AAL vs. SAIA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AAL and SAIA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AAL’s market capitalization stands at 7.71 billion USD, while SAIA’s is 7.85 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 1.38 for AAL and 2.00 for SAIA, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AAL | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Airlines Group Inc. | Saia, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Airlines, Airports & Air Services | Trucking |
| CEO | Robert D. Isom Jr. | Frederick J. Holzgrefe III |
| Price | 11.69 USD | 294.79 USD |
| Market Cap | 7.71 billion USD | 7.85 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.38 | 2.00 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | September 27, 2005 | September 11, 2002 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AAL and SAIA by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AAL
-15.15%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 42.21%
- Q3
- 26.98%
- Median
- 13.01%
- Q1
- 0.37%
- Min
- -17.14%
AAL has a negative Return on Equity of -15.15%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
SAIA
14.21%
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 27.40%
- Q3
- 13.41%
- Median
- 6.54%
- Q1
- 1.91%
- Min
- -3.46%
In the upper quartile for the Trucking industry, SAIA’s Return on Equity of 14.21% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
AAL
4.12%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 17.34%
- Q3
- 13.78%
- Median
- 4.53%
- Q1
- 1.05%
- Min
- -13.54%
AAL’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.12% is in line with the norm for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
SAIA
10.76%
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 10.76%
- Q3
- 8.53%
- Median
- 3.70%
- Q1
- 1.79%
- Min
- -2.53%
In the upper quartile for the Trucking industry, SAIA’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.76% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AAL
1.26%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 24.88%
- Q3
- 9.50%
- Median
- 3.91%
- Q1
- -1.02%
- Min
- -10.56%
AAL’s Net Profit Margin of 1.26% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
SAIA
9.91%
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 4.81%
- Q3
- 4.61%
- Median
- 2.88%
- Q1
- 1.68%
- Min
- 0.60%
SAIA’s Net Profit Margin of 9.91% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Trucking industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin
AAL
4.31%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 22.38%
- Q3
- 14.22%
- Median
- 9.66%
- Q1
- -0.09%
- Min
- -12.58%
AAL’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.31% is around the midpoint for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
SAIA
13.40%
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 13.40%
- Q3
- 8.09%
- Median
- 4.17%
- Q1
- 2.19%
- Min
- -1.98%
An Operating Profit Margin of 13.40% places SAIA in the upper quartile for the Trucking industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -15.15% | 14.21% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.09% | 9.54% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 4.12% | 10.76% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.26% | 9.91% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.31% | 13.40% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 23.28% | 18.56% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AAL
0.52
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 1.77
- Q3
- 1.68
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.32
AAL’s Current Ratio of 0.52 falls into the lower quartile for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
SAIA
1.43
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 1.90
- Q3
- 1.45
- Median
- 1.24
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.88
SAIA’s Current Ratio of 1.43 aligns with the median group of the Trucking industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AAL
-8.12
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 3.85
- Q3
- 2.92
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.43
- Min
- 0.04
AAL has a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of -8.12, which indicates negative shareholder equity where liabilities exceed assets. This is a critical sign of financial distress.
SAIA
0.18
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 0.63
- Q3
- 0.50
- Median
- 0.34
- Q1
- 0.19
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Trucking industry, SAIA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.18 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AAL
1.25
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 8.60
- Q3
- 6.00
- Median
- 4.19
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- -1.40
AAL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.25 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SAIA
34.28
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 34.42
- Q3
- 21.52
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 1.68
- Min
- -2.10
SAIA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 34.28 is in the upper quartile for the Trucking industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.52 | 1.43 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.42 | 1.43 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -8.12 | 0.18 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.58 | 0.12 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 8.51 | 0.61 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.25 | 34.28 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AAL and SAIA. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AAL
0.00%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 162.17%
- Q3
- 2.10%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AAL currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
SAIA
0.00%
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 2.03%
- Q3
- 1.69%
- Median
- 1.22%
- Q1
- 0.65%
- Min
- 0.00%
SAIA currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AAL
0.00%
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 106.87%
- Q3
- 15.62%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AAL has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
SAIA
0.00%
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 195.49%
- Q3
- 55.74%
- Median
- 19.72%
- Q1
- 9.76%
- Min
- 0.00%
SAIA has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AAL
11.24
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 24.07
- Q3
- 18.40
- Median
- 12.44
- Q1
- 11.24
- Min
- 7.21
AAL’s P/E Ratio of 11.24 is within the middle range for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
SAIA
24.52
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 48.87
- Q3
- 44.85
- Median
- 26.67
- Q1
- 17.49
- Min
- 8.11
SAIA’s P/E Ratio of 24.52 is within the middle range for the Trucking industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AAL
0.21
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 1.38
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.61
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.03
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry.
SAIA
1.22
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 1.65
- Q3
- 1.08
- Median
- 0.80
- Q1
- 0.63
- Min
- 0.14
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Trucking industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AAL
0.14
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 1.84
- Q3
- 1.69
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.14
In the lower quartile for the Airlines, Airports & Air Services industry, AAL’s P/S Ratio of 0.14 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
SAIA
2.42
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 1.13
- Q3
- 1.02
- Median
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.39
With a P/S Ratio of 2.42, SAIA trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Trucking industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AAL
-1.71
Airlines, Airports & Air Services Industry
- Max
- 12.86
- Q3
- 8.15
- Median
- 2.07
- Q1
- 1.50
- Min
- 0.62
AAL has a negative P/B Ratio of -1.71, indicating its liabilities exceed its assets and result in negative shareholder equity. This is a critical warning sign of financial distress.
SAIA
3.34
Trucking Industry
- Max
- 3.14
- Q3
- 1.98
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.84
At 3.34, SAIA’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Trucking industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AAL | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 11.24 | 24.52 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 1.22 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 0.14 | 2.42 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -1.71 | 3.34 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 2.19 | -38.68 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 10.34 | 12.59 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 0.80 | 2.55 |