Trucking
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2 / 10Stock Comparison
KNX vs WERN
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Trucking
KNX vs WERN — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Trucking | Trucking |
| Market Cap | $10.44B | $2.18B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $7.50B | $2.97B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $34M | $-14M |
| Gross Margin | 30.6% | 8.3% |
| Operating Margin | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Forward P/E | 34.7x | 39.8x |
| Total Debt | $2.89B | $752M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $303M | $60M |
KNX vs WERN — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight-Swift Transp… (KNX) | 100 | 154.4 | +54.4% |
| Werner Enterprises,… (WERN) | 100 | 78.8 | -21.2% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: KNX vs WERN
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
KNX carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 0.8%, EPS growth -43.8%, 3Y rev CAGR 0.2%
- 160.3% 10Y total return vs WERN's 76.0%
- 0.8% revenue growth vs WERN's -1.8%
WERN is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- Dividend streak 5 yrs, beta 1.24, yield 1.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.24, Low D/E 54.1%, current ratio 1.94x
- Beta 1.24, yield 1.5%, current ratio 1.94x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 0.8% revenue growth vs WERN's -1.8% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (34.7x vs 39.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 0.5% margin vs WERN's -0.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.24 vs KNX's 1.40 | |
| Dividends | 1.1% yield, 8-year raise streak, vs WERN's 1.5% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +61.1% vs WERN's +46.8% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 0.3% ROA vs WERN's -0.5%, ROIC 2.0% vs 2.5% |
KNX vs WERN — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
KNX vs WERN — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
KNX leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
KNX is the larger business by revenue, generating $7.5B annually — 2.5x WERN's $3.0B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 0.5% (KNX) to -0.5% (WERN). On growth, KNX holds the edge at +1.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7.5B | $3.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.0B | $343M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $34M | -$14M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.3B | -$69M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +30.6% | +8.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.9% | +1.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +0.5% | -0.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.8% | -2.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +1.4% | -2.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -104.3% | -3.4% |
Valuation Metrics
WERN leads this category, winning 3 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, WERN's 8.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than KNX's 12.5x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10.4B | $2.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $13.0B | $2.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 156.73x | -151.67x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 34.73x | 39.82x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.54x | 8.07x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.40x | 0.73x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.48x | 1.59x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.68x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
KNX leads this category, winning 5 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
KNX delivers a 0.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $0 in annual profit, vs $-1 for WERN. KNX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.41x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to WERN's 0.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KNX scores 6/9 vs WERN's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +0.5% | -1.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.3% | -0.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.0% | +2.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.3% | +2.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.41x | 0.54x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.6B | $692M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $303M | $60M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $752M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.36x | 0.47x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
KNX leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in KNX five years ago would be worth $13,754 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,167 for WERN. Over the past 12 months, KNX leads with a +61.1% total return vs WERN's +46.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KNX at 4.9% vs WERN's -5.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.4% | +19.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +61.1% | +46.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +15.6% | -16.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +37.5% | -18.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +160.3% | +76.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +4.9% | -5.8% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — KNX and WERN each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
WERN is the less volatile stock with a 1.24 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KNX's 1.40 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.40x | 1.24x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $67.75 | $38.46 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $38.63 | $23.06 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +94.8% | +94.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.0 | 58.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.9M | 1.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — KNX and WERN each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KNX as "Buy" and WERN as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 1.3% upside for KNX (target: $65) vs -0.8% for WERN (target: $36). For income investors, WERN offers the higher dividend yield at 1.54% vs KNX's 1.12%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $65.10 | $36.10 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 36 | 36 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.1% | +1.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 8 | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.72 | $0.56 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.5% |
KNX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). WERN leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
KNX vs WERN: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KNX or WERN a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
(KNX) is the stronger pick with 0. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 8% for Werner Enterprises, Inc. (WERN). Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX) offers the better valuation at 156. 7x trailing P/E (34. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX) a "Buy" — based on 36 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — KNX or WERN?
On forward P/E, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
is actually cheaper at 34. 7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — KNX or WERN?
Over the past 5 years, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
(KNX) delivered a total return of +37. 5%, compared to -18. 3% for Werner Enterprises, Inc. (WERN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: KNX returned +160. 3% versus WERN's +76. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — KNX or WERN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Werner Enterprises, Inc.
(WERN) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 24β versus Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. 's 1. 40β — meaning KNX is approximately 13% more volatile than WERN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 41% versus 54% for Werner Enterprises, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — KNX or WERN?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
(KNX) is pulling ahead at 0. 8% versus -1. 8% for Werner Enterprises, Inc. (WERN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. grew EPS -43. 8% year-over-year, compared to -143. 6% for Werner Enterprises, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, KNX leads at 0. 2% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — KNX or WERN?
Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
(KNX) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 9% net margin versus -0. 5% for Werner Enterprises, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KNX leads at 3. 4% versus 2. 3% for WERN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KNX leads at 28. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is KNX or WERN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.
(KNX) trades at 34. 7x forward P/E versus 39. 8x for Werner Enterprises, Inc. — 5. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KNX: 1. 3% to $65. 10.
08Which pays a better dividend — KNX or WERN?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Werner Enterprises, Inc. (WERN) offers the highest yield at 1. 5%, versus 1. 1% for Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX).
09Is KNX or WERN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Werner Enterprises, Inc.
(WERN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 24), 1. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WERN: +76. 0%, KNX: +160. 3%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between KNX and WERN?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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