SAIA
IndustrialsSaia, Inc. · Trucking · $12B
What is Saia, Inc.?
Saia, Inc. is a North American transportation company specializing in less-than-truckload freight services. Headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, Saia has built a regional and national network serving shippers across a broad range of industries.
Saia generates revenue primarily by moving freight shipments that fall between parcel and full truckload size — a segment known as less-than-truckload, or LTL. Shippers pay for only the trailer space their cargo occupies, making LTL an efficient option for mid-sized loads. Beyond core LTL, Saia offers non-asset truckload brokerage, expedited delivery, and logistics coordination services, giving customers a broader set of supply chain solutions through a single carrier relationship.
Saia traces its roots to 1924 and is headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia.
- Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping
- Non-asset truckload brokerage services
- Expedited freight delivery
- Third-party logistics and supply chain coordination
Is SAIA a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates SAIA as Below Average overall, reflecting a mixed picture across its five quality pillars.
The Risk pillar stands out as the clearest positive signal, suggesting Saia carries a manageable financial and operational risk profile relative to many peers. The Quality and Growth pillars both land at Neutral, indicating the business is functioning adequately without standing out in either earnings quality or expansion trajectory.
The Moat pillar registers as Weak, pointing to limited durable competitive advantages in a commoditized freight market where pricing power is difficult to sustain.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does SAIA pay dividends?
No — Saia, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.
Saia does not currently pay a dividend. For a capital-intensive carrier, retaining cash allows the company to fund terminal expansions, fleet upgrades, and network growth without relying heavily on external financing. Investors seeking income from this sector should factor in the absence of a dividend when comparing Saia to peers.
When does SAIA report earnings?
Saia, Inc. reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
Freight volumes and pricing conditions in the LTL sector have been variable in recent cycles, and Saia's results reflect the broader industry environment. Network expansion investments can weigh on near-term margins even when long-term positioning improves.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance, visit Saia's investor relations page directly.
SAIA Price History
+92.0% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Saia, Inc.?
Based on Saia, Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
SAIA Long-term Outlook
With Growth and Quality both rated Neutral, Saia's fundamental trajectory appears steady rather than accelerating. The Good Risk rating suggests the balance sheet and operational structure are not flashing warning signs, which provides a degree of stability. However, the Weak Moat rating means sustaining above-average returns over a full cycle remains a structural challenge in the competitive LTL freight market.
Growth drivers
- Ongoing terminal network expansion into new regional markets
- Cross-selling logistics and expedited services to existing LTL customers
- Broader e-commerce and reshoring trends supporting freight demand
Key risks
- Freight volume cyclicality tied to broader economic conditions
- Intense price competition from national and regional LTL carriers
- Rising labor and fuel costs compressing carrier margins industry-wide
SAIA vs Peers
Saia competes in a crowded North American freight market alongside large diversified carriers and specialized LTL operators.
TFI operates a highly diversified transportation platform spanning truckload, LTL, and logistics across North America, giving it broader revenue diversification than a pure-play LTL carrier.
Knight-Swift is one of the largest full truckload carriers in the US and has been expanding into LTL through acquisitions, bringing significant scale to compete across freight modes.
The TSX-listed shares of TFI International offer Canadian investors direct exposure to the same diversified North American freight platform, with currency considerations differing from the US-listed equivalent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Saia, Inc. do?
Saia is a North American transportation company focused on less-than-truckload freight — moving shipments too large for parcel carriers but too small to fill an entire trailer. The company also offers truckload brokerage, expedited shipping, and logistics services to provide a broader supply chain solution.
Does SAIA pay dividends?
Saia does not currently pay a dividend. The company retains earnings to fund capital-intensive investments such as terminal expansion and fleet renewal. Investors focused on income should note this when evaluating SAIA against dividend-paying freight peers.
When does SAIA report earnings?
Saia reports financial results on a quarterly basis, in line with standard US public company practice. For precise dates and the latest earnings releases, check Saia's official investor relations page, as our data source does not provide specific upcoming earnings dates.
