(MRTN) Marten Transport - Overview
Sector: Industrials | Industry: Trucking | Exchange: NASDAQ (USA) | Market Cap: 1.362m USD | Total Return: 33.8% in 12m
Avg Turnover: 13.7M
EPS Trend: -98.5%
Qual. Beats: 0
Rev. Trend: -98.8%
Qual. Beats: -1
Warnings
P/E ratio 92.7
Beneish M-Score -0.33 > -1.5 - likely earnings manipulation
Tailwinds
Supp Ema20
Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) is a North American provider of temperature-sensitive truckload shipping services, operating across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The company manages its operations through three primary business units: Truckload, Dedicated, and Brokerage. These segments facilitate the transport of food, consumer packaged goods, and dry freight using a mix of company-owned equipment and third-party carrier relationships.
The business model relies heavily on specialized temperature-controlled trailers, which command higher barriers to entry than standard dry van shipping due to equipment costs and strict regulatory requirements for food safety. As of late 2025, the company maintained a fleet of 2,654 tractors, the vast majority of which are company-owned to ensure consistent service quality and capacity. This capital-intensive structure is typical for carriers in the Cargo Ground Transportation sub-industry that prioritize high-reliability cold chain logistics.
Investors can evaluate the company’s long-term margin trends and valuation metrics on ValueRay. Founded in 1946 and based in Mondovi, Wisconsin, Marten Transport remains a significant player in the mid-to-long-haul refrigerated transport market.
- Temperature-sensitive food and consumer goods demand stabilizes revenue cycles
- Driver recruitment and retention costs impact operating margins and fleet utilization
- Fluctuating diesel fuel prices and fuel surcharge recovery influence net earnings
- Excess trucking capacity in the freight market pressures contractual freight rates
- Expansion of dedicated and brokerage segments diversifies revenue beyond traditional truckload
| Net Income: 14.5m TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue |
| FCF/TA: -0.05 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA -12.97 > 1.0 |
| NWC/Revenue: 11.73% < 20% (prev 5.64%; Δ 6.09% < -1%) |
| CFO/TA 0.10 > 3% & CFO 90.3m > Net Income 14.5m |
| Net Debt (-69.6m) to EBITDA (113.5m): -0.61 < 3 |
| Current Ratio: 2.08 > 1.5 & < 3 |
| Outstanding Shares: last quarter (81.5m) vs 12m ago 0.01% < -2% |
| Gross Margin: 3.28% > 18% (prev 0.13%; Δ 314.1% > 0.5%) |
| Asset Turnover: 89.51% > 50% (prev 95.31%; Δ -5.80% > 0%) |
| Interest Coverage Ratio: error (cannot be calculated; needs correct EBITDA TTM and Interest Expense TTM) |
| A: 0.11 (Total Current Assets 195.6m - Total Current Liabilities 94.2m) / Total Assets 947.2m |
| B: 0.75 (Retained Earnings 708.5m / Total Assets 947.2m) |
| C: 0.01 (EBIT TTM 10.6m / Avg Total Assets 965.3m) |
| D: 3.88 (Book Value of Equity 709.4m / Total Liabilities 183.0m) |
| Altman-Z'' = 7.28 = AAA |
| DSRI: 1.09 (Receivables 100.0m/100.0m, Revenue 864.0m/937.2m) |
| GMI: 4.12 (GM 3.28% / 13.48%) |
| AQI: 0.90 (AQ_t 0.00 / AQ_t-1 0.00) |
| SGI: 0.92 (Revenue 864.0m / 937.2m) |
| TATA: -0.08 (NI 14.5m - CFO 90.3m) / TA 947.2m) |
| Beneish M = -0.33 (Cap -4..+1) = D |
As of May 30, 2026, the stock is trading at USD 17.24 with a total of 917,230 shares traded.
Over the past week, the price has changed by +3.92%,
over one month by +15.70%,
over three months by +27.51% and
over the past year by +33.84%.
