SAIA vs. MSI

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

SAIA (Saia, Inc.) and MSI (Motorola Solutions, Inc.) are both stocks. SAIA operates in Trucking (Industrials), while MSI operates in Communication Equipment (Technology). Over the past 10 years, SAIA returned 34.25%/yr vs 21.65%/yr for MSI. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

SAIA vs. MSI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Saia, Inc. (SAIA) and Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SAIA achieves a 47.88% return, which is significantly higher than MSI's 7.83% return. Over the past 10 years, SAIA has outperformed MSI with an annualized return of 34.25%, while MSI has yielded a comparatively lower 21.65% annualized return.

SAIA

• 1D: -0.88%
• 1M: 4.89%
• YTD: 47.88%
• 6M: 39.94%
• 1Y: 85.14%
• 3Y*: 15.84%
• 5Y*: 18.61%
• 10Y*: 34.25%

MSI

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 4.82%
• YTD: 7.83%
• 6M: 13.71%
• 1Y: 1.85%
• 3Y*: 15.02%
• 5Y*: 15.56%
• 10Y*: 21.65%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

SAIA vs. MSI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SAIA Saia, Inc.	47.88%	-28.35%	4.00%	108.99%	-37.79%	86.41%	94.16%	66.82%	-21.10%	60.25%
MSI Motorola Solutions, Inc.	7.83%	-16.17%	49.12%	23.04%	-3.81%	61.90%	7.35%	42.19%	29.64%	11.44%

Correlation

The correlation between SAIA and MSI is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.21
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.31
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.31
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 12, 2002	0.31

The correlation between SAIA and MSI shifts across timeframes, from 0.20 (1 year) to 0.31 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap SAIA : $12.94B MSI : $69.26B
EPS SAIA : $9.52 MSI : $12.42
PE Ratio SAIA : 50.72 MSI : 33.20
PEG Ratio SAIA : 18.29 MSI : 2.03
PS Ratio SAIA : 3.98 MSI : 5.85
PB Ratio SAIA : 4.93 MSI : 27.22
Total Revenue (TTM) SAIA : $3.25B MSI : $11.87B
Gross Profit (TTM) SAIA : $1.27B MSI : $5.92B
EBITDA (TTM) SAIA : $603.31M MSI : $3.35B

Return for Risk

SAIA vs. MSI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SAIA

SAIA Risk / Return Rank: 85
SAIA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
SAIA Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
SAIA Omega Ratio Rank: 81
SAIA Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
SAIA Martin Ratio Rank: 87

MSI

MSI Risk / Return Rank: 41
MSI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
MSI Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
MSI Omega Ratio Rank: 38
MSI Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
MSI Martin Ratio Rank: 43

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

SAIA vs. MSI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Saia, Inc. (SAIA) and Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	SAIA	MSI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.80	0.04	+1.76
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.48	0.21	+2.28
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.03	+0.27
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.46	0.04	+3.42
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.08	0.07	+9.01

SAIA vs. MSI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SAIA Sharpe Ratio is 1.80, which is higher than the MSI Sharpe Ratio of 0.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SAIA and MSI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

SAIA vs. MSI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SAIA drawdown since its inception was -80.35%, smaller than the maximum MSI drawdown of -93.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SAIA and MSI.

Drawdown Indicators

	SAIA	MSI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.35%	-93.60%	+13.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-24.92%	-25.45%	+0.53%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-60.94%	-27.01%	-33.93%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-60.94%	-27.23%	-33.71%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.94%	-32.81%	-28.13%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.31%	-17.00%	-3.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-28.96%	-40.70%	+11.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.47%	13.22%	-3.75%

Volatility

SAIA vs. MSI - Volatility Comparison

Saia, Inc. (SAIA) has a higher volatility of 11.47% compared to Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) at 7.28%. This indicates that SAIA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MSI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SAIA	MSI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.47%	7.28%	+4.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	34.98%	19.70%	+15.28%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	47.97%	23.76%	+24.21%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	51.37%	23.06%	+28.31%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	45.75%	25.15%	+20.60%

Dividends

SAIA vs. MSI - Dividend Comparison

SAIA has not paid dividends to shareholders, while MSI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.12%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MSI Motorola Solutions, Inc.	0.85%	1.17%	0.87%	1.16%	1.26%	1.07%	1.55%	1.46%	1.85%	2.14%	2.05%	2.09%
SAIA Saia, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Financials

SAIA vs. MSI - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Saia, Inc. and Motorola Solutions, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

SAIA - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Saia, Inc. reported a gross profit of 741.90M and revenue of 806.23M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 92.0%.

MSI - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.36B and revenue of 2.71B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 50.2%.

SAIA - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Saia, Inc. reported an operating income of 66.81M and revenue of 806.23M, resulting in an operating margin of 8.3%.

MSI - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported an operating income of 525.00M and revenue of 2.71B, resulting in an operating margin of 19.3%.

SAIA - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Saia, Inc. reported a net income of 49.87M and revenue of 806.23M, resulting in a net margin of 6.2%.

MSI - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported a net income of 368.00M and revenue of 2.71B, resulting in a net margin of 13.6%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SAIA and MSI in my portfolio?

SAIA and MSI have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SAIA or MSI?

SAIA has higher volatility (11.47%) compared to MSI (7.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SAIA dropped -80.35% vs MSI's -93.60%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SAIA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.80 vs 0.04), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.