Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

Heartland Express Inc (HTLD)

175 + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in HTLD. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↑ +8
Streak
1Q ▲
Buyers last Q
58%

Smart Money Signals — HTLD

Based on 177 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row

last 6Q
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added HTLD than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (97% of max)

97% of all-time peak
177 hedge funds hold HTLD right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
〰️

Stable — ownership unchanged year-over-year

fund count last 6Q
The number of hedge funds holding HTLD is almost the same as a year ago (-6 funds, -3% change). No significant rush to buy or sell — institutional backing is holding steady.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 58% buying

94 buying69 selling
Last quarter: 94 funds bought or added vs 69 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
📈

More new buyers each quarter (+7 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening a new HTLD position: 24 → 31 → 20 → 27. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.
🔒

66% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 66% conviction (2yr+) ■ 15% medium ■ 19% new
116 out of 177 hedge funds have held HTLD for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
➡️

Steady discovery — ~27 new funds/quarter

38 → 24 → 31 → 20 → 27 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 24 → 31 → 20 → 27. Consistent flow of new institutional buyers without clear acceleration or slowdown.
🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 69% veterans vs 21% newcomers

■ 69% veterans ■ 10% 1-2yr ■ 21% new
Entry-cohort mix of 179 holders: 124 (69%) are 2+ year veterans, 18 entered 1–2 years ago, and 37 (21%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆

Elite ownership — 45% AUM from top-100 funds

45% from top-100 AUM funds
40 of 177 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 45% of total institutional value in HTLD. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
3.3
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.3/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — HTLD

In 2026 Q1, 94 hedge funds were net buyers of HTLD (27 opened a new position, 67 added to an existing one), while 69 reduced or exited (50 trimmed, 19 sold completely) — a 58% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. 45% of total institutional value in HTLD is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +8 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 177.

Hedge Fund Ownership: HTLD

How many hedge funds hold HTLD — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of HTLD vs. share price

Market Analysis: HTLD

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: HTLD

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy Heartland Express Inc (HTLD) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much HTLD has moved relative to its sector benchmark (XLI) since the 2026 Q1 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End March 31, 2026 · 85d ago
HTLD
+40.8%
XLI
+10.2%

HTLD outperformed XLI by +30.6% since March 31, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date May 15, 2026 · 40d ago
HTLD
+18.5%
XLI
+3.9%

Since the filing became public, HTLD outperformed XLI by +14.6% .

Interpretation: The stock has meaningfully outrun its sector. The trade has partially played out; entry is at a premium to the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Limited Smart Money Interest

No strong consensus or elite conviction detected among institutional holders.

19 top-rated funds 1 high-conviction
Consensus
5.6
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
1.4
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: HTLD
175 + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in HTLD. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 175 169 3.55%
13F Shares 37M 37M 0.75%
Total Value $378M $331M 14.43%
New Positions 25 20 +5
Increased Positions 66 66 -
Closed Positions 19 22 -3
Reduced Positions 49 61 -12
Total Calls 0 1 -100.0%
Total Puts 2 0 100%
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.0 0.0 Bullish

Statistics: HTLD

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

175 + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in HTLD. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
Top 25 HTLD holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Gate City Capital Management, LLC 6.39% 1,578,634 $16.4M
2 EVR Research LP 1.37% 330,000 $3.4M
3 Wallace Capital Management Inc. 1.16% 971,067 $10.1M
4 Dean Capital Management 1.05% 244,083 $2.5M
5 Dean Investment Associates, LLC 0.51% 348,531 $3.6M
6 SummerHaven Investment Management, LLC 0.51% 79,234 $824K
7 Enhancing Capital LLC 0.26% 33,950 $353K
8 Beacon Investment Advisors LLC 0.25% 64,831 $674K
9 Punch & Associates Investment Management, INC. 0.20% 330,765 $3.4M
10 Cherokee Insurance Co 0.12% 31,396 $327K
11 Legato Capital Management LLC 0.12% 127,290 $1.3M
12 Bridgeway Capital Management, LLC 0.11% 507,794 $5.3M
13 Tweedy, Browne Co LLC 0.10% 126,656 $1.3M
14 Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC 0.09% 40,941 $426K
15 EntryPoint Capital, LLC 0.08% 24,661 $256K
16 Autumn Glory Partners, LLC 0.07% 17,660 $184K
17 Inceptionr LLC 0.05% 21,900 $228K
18 Inspire Investing, LLC 0.05% 58,609 $610K
19 Penn Capital Management Company, LLC 0.05% 57,783 $601K
20 Prescott General Partners LLC 0.05% 60,000 $624K
21 Hills Bank & Trust Co 0.04% 79,599 $828K
22 Henshaw Capital LLC 0.03% 14,741 $256K
23 LexAurum Advisors, LLC 0.03% 19,000 $198K
24 Empowered Funds, LLC 0.02% 330,678 $3.4M
25 Brandes Investment Partners, LP 0.02% 276,427 $2.9M
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — Heartland Express Inc (HTLD)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for HTLD?

Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row: For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added HTLD than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for HTLD?

Slight buying edge — 58% buying: Last quarter: 94 funds bought or added vs 69 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for HTLD holders?

Elite ownership — 45% AUM from top-100 funds: 40 of 177 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 45% of total institutional value in HTLD. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held HTLD?

66% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 116 out of 177 hedge funds have held HTLD for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy Heartland Express Inc (HTLD) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, HTLD has moved +18.5% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +3.9% for the XLI sector ETF — an outperformance of +14.6%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), HTLD has gained +40.8% vs +10.2% for XLI. The stock has meaningfully outrun its sector. The trade has partially played out; entry is at a premium to the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

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