Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH) AI Stock Analysis
ULH AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchUniversal Logistics Holdings, Inc. is a North American transportation and logistics services provider. Over the trailing twelve months, the company generated $1.53B in revenue with a net profit margin of -6.0% and an operating margin of 1.0%. It carries $838.5M in total debt against $20.3M in cash and short-term investments, while trading at a forward P/E of 11.2x.
- Market cap
- $430.3M
- Revenue (TTM)
- $1.53B
- P/E
- — fwd 11.2x
- 1Y return
- -14.3% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $16.00 -2.0% vs last close
Bull case
- In the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly earnings grew 213.5% year-over-year.
- The stock trades at a price-to-book ratio of 0.8x and a price-to-sales ratio of 0.3x, both well below the median of its US-listed Industrials peers.
- The company has maintained 16 consecutive years of dividend payments with a 5-year annualized dividend growth rate of 14.9%.
Bear case
- Net income declined from $129.9M in FY2024 to -$99.9M in FY2025, and trailing twelve months EPS stands at -$3.47.
- Free cash flow was negative in each of the last three fiscal years, finishing at -$41.1M in FY2025 after $224.2M in capital expenditures.
- Total debt stands at $838.5M compared to cash and short-term investments of only $20.3M, leaving net debt at $818.2M.
What Universal Logistics does
Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. provides transportation and logistics solutions across the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Colombia. Its transportation services include truckload operations using dry van, flatbed, heavy-haul, and refrigerated equipment, alongside freight forwarding, customs brokerage, final mile delivery, and ground expedite services. The company handles commodities like automotive parts, machinery, building materials, food products, consumer goods, and steel. It also delivers value-added services such as material handling, consolidation, sequencing, sub-assembly, cross-docking, kitting, repacking, warehousing, and returnable container management, as well as intermodal and drayage support services.
Growth and profitability
Between FY2020 and FY2025, revenue expanded at a 5-year CAGR of 2.3%. Revenue grew 11.1% in FY2024 to $1.85B before declining 15.6% to $1.56B in FY2025. Operating margin dropped from 11.0% in FY2024 to 3.9% in FY2025, while net income fell from $129.9M to -$99.9M, producing an EPS of $0.62. For the trailing twelve months, revenue totaled $1.53B with a profit margin of -6.0% and an EPS of -$3.47. In the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue fell 3.7% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings grew 213.5%.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of June 30, 2026, Universal Logistics Holdings held $20.3M in cash and short-term investments against $838.5M in total debt, resulting in net debt of $818.2M. Shareholders' equity was $561.0M, yielding a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 1.20. In FY2025, operating cash flow reached $183.0M, but capital expenditures of $224.2M caused free cash flow to reach -$41.1M. Cash deployment during FY2025 included $11.1M in dividends paid and $85,000 for share buybacks.
Valuation and performance
Universal Logistics Holdings trades at a forward P/E of 11.2x and an EV-to-EBITDA of 11.8x, both below the median of its US-listed Industrials peers of 17.2x and 13.9x, respectively. The company's price-to-sales multiple is 0.3x compared to the peer median of 1.5x, and its price-to-book ratio is 0.8x. Over the past year, the stock declined 14.3%, trailing the 16.8% return for the S&P 500 benchmark. Over five years, the stock dropped 14.8% while the S&P 500 gained 83.0%.
ULH dividend
The company pays a forward annual dividend of $0.42 per share, representing a dividend yield of 2.57%. Universal Logistics Holdings has paid dividends for 16 consecutive years, generating a 5-year annualized dividend growth rate of 14.9%. The payout ratio stands at 4.2%, and the last ex-dividend date occurred on September 1, 2026.
What analysts expect
One analyst covers Universal Logistics Holdings with a Hold rating and a mean price target of $16.00, implying a 2.0% decline from the last close of $16.32. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project revenue of $1.53B and EPS of $0.50, an expected decline of 46.0%. Over the last four quarters, the company beat EPS estimates once. The next earnings date is scheduled for November 5, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- High leverage is reflected in a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49 and net debt of $818.2M as of June 30, 2026.
- The company has beaten earnings estimates only once in the last four quarters, while FY2026 EPS is forecast to fall 46.0% to $0.50.
- Short interest represents 12.7% of the float, indicating elevated market skepticism.
- Heavy insider ownership of 73.5% concentrates voting control among a small group of stakeholders.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this ULH AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: ULH income statement, ULH balance sheet, ULH key metrics, ULH analyst forecast, ULH chart. See the ULH stock overview for the latest quote and news.
ULH AI stock analysis FAQ
What is the dividend yield and payout schedule for ULH?
Universal Logistics Holdings pays an annual forward dividend of $0.42 per share on a quarterly basis, offering a dividend yield of 2.57%.
What are the consensus earnings estimates for ULH in FY2026 and FY2027?
Analysts project EPS of $0.50 on $1.53B in revenue for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, followed by EPS of $1.15 on $1.60B in revenue for the next fiscal year.
How much debt does Universal Logistics Holdings carry?
As of June 30, 2026, the company carried $838.5M in total debt and $20.3M in cash and short-term investments, resulting in net debt of $818.2M.
When does Universal Logistics Holdings report its next quarterly earnings?
The company's next earnings date is scheduled for November 5, 2026.