Saia Provides January and February LTL Operating Data
Rhea-AI Summary
Saia (Nasdaq: SAIA) published monthly LTL operating metrics for January and February 2026. January showed shipments per workday -2.1%, tonnage per workday -7.0%, and weight per shipment -5.1% versus January 2025. February showed shipments +0.3%, tonnage -2.7%, and weight -3.0% versus February 2025. Quarter-to-date metrics: shipments -0.9%, tonnage -4.8%, weight -4.0%. Contractual renewals were 6.6% in January and 5.9% in February. The company cautioned results could change and referenced SEC filings for risks.
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News Market Reaction – SAIA
On the day this news was published, SAIA gained 1.54%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Key trucking peers (KNX, TFII, SNDR, RXO, XPO) all showed positive moves between 0.65% and 4.09%, generally aligning directionally with SAIA’s modest 0.59% gain, but momentum scanners did not flag a coordinated sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18 | Marketing partnership | Positive | +0.5% | Extended NASCAR partnership to support brand awareness across 213-terminal network. |
| Feb 10 | Q4 2025 earnings | Negative | -6.8% | Flat revenue but significantly lower EPS and operating income versus prior year. |
| Dec 30 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | -1.8% | Announced timing and access details for upcoming Q4 2025 earnings release. |
| Dec 02 | Q4 LTL metrics | Negative | +7.3% | Reported Q4 shipment and tonnage softness with slightly mixed weight per shipment trends. |
| Oct 30 | Q3 2025 earnings | Negative | +2.2% | Slight revenue decline and lower EPS and operating income despite large capex program. |
Recent news shows mixed alignment: earnings often moved in the same direction as fundamentals, while operating data has sometimes seen the stock rise despite softer volumes.
Over the last several months, Saia has reported generally flat revenue but pressured profitability, with Q3 and Q4 2025 earnings showing lower EPS and operating income. A December 2025 LTL operating update highlighted modest shipment and tonnage declines but preceded a 7.28% price gain, indicating investors sometimes looked past near‑term volume softness. Marketing initiatives, such as the 2026 Joe Gibbs Racing partnership, supported brand visibility. Today’s LTL operating data, showing lower tonnage but firm contractual renewals, fits into this pattern of balancing network growth and pricing against softer freight trends.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement details early first‑quarter trends, with LTL tonnage per workday down 7.0% in January and 2.7% in February, while contractual renewals remained firm at 6.6% and 5.9%. It follows a period of flat revenue but margin pressure and significant capital investment. Investors may monitor how these volume and weight-per-shipment declines interact with pricing strength, network expansion, and cost discipline to gauge whether recent operating softness stabilizes or persists through the remainder of 2026.
Key Terms
less-than-truckload (LTL) technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga., March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saia, Inc. (Nasdaq: SAIA), a leading transportation provider offering national less-than-truckload (LTL), non-asset truckload, expedited and logistics services, is providing LTL shipment and tonnage data for the first two months of the first quarter. In January 2026, LTL shipments per workday declined
These changes are summarized in the table below:
| January 2026 versus January 2025 | February 2026 versus February 2025 | Quarter to Date (QTD) 2026 versus QTD 2025 | ||||
| LTL Shipments per workday | - | - | ||||
| LTL Tonnage per workday | - | - | - | |||
| LTL Weight per shipment | - | - | - | |||
Actual first quarter and annual shipments, tonnage, weight per shipment and contractual renewals could differ materially from the data expressed in this press release, including by reason of the risk factors included in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information herein speaks as of the date of this press release and is subject to change. Saia is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter such information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Saia, Inc. (Nasdaq: SAIA) offers customers a wide range of less-than-truckload, brokered truckload, expedited transportation and other logistics services. With headquarters in Georgia, Saia LTL Freight operates 213 terminals with national service. For more information on Saia, Inc. visit the Investor Relations section at www.saia.com/about-us/investor-relations.