Is SAIA a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates SAIA as Below Average overall. The Risk pillar is the clearest strength, while the Moat pillar is rated Weak, reflecting the competitive nature of the LTL freight market. Whether SAIA fits a portfolio depends on individual goals — view the full pillar breakdown on UQS Pro for a deeper picture.
Is SAIA overvalued?
The UQS Valuation pillar for SAIA is rated Neutral, suggesting the market is pricing the stock in a range that is neither clearly cheap nor clearly stretched relative to the company's fundamentals. Full valuation metrics are available to UQS Pro members.
How does SAIA compare to its competitors?
Saia is a focused LTL carrier competing against larger, more diversified freight platforms like TFI International and Knight-Swift. Saia's narrower service mix can be both a strength — operational focus — and a vulnerability, as it lacks the revenue diversification that larger multi-modal carriers enjoy.
What is SAIA's market cap bracket?
SAIA is classified as a large-cap stock, placing it among the larger publicly traded companies in the North American transportation and freight sector.
Who founded Saia, Inc.?
Saia's origins date to 1924, making it one of the longer-operating freight carriers in North America. Detailed founding history, including early leadership, is publicly available through the company's official corporate history and investor relations materials.
Is SAIA a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, SAIA's Below Average UQS Score — driven by a Weak Moat and Neutral Quality and Growth ratings — suggests investors should weigh the structural competitiveness of the LTL market carefully. The Good Risk rating provides some reassurance around financial stability over a longer horizon.
What is the main competitive advantage of Saia, Inc.?
Saia's regional and national terminal network represents its primary operational asset, enabling reliable transit times across a broad geography. However, the UQS Moat pillar rates this advantage as Weak, reflecting that network scale alone has not translated into durable pricing power in the commoditized freight market.
What sector does SAIA belong to?
Saia operates in the Industrials sector, specifically within freight transportation and logistics. The LTL segment is sensitive to economic cycles, as freight volumes tend to rise and fall with broader manufacturing and retail activity.
Is SAIA a growth stock or value stock?
Based on UQS pillar ratings, SAIA does not fit neatly into either category. The Growth pillar is Neutral and the Valuation pillar is also Neutral, suggesting the stock is neither priced for rapid expansion nor deeply discounted relative to current fundamentals.
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Pro Analysis
SAIA — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | 48.7 | 46.5 | 37.0 | 52.1 | 78.0 | 38.3 | 0.0 |
| May 21, 2026 | 48.7 | 46.4 | 37.0 | 52.1 | 78.0 | 38.2 | -0.1 |
| May 15, 2026 | 48.8 | 46.5 | 37.0 | 52.1 | 78.0 | 38.7 | +0.5 |
| May 7, 2026 | 48.3 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 50.7 | 76.4 | 42.2 | 0.0 |
| May 4, 2026 | 48.3 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 50.7 | 76.4 | 42.5 | +1.0 |
| May 3, 2026 | 47.3 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 46.7 | 76.4 | 41.1 | 0.0 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 47.3 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 46.7 | 76.4 | 41.0 | -0.1 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | 47.4 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 46.7 | 76.4 | 41.5 | 0.0 |
| Apr 20, 2026 | 47.4 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 47.1 | 76.4 | 41.6 | 0.0 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 47.4 | 44.3 | 37.0 | 46.8 | 76.4 | 41.5 | -0.2 |
SAIA — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 46.5/100 (25%)Saia, Inc. has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 52.7/100 (20%)Saia, Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 78.0/100 (15%)Saia, Inc. carries minimal financial risk with conservative leverage and strong solvency.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 39.0/100 (15%)Saia, Inc. has a mixed valuation — some metrics suggest fair value while others appear stretched.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 37/100 (25%)Saia, Inc. possesses some competitive advantages but faces meaningful competition. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for SAIA.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the SAIA UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Saia, Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Saia, Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Saia, Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.