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Heartland ExpressHTLD -2.11%66 Degree of Operating Leverage is -5.39 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus rates HTLD with a GF Score™ of 66/100 and a GF Value™ of $7.94 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 982 Transportation companies, Heartland Express ranks better than 87.78% on this metric.
Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) measures the percentage change in EBIT for a unit change in Revenue.
Heartland Express's Degree of Operating Leverage for the quarter that ended in Jun. 2026 was -5.39. The higher Degree of Operating Leverage, the higher operating risk the company will take.
The industry rank for Heartland Express's Degree of Operating Leverage or its related term are showing as below:
HTLD's Degree of Operating Leverage is ranked better than 87.78% of 982
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 1.135
vs HTLD: -5.39
Heartland Express (NAS:HTLD) Degree of Operating Leverage Explanation
Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) is a leverage ratio that measures the sensitivity of a company’s operting income, also referred to as Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT), to fluctuations in its Revenue. DOL is a method used to quantify a company’s operating risk. This risk is related to the company's structure of variable costs and fixed costs. Since the fixed costs do not allow the company to adjust the operating costs, the operating risk rises with a higher fixed-to-variable costs proportion.
A high Degree of Operating Leverage indicates that the company’s fixed costs exceed its variable costs. By increasing the sales, the company can earn more profits. In addition, the company must be able to maintain relatively high sales to cover all fixed costs.
Be Aware
The use of operating leverage varies across different industries and business sectors, and the application of Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) should be adjusted accordingly.
Heartland Express Degree of Operating Leverage Related Terms
Heartland Express Degree of Operating Leverage Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Heartland Express's Degree of Operating Leverage 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.
Heartland Express Degree of Operating Leverage Chart
HTLD vs CVLG, MRTN, ULH: Degree of Operating Leverage Comparison
For the Trucking subindustry, Heartland Express's Degree of Operating Leverage, along with its competitors' market caps and Degree of Operating Leverage 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 Degree of Operating Leverage vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Heartland Express's Degree of Operating Leverage distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Heartland Express's Degree of Operating Leverage 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.
** TTM data of EBIT and Revenue was used to calculate Degree of Operating Leverage.
*** Please be aware that the Degree of Operating Leverage calculations are based on company-level data using the primary share class. The calculated data provided is for demonstration purposes and may slightly differ from the results displayed in the title due to potential variations caused by currency exchange rate differences throughout the year.
What does a Degree of Operating Leverage of -5.39 mean?
Heartland Express (HTLD) has a Degree of Operating Leverage of -5.39 as of Jun. 2026. Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) measures the percentage change in EBIT for a unit change in Revenue. View historical data for Heartland Express and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #120 out of 982 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 12.2%.
Is Heartland Express' Degree of Operating Leverage too high?
Heartland Express' current Degree of Operating Leverage is -5.39. Based on the distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #120 out of 982 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 66/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Heartland Express' Degree of Operating Leverage compare to CVLG and MRTN?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #120 out of 982 companies for Degree of Operating Leverage. This places Heartland Express in the top 12% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Degree of Operating Leverage is 1.14. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Degree of Operating Leverage for a Transportation company?
The median Degree of Operating Leverage among Transportation companies is 1.14, based on 982 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Degree of Operating Leverage significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Degree of Operating Leverage should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Degree of Operating Leverage mean?
A high Degree of Operating Leverage can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) measures the percentage change in EBIT for a unit change in Revenue. View historical data for Heartland Express and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Degree of Operating Leverage is 1.14 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Heartland Express's current Degree of Operating Leverage is -5.39. 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 $7.94, compared to a current price of $12.28 — trading 54.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Degree of Operating Leverage is -5.39. Heartland Express' overall GF Score™ is 66/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Degree of Operating Leverage calculated?
Degree of Operating Leverage is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Heartland Express (HTLD), the current Degree of Operating Leverage is -5.39 as of Jun. 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 $12.28 is trading 54.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $7.94.
GuruFocus considers Heartland Express to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for HTLD:
Degree of Operating Leverage: -5.39
GF Value™: $7.94 vs. price of $12.28 (54.7% above fair value)
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).
66GF Score
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Degree of Operating Leverage is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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