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The Securities and Exchange Commission encourages companies to disclose forward-looking information so that investors can better understand the future prospects of a company and make informed investment decisions. This news release may contain these types of statements, which are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “believe,” “should,” “potential” and similar words or expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements reflect the present expectation of future events of our management as of the date of this news release and are subject to a number of important factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements. These factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, (1) general economic conditions including downturns or inflationary periods in the business cycle; (2) operation within a highly competitive industry and the adverse impact from downward pricing pressures, including in connection with fuel surcharges, and other factors; (3) industry-wide external factors largely out of our control; (4) cost and availability of qualified drivers, dock workers, mechanics and other employees, purchased transportation and fuel; (5) inflationary increases in expenses and corresponding reductions of profitability; (6) cost and availability of diesel fuel and fuel surcharges; (7) cost and availability of insurance coverage and claims expenses and other expense volatility, including for personal injury, cargo loss and damage, workers’ compensation, employment and group health plan claims; (8) failure to successfully execute the strategy to expand our service geography; (9) unexpected liabilities resulting from the acquisition of real estate assets; (10) costs and liabilities from the disruption in or failure of our technology or equipment essential to our operations, including as a result of cyber incidents, security breaches, malware or ransomware attacks; (11) risks arising from remote work, including increased risk of related cybersecurity incidents; (12) failure to keep pace with technological developments; (13) liabilities and costs arising from the use of artificial intelligence; (14) labor relations, including the adverse impact should a portion of our workforce become unionized; (15) cost, availability and resale value of real property and revenue equipment; (16) supply chain disruption and delays on new equipment delivery; (17) changes in U.S. trade policy and the impact of tariffs; (18) capacity and highway infrastructure constraints; (19) risks arising from international business operations and relationships; (20) seasonal factors, harsh weather and disasters caused by climate change; (21) the creditworthiness of our customers and their ability to pay for services; (22) our need for capital and uncertainty of the credit markets; (23) the possibility of defaults under our debt agreements, including violation of financial covenants; (24) inaccuracies and changes to estimates and assumptions used in preparing our financial statements; (25) dependence on key employees; (26) employee turnover from changes to compensation and benefits or market factors; (27) increased costs of healthcare benefits; (28) damage to our reputation from adverse publicity, including from the use of or impact from social media; (29) failure to achieve acquisition synergies or disruption to our business due to such acquisitions; (30) the effect of litigation and class action lawsuits arising from the operation of our business, including the possibility of claims or judgments in excess of our insurance coverages or that result in increases in the cost of insurance coverage or that preclude us from obtaining adequate insurance coverage in the future; (31) the potential of higher corporate taxes and new regulations, including with respect to climate change, employment and labor law, healthcare and securities regulation; (32) unforeseen costs from new and existing data privacy laws; (33) the effect of governmental regulations, including hours of service and licensing compliance for drivers, engine emissions, the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) initiative, regulations of the Food and Drug Administration and Homeland Security, and healthcare and environmental regulations; (34) changes in accounting and financial standards or practices; (35) widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease; (36) international conflicts and geopolitical instability; (37) evolving stakeholder expectations regarding environmental and social issues; (38) government shutdown or failure to fund services; (39) provisions in our governing documents and Delaware law that may have anti-takeover effects; (40) issuances of equity that would dilute stock ownership; (41) weakness, disruption or loss of confidence in financial or credit markets; and (42) other financial, operational and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings.
As a result of these and other factors, no assurance can be given as to our future results and achievements. Accordingly, a forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances and those future events or circumstances may not occur. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. We are under no obligation, and we expressly disclaim any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
| CONTACT: | Saia, Inc. |
| Matthew Batteh | |
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
| Investors@saia.com |
FAQ
What did Saia (SAIA) report for LTL shipments per workday in January and February 2026?
How did Saia (SAIA) LTL tonnage per workday change in early 2026 versus 2025?
What were Saia's (SAIA) LTL weight-per-shipment trends in January–February 2026?
What contractual renewal rates did Saia (SAIA) report for January and February 2026?
Do Saia's (SAIA) January–February 2026 metrics guarantee full-quarter results for Q1 2026?
