In the transportation sector, a significant divide has emerged to drive a wedge between airlines and trucking companies.
By tracking the First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (NASDAQ: FTXR), investors will see this fund nearing new 52-week highs, led by its top holdings in airline names.
However, near the bottom of the list are the trucking companies that power the U.S. consumer and business logistics chain, collectively trading well into bear market territory. Whether it is due to tariff fears or consumption hiccups, markets have decided to sell these names into oblivion.
But this is also where bold investors can capitalize on huge profit potential through a contrarian bet. With just enough momentum building under the surface, a rebound could deliver outsized returns. Investors should consider keeping an eye on SAIA Inc. (NASDAQ: SAIA), J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (NASDAQ: JBHT), and RXO Inc. (NYSE: RXO) ahead of a potential sector-wide recovery.
SAIA Stock Could Lead the Rebound on PMI Turnaround
Investors often stay away from tracking macroeconomic data, since it can be intimidating to understand and thoroughly analyze. However, when it comes to the trucking industry, there is one that provides the most value: the Manufacturing PMI.
Since this indicator has been weakening recently, it makes sense for the market to start discounting the industries most affected by it—and trucking is one of them. But, with the Federal Reserve (the Fed) cutting interest rates in September 2025, a potential rebound could be set up for the PMI in the coming quarters.
This is where SAIA’s hub-and-spoke terminals tend to outperform, especially on the re-stocking wave that comes as the PMI recovers into expansion. It is also a reason to justify the consensus price target of $346.26, which calls for 15.7% upside from where it trades today, still well below the company’s 52-week high of just over $620 per share.
SAIA—a regional less‑than-truckload (LTL) carrier specializing in premium freight in the eastern United States—delivered $2.67 in earnings per share (EPS) in the most recent quarter, even before the effects of rate cuts were put in place. This EPS beat the MarketBeat consensus of $2.39 and suggests the stock may already be outperforming expectations, and that Wall Street could be underestimating its near-term potential.
J.B. Hunt Offers Stability Amid Sector Volatility
J.B. Hunt is a leading provider of diversified logistics and intermodal trucking services, with a strong presence in dedicated and intermodal contracts. Its dedicated business line is inherently designed to cushion the trucking cyclicality through sticky revenue streams, thanks to multi-year on-site fleet contracts. Fundamentally, this is why JBHT trades at 67% of its 52-week high. While still in bear market territory, it is well above the 48% under which RXO and SAIA trade today.
Institutional investors are backing the stock, with Corient Private Wealth increasing its holdings by 3.7% in September 2025, bringing its total stake to $62 million. This move can be seen as a vote of confidence in J.B. Hunt’s future potential, and is reflected in the stock’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 24.4x, compared to its transportation sector peers, which have an average of 13.8x.
Rather than seeing this premium as expensive, investors should view it as recognition of J.B. Hunt’s resilience and growth prospects.
RXO Could Deliver the Biggest Gains If the Cycle Turns
While J.B. Hunt offers downside protection, RXO is the upside play. The company’s edge comes from its digital broker marketplace, which allows for increased leverage with minimal capital investment required.
Smart money is paying attention. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd., for example, increased its holdings by 3.8% in August 2025. The company now owns 19% of RXO, a massive $493.2 million bet on a trucking upcycle.
Part of this theme is already manifesting itself, as the company reported four cents in EPS compared to the two-cent MarketBeat consensus, a 100% beat in a time when the industry is under heavy bearish pressure.
Where Should You Invest $1,000 Right Now?
Before you make your next trade, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis.
Our team has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and none of the big name stocks were on the list.
They believe these five stocks are the five best companies for investors to buy now...
The article "Forget Airlines—These Trucking Stocks Are Shifting Into High Gear" first appeared on MarketBeat.
