Ticker: HTLD, $8.46, +1.20% (as of May 9, 2025)

🚨 Insider Alert: The CEO Just Hauled in More Shares

On May 5, 2025, CEO Michael Gerdin (aka the guy who’s really in the driver’s seat) backed up the truck on his own company stock—again.

Bought: 148,272 shares
Price: $7.85
Total Value: $1.16 million
Ownership: 32 million shares and counting 💰
Insiders now control over 35% of the company. Commitment issues? Never heard of 'em.

🧳 Who Else Is Along for the Ride?

Institutional ownership: A whopping 80.87% of the float
Top luggage carriers on board:

• 🏢 BlackRock: 6.8M shares (8.66%)

• 📈 Vanguard: 4.89M shares (6.22%)

• 📊 Dimensional Advisors: 3.51M shares (4.46%)

• 🎯 ArrowMark: 2.88M shares (3.66%)

• 💵 Check here for more...

Meanwhile, the bears seem... disinterested:
Short interest: just 2.13%.
Not a popular pessimism play. 🐻❌

🛻 What Does Heartland Do Exactly?

HQ: North Liberty, Iowa (yes, it’s a place)
Mission: Move stuff. And then move more stuff.
How: Short-, medium-, and long-haul truckload services across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Brands: Heartland Express, Millis Transfer, Smith Transport, CFI
Industries Served: Retail, food, appliances, auto parts—you name it.

It's the quiet backbone of consumer logistics, just not the most glamorous.

📉 Financials: Yeah… It’s Been a Bumpy Ride

For Q1 2025:

• Revenue: $219.4M 📦

• Net Loss: $13.9M 💸

• EPS: -$0.18

• Operating Ratio: 106.8% (Translation: they spent $1.06 to make $1.00) 😬

🗣️ CEO Mike Gerdin: “We hit bad weather, tariffs, and cost inflation. But we’re trimming the fat and aiming for a turnaround. Freight recovery is on the horizon… hopefully.”

Translation: Yes, the truck stalled. But we’re fixing it, and there’s a decent chance it’ll run smoother later this year.

💵 Balance Sheet Breakdown: Some Bright Spots

• Cash: $23.9M (+$11.1M QoQ)

• Debt: Down from $447M (2022) to $199.6M 📉

• Assets: $1.3B

• Equity: $807.7M

• Dividend: Still paying ($0.02/quarter, plus past specials)

• Buybacks: $52.7M over 5 years 💪

• Repurchase capacity left: 6M shares

They’re paying dividends, reducing debt, and didn’t borrow a penny this quarter. That’s some surprisingly clean trucking finance.

🛠️ So Why’s the Stock So Cheap?

• Down two-thirds from its 2014 high near $28

• Industry headwinds: driver shortages, inflation, sluggish demand

• Still posting losses, albeit narrower ones

• Turnaround not guaranteed, but plausible

• A freight rebound may just be loading...
  

🔎 Want another ‘so-bad-it-might-be-brilliant’ stock idea? 
Check this out.

🧐 So… Contrarian Play or Cautionary Tale?

The Bull Case:

• 🧠 Smart CEO with real skin in the game

• 📉 Shrinking costs, shrinking fleet, trimming the fat

• 💵 Solid balance sheet and long history of dividends

• 🚚 Signs of an industry rebound in sight

The Bear Case:

• ❗ Still losing money

• 🔁 Recovery is a “wait and see”

• 🧊 Freight rates still cold

✅ Verdict: A Classic "Darkest Before Dawn" Setup

Heartland is a bit beat-up, a little dusty, but maybe just revving up for the comeback ride. It’s not for the faint of heart—or for investors who don’t like red ink. But if you believe in contrarian magic, this stock might be worth tossing in the back of the truck.

Just maybe don’t throw your entire retirement plan in with it. 🧃📉

🚦Disclaimer:

I only drive cars. Trucks? No idea. This is not financial advice. Just a friendly reminder to look both ways before you back up the truck. 😉

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