Compared to Estimates, Heartland Express (HTLD) Q2 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

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For the quarter ended June 2023, Heartland Express (HTLD) reported revenue of $306.17 million, up 63% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.10, compared to $0.97 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $315.5 million, representing a surprise of -2.96%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -37.50%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.16.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Heartland Express performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Operating ratio: 94.7% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 92.41%.

  • Fuel surcharge revenue: $41.50 million versus $33.98 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +14.1% change.

  • Operating revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue: $264.67 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $230.12 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +74.8%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Heartland Express here>>>

Shares of Heartland Express have returned +3.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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