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Side-by-side financial comparison of MARTEN TRANSPORT LTD (MRTN) and SAIA INC (SAIA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

SAIA INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($790.0M vs $210.1M, roughly 3.8× MARTEN TRANSPORT LTD). SAIA INC runs the higher net margin — 6.0% vs 1.8%, a 4.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, SAIA INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.1% vs -8.8%). Over the past eight quarters, SAIA INC's revenue compounded faster (2.3% CAGR vs -8.3%).

Marten Transport, Ltd. is an American trucking company headquartered in Mondovi, Wisconsin. The company offers refrigerated and dry van freight transport services across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Saia is an American less than truckload (LTL) trucking company that originated in Houma, Louisiana, in 1924. With original operation occurring in Louisiana and Texas for the first fifty years, expansion came after 1980 when coverage began reaching into more states in the South. Further expansion happened through mergers with other companies, which allowed Saia to provide service for thirty six states. Saia ranks in the top ten of LTL carriers in the United States, with revenues of over $1.8 b...

MRTN vs SAIA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SAIA
SAIA
3.8× larger
SAIA
$790.0M
$210.1M
MRTN
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SAIA
SAIA
+8.9% gap
SAIA
0.1%
-8.8%
MRTN
Higher net margin
SAIA
SAIA
4.3% more per $
SAIA
6.0%
1.8%
MRTN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SAIA
SAIA
Annualised
SAIA
2.3%
-8.3%
MRTN

Income Statement — Q4 2025 vs Q4 2025

Metric
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Revenue
$210.1M
$790.0M
Net Profit
$3.7M
$47.5M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
2.2%
8.1%
Net Margin
1.8%
6.0%
Revenue YoY
-8.8%
0.1%
Net Profit YoY
-34.4%
-37.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.04
$1.77

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
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$210.1M
$790.0M
Q3 25
$220.5M
$839.6M
Q2 25
$229.9M
$817.1M
Q1 25
$223.2M
$787.6M
Q4 24
$230.4M
$789.0M
Q3 24
$237.4M
$842.1M
Q2 24
$246.2M
$823.2M
Q1 24
$249.7M
$754.8M
Net Profit
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$3.7M
$47.5M
Q3 25
$2.2M
$86.3M
Q2 25
$7.2M
$71.4M
Q1 25
$4.3M
$49.8M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$76.1M
Q3 24
$3.8M
$92.7M
Q2 24
$7.9M
$102.5M
Q1 24
$9.6M
$90.7M
Operating Margin
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
2.2%
8.1%
Q3 25
1.2%
14.1%
Q2 25
4.2%
12.2%
Q1 25
2.6%
8.9%
Q4 24
2.9%
12.9%
Q3 24
1.8%
14.9%
Q2 24
4.1%
16.7%
Q1 24
4.9%
15.6%
Net Margin
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
1.8%
6.0%
Q3 25
1.0%
10.3%
Q2 25
3.1%
8.7%
Q1 25
1.9%
6.3%
Q4 24
2.4%
9.6%
Q3 24
1.6%
11.0%
Q2 24
3.2%
12.5%
Q1 24
3.9%
12.0%
EPS (diluted)
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$0.04
$1.77
Q3 25
$0.03
$3.22
Q2 25
$0.09
$2.67
Q1 25
$0.05
$1.86
Q4 24
$0.06
$2.84
Q3 24
$0.05
$3.46
Q2 24
$0.10
$3.83
Q1 24
$0.12
$3.38

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$43.3M
$19.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$163.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$767.6M
$2.6B
Total Assets
$949.8M
$3.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.06×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$43.3M
$19.7M
Q3 25
$49.5M
$35.5M
Q2 25
$35.1M
$18.8M
Q1 25
$39.9M
$16.5M
Q4 24
$17.3M
$19.5M
Q3 24
$43.0M
$14.4M
Q2 24
$77.2M
$11.2M
Q1 24
$73.7M
$12.3M
Total Debt
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$163.0M
Q3 25
$218.0M
Q2 25
$307.1M
Q1 25
$291.8M
Q4 24
$195.0M
Q3 24
$184.2M
Q2 24
$169.1M
Q1 24
$76.6M
Stockholders' Equity
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$767.6M
$2.6B
Q3 25
$768.2M
$2.5B
Q2 25
$770.7M
$2.4B
Q1 25
$767.5M
$2.4B
Q4 24
$767.9M
$2.3B
Q3 24
$766.5M
$2.2B
Q2 24
$766.8M
$2.1B
Q1 24
$762.4M
$2.0B
Total Assets
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$949.8M
$3.5B
Q3 25
$975.7M
$3.5B
Q2 25
$991.8M
$3.5B
Q1 25
$983.3M
$3.4B
Q4 24
$968.8M
$3.2B
Q3 24
$1.0B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$993.0M
$2.8B
Debt / Equity
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
0.06×
Q3 25
0.09×
Q2 25
0.13×
Q1 25
0.12×
Q4 24
0.08×
Q3 24
0.08×
Q2 24
0.08×
Q1 24
0.04×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$5.6M
$137.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$37.5M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
12.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.51×
2.89×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$27.3M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$5.6M
$137.3M
Q3 25
$18.5M
$177.8M
Q2 25
$33.2M
$170.7M
Q1 25
$36.2M
$109.1M
Q4 24
$23.8M
$164.7M
Q3 24
$29.5M
$181.7M
Q2 24
$35.8M
$130.8M
Q1 24
$45.7M
$106.5M
Free Cash Flow
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
$37.5M
Q3 25
$87.6M
Q2 25
$-3.9M
Q1 25
$-93.8M
Q4 24
$-3.5M
Q3 24
$-11.7M
Q2 24
$-94.0M
Q1 24
$-350.7M
FCF Margin
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
4.7%
Q3 25
10.4%
Q2 25
-0.5%
Q1 25
-11.9%
Q4 24
-0.4%
Q3 24
-1.4%
Q2 24
-11.4%
Q1 24
-46.5%
Capex Intensity
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
12.6%
Q3 25
10.8%
Q2 25
21.4%
Q1 25
25.8%
Q4 24
21.3%
Q3 24
23.0%
Q2 24
27.3%
Q1 24
60.6%
Cash Conversion
MRTN
MRTN
SAIA
SAIA
Q4 25
1.51×
2.89×
Q3 25
8.33×
2.06×
Q2 25
4.61×
2.39×
Q1 25
8.35×
2.19×
Q4 24
4.22×
2.16×
Q3 24
7.85×
1.96×
Q2 24
4.54×
1.28×
Q1 24
4.74×
1.17×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MRTN
MRTN

Revenue Net Of Fuel Surcharge$91.2M43%
Dedicated$65.9M31%
Brokerage$38.2M18%
Truckload Fuel Surcharge Revenue$14.8M7%
Fuel Surcharge Revenue$9.8M5%

SAIA
SAIA

Segment breakdown not available.

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