Forward Air Corporation logo

Forward Air Corporation(FWRD)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL
1-STAR RATING
PASS
LAST CLOSE
$15.32
10/19/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
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  • BUY Advisory
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  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
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Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for FWRD

10/19/2026: FWRD (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Forward Air Corporation is a specialized logistics provider known for its high-value, time-definite expedited LTL and intermodal services. The company recently underwent a transformational acquisition of Omni Logistics to broaden its service reach, positioning it as a more comprehensive supply chain partner. While this scale creates significant long-term opportunities for growth and cross-selling, it has also burdened the balance sheet with debt and introduced complex integration execution risks. Investors should monitor the company's progress in achieving cost synergies and reducing leverage. The stock is best suited for those who can tolerate volatility and are focused on the long-term success of the post-merger integration strategy.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorMixed fitGrowth is currently driven more by M&A synergy realization than organic market expansion.
Momentum investorWeak fitThe stock has experienced significant volatility and is currently not in a strong uptrend.
Value investorMixed fitValuation may be attractive following pullbacks, but the balance sheet remains a concern.
Dividend investorWeak fitCapital allocation is currently prioritized toward debt reduction rather than dividend growth.
Low-risk investorWeak fitHigh leverage and integration risks make this unsuitable for risk-averse portfolios.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityHighRecent M&A news has caused significant price fluctuations.
Valuation riskMediumFuture earnings depend heavily on successful synergy realization.
Competition risk (LTL freight competition)HighLarge national LTL carriers compete directly for premium freight.
Business qualityMediumThe business is quality-driven but currently undergoing a major structural transformation.
Dividend incomeLowDividend payouts are secondary to de-leveraging the company.
Execution riskHighIntegrating the large Omni Logistics merger is a complex, multi-year process.

Price Behavior

Steep Decline
PRICE PATH

Steep Decline

The stock price has dropped sharply with strong downward pressure.

Extreme Price Shocks
PRICE STABILITY

Extreme Price Shocks

The stock has experienced exceptionally large and disruptive price movements during the period.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit 22.56%
Avg. Invested days 40
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 3.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 3.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/19/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
FWRD receives a 3-star rating, supported by solid company fundamentals, and solid analyst coverage. The rating is constrained by weak unit economics, and weak price momentum.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
FWRD has solid overall fundamentals (4 stars), with moderate financial health, solid growth momentum, and solid ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, strong earnings growth (+86.8%) is partially offset by soft cash generation (FCF margin 0.6%), moderate revenue growth (+0.8%), weak profitability (net margin -4.3%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
FWRD's financial health is supported by moderate cash strength, including free-cash-flow generation (0.6% of revenue). Profitability is soft (2 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Free-cash-flow growth is FWRD's strongest growth driver at +113.6% FY2025 versus FY2024 (strong, 5 stars). By comparison, earnings growth (+86.8%, strong) is also strong, while revenue growth (+0.8%, moderate) holds the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 97.3% and approximately 80.8% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 1.86% provides only moderate management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

Clearlake Capital Group LP 11.32%
BlackRock Inc 8.21%
FMR Inc 5.95%
Bracebridge Capital, LLC 4.16%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 3.46%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
FWRD generates approximately $205 of gross profit, $15 of operating income, and $6 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Weak margins explain the 1-star rating, with weak cash conversion and weak capital efficiency.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 3.72%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
FWRD has a liquid profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback, while elevated volatility.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Value-OrientedHigh VolatilitySmall / Mid Cap RiskShort Squeeze RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 508.06M USD
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 24.5
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 24.5
Volume (30-day avg) 452.8K shares
Beta 1.41
52 Weeks Range 7.86 - 31.18
Updated Date 10/18/2026
52 Weeks Range 7.86 - 31.18
Updated Date 10/18/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) -8.92

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Expedited LTLTime-sensitive freight servicesThe core, high-margin foundation of the company.
Logistics Services (Omni)Freight forwarding and value-added servicesA larger, broader platform providing end-to-end solutions.
GeographyNorth American operationsThe company relies on the health of the US industrial supply chain.

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Valuation

Trailing PE -
Forward PE 19.92
Enterprise Value 2.48B
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.2
Enterprise Value 2.48B
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.2
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.98
Enterprise Value to EBITDA 13.24
Shares Outstanding 33.78M
Shares Floating 27.31M
Shares Outstanding 33.78M
Shares Floating 27.31M
Percent Insiders 1.86
Percent Institutions 97.33

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

Form CRS provides a relationship summary of our automated advisory services, flat subscription fees, and conflicts of interest. Form ADV Part 2A brochure contains complete details on services, billing, and disclosures. If any summary differs from our current regulatory filings, the filed Form ADV controls.