Saia, Inc. (SAIA) Financial Ratios
28 years of historical data (1998–2025) · Industrials · Trucking
EV/EBITDA
↓
19.98
↑+26% vs avg
5yr avg: 15.85
30Y Low4.1·High37.1
P/FCF
↑
424.54
↑+208% vs avg
5yr avg: 137.71
30Y Low2.7·High97.4
P/B Ratio
↓
4.52
↓-12% vs avg
5yr avg: 5.13
30Y Low0.7·High7.4
ROE
↓
10.4%
↑-46% vs avg
5yr avg: 19.3%
30Y Low-31%·High26%
Debt/EBITDA
↑
0.70
↑+77% vs avg
5yr avg: 0.39
30Y Low0.2·High10.1
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
SAIA Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Saia, Inc. trades at 45.7x earnings, 50% above its 5-year average of 30.5x, sitting at the 95th percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Industrials sector median P/E of 25.6x, the stock trades at a premium of 79%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 424.5x P/FCF, 208% above the 5-year average of 137.7x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $11.6B | $8.7B | $12.2B | $11.7B | $5.6B | $9.0B | $4.8B | $2.5B | $1.5B | $1.8B | $1.1B |
| Enterprise Value | $12.0B | $9.1B | $12.5B | $11.6B | $5.6B | $9.1B | $5.0B | $2.7B | $1.6B | $2.0B | $1.2B |
| P/E Ratio → | 45.71 | 34.30 | 33.71 | 33.05 | 15.65 | 35.55 | 34.77 | 21.66 | 13.99 | 20.27 | 23.61 |
| P/S Ratio | 3.59 | 2.70 | 3.80 | 4.07 | 2.00 | 3.93 | 2.64 | 1.38 | 0.89 | 1.31 | 0.91 |
| P/B Ratio | 4.52 | 3.39 | 5.28 | 6.04 | 3.54 | 7.38 | 5.00 | 3.02 | 2.11 | 3.17 | 2.35 |
| P/FCF | 424.54 | 319.97 | — | 84.95 | 52.97 | 92.94 | 61.64 | — | 44.79 | — | 42.93 |
| P/OCF | 19.50 | 14.70 | 20.92 | 20.29 | 11.82 | 23.53 | 15.55 | 9.02 | 5.72 | 11.69 | 7.78 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
SAIA EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Saia, Inc.'s enterprise value stands at 20.0x EBITDA, 26% above its 5-year average of 15.8x. The Industrials sector median is 13.8x, placing the stock at a 44% premium on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 2.83 | 3.90 | 4.02 | 1.99 | 3.96 | 2.73 | 1.51 | 0.96 | 1.41 | 0.96 |
| EV / EBITDA | 19.98 | 15.22 | 18.08 | 18.10 | 8.86 | 18.99 | 15.78 | 9.95 | 6.53 | 10.86 | 7.76 |
| EV / EBIT | 34.08 | 25.84 | 25.80 | 24.68 | 11.81 | 26.95 | 27.38 | 17.63 | 11.24 | 20.82 | 15.21 |
| EV / FCF | — | 334.55 | — | 83.80 | 52.65 | 93.50 | 63.70 | — | 48.47 | — | 45.66 |
SAIA Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Saia, Inc. earns an operating margin of 10.9%, above the Industrials sector average of 4.3%. Operating margins have compressed from 16.0% to 10.9% over the past 3 years, signaling potential cost pressures or competitive headwinds. ROE of 10.4% is modest. ROIC of 9.4% represents adequate returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 6.1%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 23.7% | 23.7% | 20.1% | 20.8% | 21.2% | 19.7% | 15.6% | 14.0% | 13.9% | 12.5% | 12.8% |
| Operating Margin | 10.9% | 10.9% | 15.0% | 16.0% | 16.9% | 14.6% | 9.9% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 6.7% | 6.3% |
| Net Profit Margin | 7.9% | 7.9% | 11.3% | 12.3% | 12.8% | 11.1% | 7.6% | 6.4% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 3.8% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 10.4% | 10.4% | 17.0% | 20.2% | 25.5% | 23.2% | 15.6% | 15.1% | 16.4% | 17.1% | 10.5% |
| ROA | 7.7% | 7.7% | 12.6% | 14.9% | 17.8% | 14.9% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 10.0% | 10.3% | 6.3% |
| ROIC | 9.4% | 9.4% | 16.4% | 20.7% | 25.0% | 21.0% | 12.4% | 12.2% | 13.9% | 11.2% | 11.3% |
| ROCE | 11.5% | 11.5% | 18.7% | 22.1% | 27.5% | 24.0% | 14.7% | 14.5% | 16.4% | 13.0% | 12.7% |
SAIA Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Saia, Inc. carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 0.7x, which is very conservative (79% below the sector average of 3.2x). Net debt stands at $398M ($418M total debt minus $20M cash). Interest coverage of 21.5x signals virtually no risk of debt distress — earnings comfortably cover interest obligations.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.07 | 0.10 | 0.13 | 0.19 | 0.30 | 0.18 | 0.23 | 0.15 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 0.70 | 0.70 | 0.47 | 0.22 | 0.25 | 0.34 | 0.59 | 0.89 | 0.50 | 0.73 | 0.48 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.15 | 0.13 | -0.08 | -0.02 | 0.04 | 0.17 | 0.30 | 0.17 | 0.22 | 0.15 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.66 | 0.66 | 0.44 | -0.25 | -0.05 | 0.11 | 0.51 | 0.89 | 0.50 | 0.71 | 0.47 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 14.57 | — | -1.14 | -0.31 | 0.56 | 2.07 | — | 3.68 | — | 2.74 |
