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Side-by-side financial comparison of HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC (HTLD) and Vericel Corp (VCEL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($179.4M vs $92.9M, roughly 1.9× Vericel Corp). Vericel Corp runs the higher net margin — 25.0% vs -10.8%, a 35.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Vericel Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (23.3% vs -26.1%). Vericel Corp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($12.8M vs $-44.2M). Over the past eight quarters, Vericel Corp's revenue compounded faster (34.6% CAGR vs -18.5%).

Heartland Express is an American trucking company headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa. The company offers truckload shipping services across the United States.

Vericel Corporation is a publicly traded American biopharmaceutical company which was known prior to October 2014 as Aastrom Bio. Aastrom Bio was formed in 1989 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

HTLD vs VCEL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
HTLD
HTLD
1.9× larger
HTLD
$179.4M
$92.9M
VCEL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
VCEL
VCEL
+49.3% gap
VCEL
23.3%
-26.1%
HTLD
Higher net margin
VCEL
VCEL
35.9% more per $
VCEL
25.0%
-10.8%
HTLD
More free cash flow
VCEL
VCEL
$57.0M more FCF
VCEL
$12.8M
$-44.2M
HTLD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
VCEL
VCEL
Annualised
VCEL
34.6%
-18.5%
HTLD

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Revenue
$179.4M
$92.9M
Net Profit
$-19.4M
$23.2M
Gross Margin
78.7%
Operating Margin
-12.7%
24.1%
Net Margin
-10.8%
25.0%
Revenue YoY
-26.1%
23.3%
Net Profit YoY
-949.2%
17.3%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.24
$0.46

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$179.4M
$92.9M
Q3 25
$196.5M
$67.5M
Q2 25
$210.4M
$63.2M
Q1 25
$219.4M
$52.6M
Q4 24
$242.6M
$75.4M
Q3 24
$259.9M
$57.9M
Q2 24
$274.8M
$52.7M
Q1 24
$270.3M
$51.3M
Net Profit
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$-19.4M
$23.2M
Q3 25
$-8.3M
$5.1M
Q2 25
$-10.9M
$-553.0K
Q1 25
$-13.9M
$-11.2M
Q4 24
$-1.9M
$19.8M
Q3 24
$-9.3M
$-901.0K
Q2 24
$-3.5M
$-4.7M
Q1 24
$-15.1M
$-3.9M
Gross Margin
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
78.7%
Q3 25
73.5%
Q2 25
73.7%
Q1 25
69.0%
Q4 24
77.6%
Q3 24
71.9%
Q2 24
69.5%
Q1 24
68.9%
Operating Margin
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
-12.7%
24.1%
Q3 25
-3.7%
5.1%
Q2 25
-5.9%
-3.2%
Q1 25
-6.8%
-24.3%
Q4 24
0.4%
24.5%
Q3 24
-2.7%
-4.3%
Q2 24
0.1%
-11.5%
Q1 24
-5.3%
-10.7%
Net Margin
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
-10.8%
25.0%
Q3 25
-4.2%
7.5%
Q2 25
-5.2%
-0.9%
Q1 25
-6.3%
-21.4%
Q4 24
-0.8%
26.3%
Q3 24
-3.6%
-1.6%
Q2 24
-1.3%
-8.9%
Q1 24
-5.6%
-7.5%
EPS (diluted)
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$-0.24
$0.46
Q3 25
$-0.11
$0.10
Q2 25
$-0.14
$-0.01
Q1 25
$-0.18
$-0.23
Q4 24
$-0.03
$0.40
Q3 24
$-0.12
$-0.02
Q2 24
$-0.04
$-0.10
Q1 24
$-0.19
$-0.08

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$18.5M
$137.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$154.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$755.3M
$354.6M
Total Assets
$1.2B
$488.0M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.20×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$18.5M
$137.5M
Q3 25
$32.7M
$135.4M
Q2 25
$22.9M
$116.9M
Q1 25
$23.9M
$112.9M
Q4 24
$12.8M
$116.2M
Q3 24
$30.7M
$101.7M
Q2 24
$23.9M
$102.5M
Q1 24
$23.8M
$110.6M
Total Debt
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$154.1M
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$187.9M
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$755.3M
$354.6M
Q3 25
$775.6M
$321.9M
Q2 25
$786.7M
$306.8M
Q1 25
$807.7M
$295.5M
Q4 24
$822.6M
$292.0M
Q3 24
$825.7M
$257.5M
Q2 24
$836.8M
$243.0M
Q1 24
$848.8M
$233.9M
Total Assets
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$1.2B
$488.0M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$453.3M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$435.6M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$424.6M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$432.7M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$390.4M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$376.8M
Q1 24
$1.5B
$356.7M
Debt / Equity
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
0.20×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.23×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$14.9M
$15.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-44.2M
$12.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-24.6%
13.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
33.0%
2.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-66.9M
$24.7M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$14.9M
$15.0M
Q3 25
$27.5M
$22.1M
Q2 25
$21.0M
$8.2M
Q1 25
$25.8M
$6.6M
Q4 24
$37.8M
$22.2M
Q3 24
$35.6M
$10.2M
Q2 24
$40.0M
$18.5M
Q1 24
$31.0M
$7.2M
Free Cash Flow
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
$-44.2M
$12.8M
Q3 25
$-12.2M
$19.5M
Q2 25
$-12.8M
$81.0K
Q1 25
$2.3M
$-7.6M
Q4 24
$-45.5M
$8.5M
Q3 24
$24.6M
$-9.2M
Q2 24
$29.4M
$1.8M
Q1 24
$26.3M
$-6.8M
FCF Margin
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
-24.6%
13.8%
Q3 25
-6.2%
28.8%
Q2 25
-6.1%
0.1%
Q1 25
1.0%
-14.5%
Q4 24
-18.8%
11.2%
Q3 24
9.5%
-15.9%
Q2 24
10.7%
3.4%
Q1 24
9.7%
-13.3%
Capex Intensity
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
33.0%
2.4%
Q3 25
20.2%
3.9%
Q2 25
16.1%
12.9%
Q1 25
10.7%
27.0%
Q4 24
34.3%
18.3%
Q3 24
4.2%
33.5%
Q2 24
3.8%
31.8%
Q1 24
1.7%
27.3%
Cash Conversion
HTLD
HTLD
VCEL
VCEL
Q4 25
0.65×
Q3 25
4.35×
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.12×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HTLD
HTLD

Segment breakdown not available.

VCEL
VCEL

MACI Implants And Kits$84.1M90%
Other$8.8M10%

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