HTLD (Heartland Express) FCF Margin %: 2.91% (As of Mar. 2026)

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HTLD Heartland Express Inc HTLD
60 GF Score
Price $15.30
GF Value $7.98
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Heartland Express FCF Margin %?

Heartland Express HTLD +5.37% 60 FCF Margin % is 2.91% as of Mar. 2026. 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 1,003 Transportation companies, Heartland Express ranks worse than 82.35% on this metric.

FCF Margin % is calculated as Free Cash Flow divided by its Revenue. Heartland Express's Free Cash Flow for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $5.1 Mil. Heartland Express's Revenue for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $176.3 Mil. Therefore, Heartland Express's FCF Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 2.91%.

As of today, Heartland Express's current FCF Yield % is -5.40%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Heartland Express's FCF Margin % or its related term are showing as below:

HTLD' s FCF Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -12.28   Med: -3.26   Max: 11.37
Current: -8.39


During the past 13 years, the highest FCF Margin % of Heartland Express was 11.37%. The lowest was -12.28%. And the median was -3.26%.

HTLD's FCF Margin % is ranked worse than
82.35% of 1003 companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 4.38 vs HTLD: -8.39


Heartland Express FCF Margin % Related Terms


Heartland Express FCF Margin % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Heartland Express's FCF Margin % 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 FCF Margin % Chart

Heartland Express Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
FCF Margin %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -1.52 3.53 -3.59 3.32 -8.30

Heartland Express Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
FCF Margin % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 1.04 -6.08 -6.18 -24.64 2.91

HTLD vs CVLG, MRTN, ULH: FCF Margin % Comparison

For the Trucking subindustry, Heartland Express's FCF Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and FCF Margin % 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 FCF Margin % vs Transportation Industry

For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Heartland Express's FCF Margin % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Heartland Express's FCF Margin % falls into.


HTLD
60GF Score
Heartland Express Inc HTLD
FCF Margin % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Heartland Express FCF Margin % Calculation

FCF margin is the ratio of Free Cash Flow divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.

Heartland Express's FCF Margin for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

FCF Margin=Free Cash Flow (A: Dec. 2025 )/Revenue (A: Dec. 2025 )
=-66.854/805.709
=-8.30 %

Heartland Express's FCF Margin for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as

FCF Margin=Free Cash Flow (Q: Mar. 2026 )/Revenue (Q: Mar. 2026 )
=5.134/176.256
=2.91 %

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about FCF Margin % →
What does a FCF Margin % of 2.91% mean?
Heartland Express (HTLD) has a FCF Margin % of 2.91% as of Mar. 2026. Free cash flow margin is the ratio of total free cash flow to net sales. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #826 out of 1003 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 82.4%.
Is Heartland Express' FCF Margin % too high?
Heartland Express' current FCF Margin % is 2.91%. The Transportation industry median FCF Margin % is 4.38. Heartland Express' value of 2.91% is 33.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #826 out of 1003 companies in the Transportation industry, which is in the bottom quartile 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' FCF Margin % compare to CVLG and MRTN?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #826 out of 1003 companies for FCF Margin %. This places Heartland Express in the lower half of its industry. The industry median FCF Margin % is 4.38. Heartland Express' value of 2.91% is 33.6% 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 FCF Margin % for a Transportation company?
The median FCF Margin % among Transportation companies is 4.38, based on 1,003 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a FCF Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, FCF Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Heartland Express's current FCF Margin % of 2.91% is 33.6% 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 FCF Margin % mean?
A high FCF Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Free cash flow margin is the ratio of total free cash flow to net sales. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median FCF Margin % is 4.38 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Heartland Express's current FCF Margin % is 2.91%. 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 FCF Margin % is 2.91% and 33.6% below the Transportation industry median of 4.38. 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 FCF Margin % calculated?
FCF Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Heartland Express (HTLD), the current FCF Margin % is 2.91% 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:

  • FCF Margin %: 2.91%
  • GF Value™: $7.98 vs. price of $15.30 (91.7% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 60/100 with 5 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 33.6% below the Transportation median (#826 of 1003)

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 Business Description

Address 901 Heartland Way, North Liberty, IA, USA, 52317
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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FCF Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$15.30
Price
$7.98
GF Value