Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC Grows Position in Saia, Inc. $SAIA

Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Saia, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAIA) by 13.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 21,352 shares of the transportation company’s stock after buying an additional 2,473 shares during the period. Saia makes up approximately 0.9% of Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC owned about 0.08% of Saia worth $6,373,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of Saia by 177.5% during the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 111 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new position in shares of Saia during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in Saia by 52.9% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 208 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. HM Payson & Co. increased its holdings in Saia by 28.9% in the 3rd quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 205 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $61,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC raised its position in Saia by 21.6% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 248 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on SAIA shares. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Saia in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Rothschild Redb upgraded Saia to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Saia from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 20th. Rothschild & Co Redburn began coverage on shares of Saia in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $262.00 price target on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Saia from $349.00 to $365.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Saia presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $345.35.

Insider Transactions at Saia

In related news, Director Donna E. Epps bought 422 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $277.60 per share, for a total transaction of $117,147.20. Following the acquisition, the director owned 1,852 shares in the company, valued at approximately $514,115.20. This represents a 29.51% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Raymond R. Ramu sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $266.57, for a total transaction of $266,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 4,902 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,306,726.14. This trade represents a 16.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Saia Stock Down 2.5%

Shares of Saia stock opened at $351.31 on Friday. Saia, Inc. has a 52-week low of $229.12 and a 52-week high of $538.03. The company has a 50 day moving average of $326.12 and a 200 day moving average of $308.51. The company has a quick ratio of 1.68, a current ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The company has a market capitalization of $9.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.17 and a beta of 2.09.

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The transportation company reported $2.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $839.64 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $824.06 million. Saia had a net margin of 8.77% and a return on equity of 11.32%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.46 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Saia, Inc. will post 15.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Saia Company Profile

Saia, Inc is a publicly traded transportation company specializing in less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services across North America. Headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, the company focuses on the efficient movement of time-sensitive freight for a diverse customer base that spans retail, manufacturing, automotive, and healthcare industries. By leveraging a network of terminals and service centers, Saia provides tailored solutions designed to optimize supply chain performance.

The company’s core offerings include regional, interregional, and national LTL shipping, supported by volumetric LTL and port intermodal services.