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Heartland Express's Days Sales Outstanding for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was 39.35.
Heartland Express's Days Inventory for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was 0.
Heartland Express's Days Payable for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was 21.24.
Therefore, Heartland Express's Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was 18.11.
Generally, the lower this number is, the better for the company. Although it should be combined with other metrics (such as ROE % and ROA %), it can be especially useful for comparing close competitors, because the company with the lowest CCC is often the one with better management.
Be Aware
CCC is most effective with retail-type companies, which have inventories that are sold to customers. Consulting businesses, software companies and insurance companies are all examples of companies for whom this metric is meaningless.
The CCC is one of several tools that can help you evaluate management, especially if it is calculated for several consecutive time periods and for several competitors. Decreasing or steady CCCs are good, while rising ones should motivate you to dig a bit deeper.
Heartland Express Cash Conversion Cycle Related Terms
Heartland Express Cash Conversion Cycle Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Heartland Express's Cash Conversion Cycle can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
HTLD vs CVLG, MRTN, ULH: Cash Conversion Cycle Comparison
For the Trucking subindustry, Heartland Express's Cash Conversion Cycle, along with its competitors' market caps and Cash Conversion Cycle data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Heartland Express Cash Conversion Cycle vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Heartland Express's Cash Conversion Cycle distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Heartland Express's Cash Conversion Cycle falls into.
Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) measures how fast a company can convert cash on hand into even more cash on hand. This metric looks at the amount of time needed to sell inventory, the amount of time needed to collect receivables and the length of time the company is afforded to pay its bills without incurring penalties.
Cash Conversion Cycle is one of several measures of management effectiveness.
Heartland Express's Cash Conversion Cycle for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Heartland Express (HTLD) has a Cash Conversion Cycle of 18.11 as of Mar. 2026. Cash conversion cycle equals sum of days inventory and days sales outstanding less days payable. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors.
Is Heartland Express' Cash Conversion Cycle too high?
Heartland Express' current Cash Conversion Cycle is 18.11. The Transportation industry median Cash Conversion Cycle is 19.92. Heartland Express' value of 18.11 is 9.1% below this industry median. Overall, Heartland Express has a GF Score™ of 60/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Heartland Express' Cash Conversion Cycle compare to CVLG and MRTN?
Heartland Express' Cash Conversion Cycle of 18.11 can be compared against companies in the Transportation industry. The industry median Cash Conversion Cycle is 19.92. Heartland Express' value of 18.11 is 9.1% below this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Cash Conversion Cycle for a Transportation company?
The median Cash Conversion Cycle among Transportation companies is 19.92, based on 1,002 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cash Conversion Cycle significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cash Conversion Cycle should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Heartland Express's current Cash Conversion Cycle of 18.11 is 9.1% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Cash Conversion Cycle mean?
A high Cash Conversion Cycle can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Cash conversion cycle equals sum of days inventory and days sales outstanding less days payable. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Cash Conversion Cycle is 19.92 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Heartland Express's current Cash Conversion Cycle is 18.11. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Heartland Express stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Heartland Express (HTLD) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $7.98, compared to a current price of $15.30 — trading 91.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Cash Conversion Cycle is 18.11 and 9.1% below the Transportation industry median of 19.92. Heartland Express' overall GF Score™ is 60/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Cash Conversion Cycle calculated?
Cash Conversion Cycle is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Heartland Express (HTLD), the current Cash Conversion Cycle is 18.11 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Heartland Express (HTLD) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Heartland Express stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $15.30 is trading 91.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $7.98.
GuruFocus considers Heartland Express to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for HTLD:
Cash Conversion Cycle: 18.11
GF Value™: $7.98 vs. price of $15.30 (91.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 9.1% below the Transportation median
No single metric tells the full story. See the HTLD stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Heartland Express Inc, along with its subsidiaries, operates as a short, medium, and long-haul truckload carrier and transportation services provider. It mainly provides nationwide asset-based dry van truckload service for shippers across the United States, along with cross-border freight and other transportation services offered through third-party partnerships in Mexico. The group operates under the brand names of Heartland Express, Millis Transfer, Smith Transport, and CFI (for services within Mexico).
60GF Score
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