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Heartland ExpressHTLD +5.37%60 Quick Ratio is 1.27 as of Mar. 2026, which is 41% below its 10-year median of 2.17. 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 1,005 Transportation companies, Heartland Express ranks worse than 54.33% on this metric.
Heartland Express has a quick ratio of 1.27. It generally indicates good short-term financial strength.
The historical rank and industry rank for Heartland Express's Quick Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
HTLD'
s Quick Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.9 Med: 2.17 Max: 4.05
Current: 1.27
During the past 13 years, Heartland Express's highest Quick Ratio was 4.05. The lowest was 0.90. And the median was 2.17.
HTLD's Quick Ratio is ranked worse than 54.33% of 1005
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 1.34
vs HTLD: 1.27
Heartland Express (NAS:HTLD) Quick Ratio Explanation
The quick ratio is more conservative than the Current Ratio because it excludes inventories from current assets. The ratio derives its name presumably from the fact that assets such as cash and marketable securities are quick sources of cash. Inventories generally take time to be converted into cash, and if they have to be sold quickly, the company may have to accept a lower price than book value of these inventories. As a result, they are justifiably excluded from assets that are ready sources of immediate cash.
In general, low or decreasing quick ratios generally suggest that a company is over-leveraged, struggling to maintain or grow sales, paying bills too quickly or collecting receivables too slowly. On the other hand, a high or increasing quick ratio generally indicates that a company is experiencing solid top-line growth, quickly converting receivables into cash, and easily able to cover its financial obligations. Such companies often have faster inventory turnover and cash conversion cycles.
The higher the quick ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
Heartland Express Quick Ratio Related Terms
Heartland Express Quick Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Heartland Express's Quick Ratio 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.
For the Trucking subindustry, Heartland Express's Quick Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Quick Ratio 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 Quick Ratio vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Heartland Express's Quick Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Heartland Express's Quick Ratio falls into.
The quick ratio measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. For this reason, the ratio excludes inventories from current assets.
Heartland Express's Quick Ratio 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 Quick Ratio of 1.27 as of Mar. 2026. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. This is 41% below median its historical median of 2.17. Over the past decade, Heartland Express' Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.90 to 4.05. According to the industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #546 out of 1005 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 54.3%.
Is Heartland Express' Quick Ratio too high?
Heartland Express' current Quick Ratio of 1.27 is 41% below median its 10-year median of 2.17. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.90 to a high of 4.05. The Transportation industry median Quick Ratio is 1.34. Heartland Express' value of 1.27 is 5.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #546 out of 1005 companies in the Transportation industry, which is below the industry midpoint. 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' Quick Ratio compare to CVLG and MRTN?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Heartland Express ranks #546 out of 1005 companies for Quick Ratio. This places Heartland Express in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Quick Ratio is 1.34. Heartland Express' value of 1.27 is 5.2% below this benchmark. Historically, Heartland Express' own Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.90 to 4.05 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.17 vs. the industry median of 1.34, 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 Quick Ratio for a Transportation company?
The median Quick Ratio among Transportation companies is 1.34, based on 1,005 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Quick Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Quick Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Heartland Express's current Quick Ratio of 1.27 is 5.2% 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 Quick Ratio mean?
A high Quick Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on Heartland Express and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Quick Ratio is 1.34 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Heartland Express's current Quick Ratio is 1.27, which is 41% below median its own 10-year median of 2.17. 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 Quick Ratio is 1.27, which is 41% below median its 10-year median of 2.17 and 5.2% below the Transportation industry median of 1.34. 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 Quick Ratio calculated?
Quick Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Heartland Express (HTLD), the current Quick Ratio is 1.27 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:
Quick Ratio: 1.27 (41% below median its 10-year median of 2.17)
GF Value™: $7.98 vs. price of $15.30 (91.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 5.2% below the Transportation median (#546 of 1005)
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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