Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) Upgraded by Stifel Nicolaus to “Buy” Rating

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) was upgraded by research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm currently has a $438.00 target price on the transportation company’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ price target suggests a potential upside of 24.92% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on the company. Susquehanna upped their price objective on Saia from $465.00 to $470.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. TD Cowen boosted their price target on Saia from $367.00 to $445.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Saia from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $476.00 price objective on shares of Saia in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Saia in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $458.39.

Saia Stock Performance

Shares of SAIA stock opened at $350.63 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.52, a current ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $439.83 and a 200-day moving average price of $406.22. Saia has a 52 week low of $249.32 and a 52 week high of $494.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.35 billion, a PE ratio of 36.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 2.13.

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The transportation company reported $3.51 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.38 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $956.49 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $956.20 million. Saia had a net margin of 7.84% and a return on equity of 9.60%. The firm’s revenue was up 17.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.67 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Saia will post 11.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Quarry LP increased its holdings in Saia by 8,400.0% in the 4th quarter. Quarry LP now owns 85 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Saia during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Saia in the fourth quarter worth approximately $40,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Saia by 1,612.5% in the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 137 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 129 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Saia by 46.9% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 144 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter.

Trending Headlines about Saia

Here are the key news stories impacting Saia this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Saia reported second-quarter diluted EPS of $3.51, above estimates of approximately $3.34–$3.38 and up from $2.67 a year earlier. Revenue increased 17.1% to a record $956.5 million, while operating income rose 26% to $125.2 million. Saia Reports Second Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Operating performance improved, with the operating ratio declining to 86.9% from 87.8%. LTL tonnage per workday increased 8.4%, shipments rose 4.4%, and the company achieved a record-low 0.3% claims ratio. Saia Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Saia ended the quarter with $84 million in cash and $100.1 million of debt, a substantial improvement in liquidity compared with the prior year. First-half net capital expenditures also fell to $158 million from $375.6 million. Saia Q2 Earnings Snapshot
• Neutral Sentiment: Management expects 2026 net capital expenditures of approximately $350 million to $400 million as it continues expanding and integrating its service network.
• Negative Sentiment: Management indicated that the third-quarter operating ratio could deteriorate by roughly 100 basis points sequentially. Investors viewed the outlook as disappointing because it implies softer near-term profitability despite the second-quarter beat. Saia’s Q3 Margin Guidance Disappoints Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Cost pressures are expected from a July company-wide wage increase, higher diesel and purchased-transportation expenses, and elevated insurance and workers’ compensation costs. July tonnage was reportedly up about 7.5% month to date, but shipment growth was only around 1%, suggesting mixed demand and possible friction following Saia’s 7.1% general rate increase.
• Negative Sentiment: Excluding fuel surcharges, second-quarter LTL revenue per hundredweight declined 2.2%, pointing to pricing or mix pressure that could weigh on margins if costs continue rising. Saia Outlines Q3 Operating-Ratio Outlook

About Saia

Saia, Inc is a publicly traded transportation company specializing in less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services across North America. Headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, the company focuses on the efficient movement of time-sensitive freight for a diverse customer base that spans retail, manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare industries. By leveraging a network of terminals and service centers, Saia provides tailored solutions designed to optimize supply chain performance.

The company’s core offerings include regional, interregional, and national LTL shipping, supported by volumetric LTL and port intermodal services.