Marten Transport has received a consensus analysts rating of 3.67. Therefore, it is recommended to hold MRTN.
- StrongBuy: 1
- Buy: 0
- Hold: 2
- Sell: 0
- StrongSell: 0
| Analysts Target Price | 19 | 10.2% |
P/E Trailing = 92.7222
P/E Forward = 17.6367
P/S = 1.576
P/B = 1.7717
P/EG = 1.8298
Revenue TTM = 864.0m USD
EBIT TTM = 10.6m USD
EBITDA TTM = 113.5m USD
Long Term Debt = unknown (none)
Short Term Debt = unknown (none)
Debt = 157k USD (from shortLongTermDebtTotal, last quarter) (leases 157k already included)
Net Debt = -69.6m USD (calculated: Debt 157k - CCE 69.8m)
Enterprise Value = 1.29b USD (1.36b + Debt 157k - CCE 69.8m)
Interest Coverage Ratio = unknown (Ebit TTM 10.6m / Interest Expense TTM 0.0)
EV/FCF = -27.30x (Enterprise Value 1.29b / FCF TTM -47.3m)
FCF Yield = -3.66% (FCF TTM -47.3m / Enterprise Value 1.29b)
FCF Margin = -5.48% (FCF TTM -47.3m / Revenue TTM 864.0m)
Net Margin = 1.68% (Net Income TTM 14.5m / Revenue TTM 864.0m)
Gross Margin = 3.28% ((Revenue TTM 864.0m - Cost of Revenue TTM 835.7m) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 4.13% (prev -17.84%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 1.36 (Enterprise Value 1.29b / Total Assets 947.2m)
Interest Expense / Debt = 0.0% (Interest Expense 0.0 / Debt 157k)
Taxrate = 32.55% (667k / 2.05m)
NOPAT = 7.15m (EBIT 10.6m * (1 - 32.55%))
Current Ratio = 2.08 (Total Current Assets 195.6m / Total Current Liabilities 94.2m)
Debt / Equity = 0.00 (Debt 157k / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 764.2m)
Debt / EBITDA = -0.61 (Net Debt -69.6m / EBITDA 113.5m)
Debt / FCF = 1.47 (negative FCF - burning cash) (Net Debt -69.6m / FCF TTM -47.3m)
Total Stockholder Equity = 767.7m (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = 1.50% (Net Income 14.5m / Total Assets 947.2m)
RoE = 1.89% (Net Income TTM 14.5m / Total Stockholder Equity 767.7m)
RoCE = 1.24% (EBIT 10.6m / Capital Employed (Total Assets 947.2m - Current Liab 94.2m))
RoIC = 0.91% (NOPAT 7.15m / Invested Capital 783.2m)
WACC = 8.77% (E(1.36b)/V(1.36b) * Re(8.77%) + D(157k)/V(1.36b) * Rd(0.0%) * (1-Tc(0.33)))
Discount Rate = 8.77% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares (quarterly) Correlation: 89.89 | Cagr: 0.06%
[DCF] Fair Price = unknown (Cash Flow -47.3m)
EPS Correlation: -98.47 | EPS CAGR: -50.52% | SUE: 0.0 | # QB: 0
Revenue Correlation: -98.77 | Revenue CAGR: -12.17% | SUE: -1.63 | # QB: -1
EPS current Quarter (2026-06-30): EPS=0.07 | Chg30d=+0.72% | Revisions=-20% | Analysts=1
EPS next Quarter (2026-09-30): EPS=0.06 | Chg30d=-13.67% | Revisions=-20% | Analysts=1
EPS current Year (2026-12-31): EPS=0.22 | Chg30d=-15.12% | Revisions=-33% | GrowthEPS=+4.8% | GrowthRev=+0.9%
EPS next Year (2027-12-31): EPS=0.47 | Chg30d=+8.70% | Revisions=+0% | GrowthEPS=+113.6% | GrowthRev=+7.5%