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Heartland ExpressHTLD +5.37%60 Debt-to-Equity is 0.20 as of Mar. 2026, which is 23% below its 10-year median of 0.26. GuruFocus rates HTLD with a GF Score™ of 60/100 and a GF Value™ of $7.98 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 909 Transportation companies, Heartland Express ranks better than 77.67% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for Heartland Express's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
HTLD'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.08 Med: 0.26 Max: 0.58
Current: 0.2
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Heartland Express was 0.58. The lowest was 0.08. And the median was 0.26.
HTLD's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 77.67% of 909
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 0.53
vs HTLD: 0.20
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
Heartland Express Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Heartland Express Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Heartland Express's Debt-to-Equity 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: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Trucking subindustry, Heartland Express's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity 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 Debt-to-Equity vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Heartland Express's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Heartland Express's Debt-to-Equity falls into.
* 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 Debt-to-Equity of 0.20 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. This is 23% below median its historical median of 0.26. Over the past decade, Heartland Express' Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.08 to 0.58. According to the industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #203 out of 909 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 22.3%.
Is Heartland Express' Debt-to-Equity too high?
Heartland Express' current Debt-to-Equity of 0.20 is 23% below median its 10-year median of 0.26. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.08 to a high of 0.58. The Transportation industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.53. Heartland Express' value of 0.20 is 62.3% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #203 out of 909 companies in the Transportation industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. 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' Debt-to-Equity compare to CVLG and MRTN?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #203 out of 909 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Heartland Express in the top 22% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.53. Heartland Express' value of 0.20 is 62.3% below this benchmark. Historically, Heartland Express' own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.08 to 0.58 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.26 vs. the industry median of 0.53, Heartland Express has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-Equity for a Transportation company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Transportation companies is 0.53, based on 909 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Heartland Express's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.20 is 62.3% 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 Debt-to-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.53 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Heartland Express's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.20, which is 23% below median its own 10-year median of 0.26. 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 Debt-to-Equity is 0.20, which is 23% below median its 10-year median of 0.26 and 62.3% below the Transportation industry median of 0.53. 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 Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Heartland Express (HTLD), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.20 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:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.20 (23% below median its 10-year median of 0.26)
GF Value™: $7.98 vs. price of $15.30 (91.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 62.3% below the Transportation median (#203 of 909)
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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