Barclays Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) Stock

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) had its price objective upped by equities research analysts at Barclays from $380.00 to $400.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the transportation company’s stock. Barclays‘s target price would suggest a potential upside of 1.09% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Saia in a research note on Wednesday. Wolfe Research reiterated a “peer perform” rating on shares of Saia in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Evercore cut shares of Saia from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Saia in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $403.00 price target on shares of Saia in a research note on Tuesday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Saia currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $363.35.

Saia Stock Up 3.7%

Shares of NASDAQ SAIA opened at $395.70 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $349.78 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $314.82. Saia has a 12 month low of $229.12 and a 12 month high of $507.39. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.54 billion, a PE ratio of 37.37 and a beta of 2.09.

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The transportation company reported $1.77 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.90 by ($0.13). Saia had a net margin of 8.77% and a return on equity of 11.32%. The company had revenue of $789.95 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $773.82 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.84 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Saia will post 15.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Saia

In other news, Director Donna E. Epps purchased 422 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $277.60 per share, for a total transaction of $117,147.20. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 1,852 shares in the company, valued at $514,115.20. This represents a 29.51% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Raymond R. Ramu sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $266.57, for a total transaction of $266,570.00. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 4,902 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,306,726.14. This trade represents a 16.94% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Saia

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Viking Global Investors LP purchased a new stake in Saia during the second quarter valued at approximately $226,770,000. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in shares of Saia by 1,300.4% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 701,418 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $209,976,000 after acquiring an additional 651,332 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its position in shares of Saia by 35.4% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 2,273,396 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $680,564,000 after acquiring an additional 594,674 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Saia in the 4th quarter worth $130,411,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in Saia by 141.3% in the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 557,129 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $166,782,000 after purchasing an additional 326,206 shares during the period.

Trending Headlines about Saia

Here are the key news stories impacting Saia this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management says the company’s ~ $2B network investment is starting to position Saia for scale benefits and long?term upside; the story frames today’s weakness as a potential buying opportunity if margin gains materialize. Saia awaits payoff on $2B investment
• Positive Sentiment: Management outlined a 100–200 basis?point operating ratio improvement target tied to network expansion and scale — a clear path management is giving investors to restore profitability. OR improvement target article
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue was essentially flat but slightly ahead of some estimates ($790M), showing demand stability while management emphasizes market ramp?ups and pricing per shipment improvements. Q4 sales beat article
• Neutral Sentiment: Capital spending plan: Saia expects $350–$400M of net capex in 2026 (down from 2024 levels), indicating a transition from heavy build to more measured investment — relevant for cash flow and returns timing. Saia Reports Fourth Quarter Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Management held an earnings conference call and provided more detail (transcript available) — important for investors who want color on claims, self?insurance impacts and the timing of margin recovery. Earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: EPS missed consensus: Q4 diluted EPS was $1.77 vs. ~$1.90 expected (and down sharply vs. $2.84 a year ago). Operating income fell ~37% YoY and the operating ratio widened to 91.9% (from 87.1%), signaling margin pressure. MarketWatch: shares fall after profit lags
• Negative Sentiment: Management cited elevated self?insurance costs (~$4.7M) tied to past accidents that pressured the quarter — a near?term headwind to profitability. Q4 results and insurance impact
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst pressure: Morgan Stanley downgraded Saia to Underweight with a $250 price target, which increases downside risk and likely amplified the selloff today. Morgan Stanley downgrade

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.