Compared to Estimates, Heartland Express (HTLD) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

Group 1 - Heartland Express reported revenue of $242.58 million for the quarter ended December 2024, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 11.9% [1] - The company's EPS for the same period was -$0.02, compared to $0.06 a year ago, indicating a significant drop in profitability [1] - The reported revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $254.84 million, resulting in a surprise of -4.81% [1] Group 2 - Heartland Express delivered an EPS surprise of +50.00%, with the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.04 [1] - The operating ratio for the company was reported at 99.6%, which is better than the average estimate of 101.4% based on two analysts [4] - Fuel surcharge revenue was $28 million, significantly lower than the average estimate of $33.20 million, representing a year-over-year decline of 29.5% [4] Group 3 - Operating revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue, was $214.58 million, compared to the average estimate of $221.65 million, marking a year-over-year change of -8.9% [4] - Over the past month, shares of Heartland Express have returned +6.4%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.8% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]