Heartland Express (HTLD) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: Can the Stock Move Higher?

Core Viewpoint - Heartland Express (HTLD) is expected to report a year-over-year decline in earnings due to lower revenues, with a consensus outlook indicating a quarterly loss of $0.04 per share, representing a -166.7% change from the previous year, and revenues projected at $254.84 million, down 7.5% from the same quarter last year [1][3]. Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report could lead to a stock price increase if the results exceed expectations, while missing estimates may result in a decline [2]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 50% lower in the last 30 days, reflecting a reassessment by analysts [4]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model indicates that the Most Accurate Estimate for Heartland Express is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in a positive Earnings ESP of +25%, suggesting a likelihood of beating the consensus EPS estimate [10][11]. - A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, especially when combined with a Zacks Rank of 1, 2, or 3 [8]. Historical Performance - Heartland Express has only beaten consensus EPS estimates once in the last four quarters, with a significant miss of -500% in the last reported quarter [12][13]. Conclusion - While Heartland Express shows potential as an earnings-beat candidate, investors should consider other factors influencing stock performance beyond just earnings results [14][16].