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KNX vs SAIA
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (KNX) vs. Saia (SAIA) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- SAIA demonstrates stronger year-to-date (YTD) performance at approximately 37%, outpacing KNX's 26% gain amid trucking sector volatility.
- SAIA boasts superior profitability with a 7.9% profit margin and 10.4% return on equity (ROE, a measure of how effectively a company uses shareholders' equity to generate profits), compared to KNX's 0.9% margin and 0.9% ROE.
- KNX recently slashed its Q1 earnings per share (EPS, a company's profit allocated to each share) guidance to $0.08-$0.10 from $0.28-$0.32 due to weak freight demand, pressuring near-term sentiment.
- SAIA's focused less-than-truckload (LTL, freight shipments smaller than a full truckload) model supports higher margins and market share gains, while KNX's diversified operations provide broader exposure but expose it to truckload weakness.
- Both stocks trade at premium valuations—SAIA's trailing price-to-earnings (P/E, stock price divided by EPS) ratio at 46 vs. KNX's 160—reflecting growth expectations in a recovering transport sector.
- Investor interest in transport stocks persists amid economic recovery signals, with AI tools highlighting momentum leaders like SAIA.
Introduction
In the competitive trucking and logistics sector, KNX and SAIA represent key players navigating freight volume fluctuations and capacity adjustments. This stock comparison analyzes their business models, recent market positioning, and relative performance, aiding traders seeking sector exposure and investors evaluating growth versus value trade-offs. With broader economic indicators signaling potential demand recovery, understanding these dynamics helps assess opportunities in transportation amid ongoing supply chain shifts.
KNX Overview and Recent Performance
Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (KNX), one of North America's largest full-service transportation providers, operates truckload, LTL, logistics, and intermodal segments, serving diverse industries like retail and manufacturing. In recent market activity, its shares have shown volatility, rallying toward 52-week highs near $66 while facing a prior 10.9% pullback over 30 days earlier this year. Key influences include a sharp Q1 2026 EPS guidance cut to $0.08-$0.10 amid soft freight demand and margin pressures, despite cost-control efforts. YTD gains of 26% reflect broader sector resilience, but sentiment remains cautious ahead of earnings, with analyst targets averaging $66.
SAIA Overview and Recent Performance
Saia (SAIA), a leading LTL carrier, specializes in shipments of 100-10,000 pounds across 213 terminals, emphasizing regional and national coverage with value-added logistics. Recent weeks have seen robust momentum, with shares hitting new 52-week highs above $445 and YTD returns of 37%, outperforming peers. Despite a Q4 2025 EPS miss at $1.77 (versus $1.90 expected), revenue beat estimates, supporting steady volume trends. Strong fundamentals, including low debt and high ROE, bolster investor confidence, though flat volumes pose near-term risks as earnings approach.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
KNX and SAIA both thrive in trucking but differ in focus: KNX's diversified model ($7.5B revenue) spans truckload and intermodal for stability, yet yields thin 0.9% margins amid demand softness; SAIA's LTL purity ($3.2B revenue) drives 7.9% margins and market share via network expansion. Momentum favors SAIA with superior YTD gains and lower debt/equity (12% vs. 38%), though KNX offers value via lower price/sales (1.4 vs. 3.6). Risks include economic slowdowns hitting volumes; KNX faces guidance overhang, while SAIA contends with premium valuation. Sector tailwinds like capacity discipline benefit both, but SAIA leads in profitability and sentiment.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron's AI models currently lean toward SAIA for its consistent momentum, robust margins, and relative stability in recent market activity. Factors like higher ROE, lower leverage, and new highs signal stronger positioning versus KNX's earnings headwinds. This probabilistic edge suits growth-oriented strategies, though transport volatility warrants monitoring catalysts like freight indices.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is KNX is a Hold and SAIA is a Buy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
KNX’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileSAIA’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- KNX’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- SAIA’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
KNX’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while SAIA’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- KNX’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- SAIA’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
KNX (@Trucking) experienced а -4.86% price change this week, while SAIA (@Trucking) price change was -8.04% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Trucking industry was -5.41%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +9.21%, and the average quarterly price growth was +45.26%.
Reported Earning Dates
KNX is expected to report earnings on Jul 22, 2026.
SAIA is expected to report earnings on Jul 24, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Trucking (-5.41% weekly)The trucking industry provides road transportation delivery and logistical services, including moving large quantities of raw materials, works in process, and finished goods —often from manufacturing plants to retail distribution centers. Trucks are also used in the construction industry, as they transport large amounts of rocks, concrete, and other building materials used in construction. Trucks in the U.S. are responsible for the majority of freight movement over land, and therefore play an important role in the manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries. The business could be affected by economic cycles, since it is closely linked with manufacturing, retail and construction. Some of the major trucking companies in the U.S. are Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., and XPO Logistics, Inc.
| KNX | SAIA | KNX / SAIA | |
| Capitalization | 12.3B | 11.6B | 106% |
| EBITDA | 993M | 603M | 165% |
| Gain YTD | 45.067 | 33.545 | 134% |
| P/E Ratio | 359.05 | 45.80 | 784% |
| Revenue | 7.5B | 3.25B | 230% |
| Total Cash | N/A | 39.2M | - |
| Total Debt | 2.66B | 262M | 1,016% |
KNX | SAIA | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 86 | 56 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 91 Overvalued | 88 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 39 | 67 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 91 | 71 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 39 | 41 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 2 | 10 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | 85 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
SAIA's Valuation (88) in the Trucking industry is in the same range as KNX (91). This means that SAIA’s stock grew similarly to KNX’s over the last 12 months.
KNX's Profit vs Risk Rating (39) in the Trucking industry is in the same range as SAIA (67). This means that KNX’s stock grew similarly to SAIA’s over the last 12 months.
SAIA's SMR Rating (71) in the Trucking industry is in the same range as KNX (91). This means that SAIA’s stock grew similarly to KNX’s over the last 12 months.
KNX's Price Growth Rating (39) in the Trucking industry is in the same range as SAIA (41). This means that KNX’s stock grew similarly to SAIA’s over the last 12 months.
KNX's P/E Growth Rating (2) in the Trucking industry is in the same range as SAIA (10). This means that KNX’s stock grew similarly to SAIA’s over the last 12 months.
| KNX | SAIA | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 75% | 1 day ago 88% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 77% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 73% | 1 day ago 78% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 64% | 1 day ago 74% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 64% | 1 day ago 76% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | 1 day ago 80% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 58% | 8 days ago 70% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 89% | 1 day ago 89% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 69% | 1 day ago 84% |
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KNX and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, KNX has been closely correlated with SNDR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 81% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if KNX jumps, then SNDR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To KNX | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KNX | 100% | +1.69% | ||
| SNDR - KNX | 81% Closely correlated | -0.59% | ||
| WERN - KNX | 79% Closely correlated | +0.42% | ||
| SAIA - KNX | 75% Closely correlated | +0.21% | ||
| CVLG - KNX | 75% Closely correlated | +1.64% | ||
| ODFL - KNX | 75% Closely correlated | -0.69% | ||
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SAIA and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SAIA has been closely correlated with XPO. These tickers have moved in lockstep 77% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if SAIA jumps, then XPO could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SAIA | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAIA | 100% | +0.21% | ||
| XPO - SAIA | 77% Closely correlated | +0.85% | ||
| ARCB - SAIA | 77% Closely correlated | +0.70% | ||
| ODFL - SAIA | 77% Closely correlated | -0.69% | ||
| CVLG - SAIA | 74% Closely correlated | +1.64% | ||
| TFII - SAIA | 73% Closely correlated | +1.00% | ||
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