Saia, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAIA) Short Interest Down 22.3% in December

Saia, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAIA) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,459,957 shares, a drop of 22.3% from the November 30th total of 1,878,009 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 592,770 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.5 days. Approximately 5.5% of the company’s shares are short sold. Approximately 5.5% of the company’s shares are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 592,770 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.5 days.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on SAIA shares. Citigroup reduced their target price on Saia from $371.00 to $365.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Saia from $292.00 to $343.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Redburn Partners set a $262.00 price objective on shares of Saia in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Saia from $346.00 to $349.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn initiated coverage on shares of Saia in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $262.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $335.85.

Insider Buying and Selling at Saia

In other Saia news, VP Raymond R. Ramu sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $266.57, for a total value of $266,570.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 4,902 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,306,726.14. The trade was a 16.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Donna E. Epps bought 422 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $277.60 per share, with a total value of $117,147.20. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 1,852 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $514,115.20. This trade represents a 29.51% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Saia

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of SAIA. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its position in Saia by 177.5% during the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 111 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. State of Wyoming bought a new position in shares of Saia in the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Saia during the second quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its position in shares of Saia by 69.0% during the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in Saia by 52.9% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 208 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $57,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the last quarter.

Saia Stock Up 0.3%

NASDAQ:SAIA traded up $1.00 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $332.34. 379,038 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 601,141. Saia has a one year low of $229.12 and a one year high of $538.03. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $301.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $298.58. The company has a market cap of $8.85 billion, a PE ratio of 31.38 and a beta of 2.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 1.68.

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The transportation company reported $2.81 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.28. The firm had revenue of $839.64 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $824.06 million. Saia had a return on equity of 11.32% and a net margin of 8.77%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.46 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Saia will post 15.46 EPS for the current year.

About Saia

Saia, Inc is a publicly traded transportation company specializing in less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services across North America. Headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, the company focuses on the efficient movement of time-sensitive freight for a diverse customer base that spans retail, manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare industries. By leveraging a network of terminals and service centers, Saia provides tailored solutions designed to optimize supply chain performance.

The company’s core offerings include regional, interregional, and national LTL shipping, supported by volumetric LTL and port intermodal services.