| Interest Coverage | 21.52 | 21.52 | 54.30 | 184.92 | 180.26 | 104.60 | 35.05 | 22.93 | 26.07 | 18.77 | 18.05 |
SAIA Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
A current ratio of 1.64x means Saia, Inc. can comfortably meet its short-term obligations, though there is limited excess liquidity. The current ratio has declined from 2.01x to 1.64x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.64 | 1.64 | 1.57 | 2.01 | 1.94 | 1.30 | 0.99 | 0.96 | 1.02 | 1.22 | 1.15 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.64 | 1.64 | 1.57 | 2.01 | 1.94 | 1.30 | 0.99 | 0.96 | 1.02 | 1.22 | 1.15 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.92 | 0.68 | 0.33 | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.93 | 1.01 | 1.12 | 1.28 | 1.24 | 1.18 | 1.26 | 1.46 | 1.45 | 1.56 |
| Inventory Turnover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 37.49 | 41.75 | 39.62 | 41.02 | 44.14 | 43.46 | 41.76 | 40.48 | 45.20 | 41.47 |
SAIA Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Saia, Inc. returns 0.1% to shareholders annually primarily through share buybacks. The earnings yield of 2.2% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Payout Ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 2.2% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 6.4% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 4.6% | 7.1% | 4.9% | 4.2% |
| FCF Yield | 0.2% | 0.3% | — | 1.2% | 1.9% | 1.1% | 1.6% | — | 2.2% | — | 2.3% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $27M | $27M | $27M | $27M | $27M | $27M | $26M | $26M | $26M | $26M |
Peer Comparison
Compare SAIA with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SAIAYou | $12B | 45.7 | 20.0 | 424.5 | 23.7% | 10.9% | 10.4% | 9.4% | 0.7 |
 ODFL | $46B | 45.8 | 26.7 | 48.2 | 32.2% | 24.8% | 23.9% | 23.6% | 0.1 |
 XPO | $23B | 75.6 | 22.3 | 71.2 | 12.0% | 8.9% | 18.3% | 9.3% | 3.8 |
 ARCB | $3B | 55.2 | 14.5 | 28.2 | 2.3% | 2.3% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 2.6 |
 WERN | $2B | -169.5 | 8.8 | — | 5.8% | 2.3% | -1.0% | 2.5% | 2.1 |
 TFII | $12B | 28.0 | 9.5 | 12.1 | 12.2% | 6.9% | 16.2% | 9.7% | 2.3 |
 FWRD | $431M | -3.9 | 13.1 | 28.2 | 20.5% | 1.5% | -48.2% | 1.2% | 11.4 |
 MRTN | $1B | 80.2 | 11.5 | — | 5.7% | 1.2% | 2.3% | 1.1% | 0.0 |
 HTLD | $1B | -21.6 | 13.0 | — | -0.9% | -7.7% | -6.6% | -4.8% | 1.7 |
 CHRW | $22B | 38.3 | 26.1 | 24.5 | 8.4% | 4.9% | 32.9% | 18.0% | 1.8 |
 GXO | $6B | 173.7 | 14.3 | 9999.0 | 11.6% | 3.2% | 1.1% | 3.6% | 9.0 |
| Industrials Median | — | 25.6 | 13.8 | 20.0 | 32.0% | 4.3% | 8.2% | 6.1% | 3.2 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 28 years · Updated daily
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SAIA — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SAIA stock.
What is Saia, Inc.'s P/E ratio?
Saia, Inc.'s current P/E ratio is 45.7x. The historical average is 26.9x. This places it at the 95th percentile of its historical range.
What is Saia, Inc.'s EV/EBITDA?
Saia, Inc.'s current EV/EBITDA is 20.0x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 10.3x.
What is Saia, Inc.'s ROE?
Saia, Inc.'s return on equity (ROE) is 10.4%. The historical average is 8.6%.
Is SAIA stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Saia, Inc. is trading at a P/E of 45.7x. This is at the 95th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What are Saia, Inc.'s profit margins?
Saia, Inc. has 23.7% gross margin and 10.9% operating margin. Operating margin between 10-20% is typical for established companies.
How much debt does Saia, Inc. have?
Saia, Inc.'s Debt/EBITDA ratio is 0.7x, indicating low leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.