free cash flow of 8.69M provides weak coverage of capital expenditures of 613.72M, with a 0.01 ratio suggesting additional external financing needs for growth initiatives.
  • Operating earnings of 391.24M show weak coverage of depreciation charges of 239.69M, with a 1.63 ratio indicating high capital intensity and potential reinvestment needs.
  • Tax assets of 48.80M provide limited offset against tax liabilities of 287.12M, which is 0.17x, indicating potential future cash flow pressure from tax obligations.
  • Cash position of 35.50M provides weak coverage of payables of 112.53M, which is 0.32x, indicating potential working capital stress and supplier relationship risks.

Peer comparison

Companies in the Trucking
S.No. Ticker Company Market Cap P/E P/S Total Debt (Qtr)
1 ODFL Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. 48.73 Bn 782.67 33.27 0.08 Bn
2 XPO XPO, Inc. 23.75 Bn 75.14 2.91 4.09 Bn
3 SAIA Saia Inc 10.38 Bn 36.60 3.21 0.35 Bn
4 TFII TFI International Inc. 10.05 Bn 32.37 1.27 3.33 Bn
5 KNX Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. 9.89 Bn 11.13 1.36 3.22 Bn
6 SNDR Schneider National, Inc. 4.98 Bn 12.00 1.10 0.52 Bn
7 ARCB Arcbest Corp /De/ 2.70 Bn 45.25 0.96 0.46 Bn
8 RXO RXO, Inc. 2.51 Bn -25.14 0.44 0.67 Bn

Industry comparisons

Current Valuation Value Ind Avg Percentile
EV to Assets EV to Assets 3.09 1.82
EV to Cash from Ops. EV/CFO 17.36 30.89
EV to Debt EV to Debt 31.02 334.88
EV to EBIT EV/EBIT 27.62 41.39
EV to EBITDA EV/EBITDA 17.17 30.41
EV to Free Cash Flow [EV/FCF] EV/FCF 1,244.14 8.80
EV to Market Cap EV to Market Cap 1.04 1.18
EV to Revenue EV/Rev 3.34 3.58
Price to Book Value [P/B] P/B 4.11 8.76
Price to Earnings [P/E] P/E 36.60 71.24
Dividend Metrics Value Ind Avg Percentile
Dividend Coverage Ratio Dividend Coverage Ratio 0.00 1.04
Dividend Payout Ratio % Div Payout % (Qtr) 0.00 27.17
Dividend per Basic Share Div per Share (Qtr) 0.00 0.34
FCF Dividend Payout Ratio % FCF Div Payout % (Qtr) 0.00 16.21
Interest Coverage Int. cover (Qtr) 23.73 2,509.13
Growth Metrics Value Ind Avg Percentile
Capex Growth (1y) % Capex 1y % (Qtr) 36.86 -384.47
Cash and Equivalents Growth (1y) % Cash & Equiv 1y % (Qtr) 146.44 6.65
Dividend Growth (1y) % Dividend Growth (1y) % 0.00 -0.53
EBIAT Growth (1y) % EBIAT 1y % (Qtr) -22.17 -139.40
EBITDA Growth (1y) % EBITDA 1y % (Qtr) -9.45 -265.30
EBIT Growth (1y) % EBIT 1y % (Qtr) -21.71 -150.93
EBT Growth (1y) % EBT 1y % (Qtr) -23.96 -53,829.57
EPS Growth (1y) % EPS 1y % (Qtr) -24.48 -170.98
FCF Growth (1y) % FCF 1y % (Qtr) 102.22 59.93
Gross Profit Growth (1y) % Gross Profit 1y % (Qtr) 1.69 -3.53
Liquidity Ratios Value Ind Avg Percentile
Asset Utilization Ratio Asset Util Ratio (Qtr) 0.92 1.07
Cash Payout Ratio Cash Payout (Qtr) 0.00 0.05
Cash Ratio Cash Ratio (Qtr) 0.12 0.23
Current Ratio Curr Ratio (Qtr) 1.68 1.44
Debt to Equity Ratio Debt/Equity (Qtr) 0.14 0.64
Interest Cover Ratio Int Coverage (Qtr) 23.73 2,509.13
Times Interest Earned Times Interest Earned (Qtr) 23.73 2,509.13
Profitability Value Ind Avg Percentile
EBITDA Margin % EBITDA Margin % (Qtr) 19.50 10.72
EBIT Margin % EBIT Margin % (Qtr) 12.10 1.50
EBT Margin % EBT Margin % (Qtr) 11.59 0.13
Gross Margin % Gross Margin % (Qtr) 70.10 46.24
Net Profit Margin % Net Margin % (Qtr) 8.80 -0.55