SAIA vs. TSLA

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

SAIA (Saia, Inc.) and TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) are both stocks. SAIA operates in Trucking (Industrials), while TSLA operates in Auto Manufacturers (Consumer Cyclical). Over the past 10 years, SAIA returned 34.06%/yr vs 39.56%/yr for TSLA. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

SAIA vs. TSLA - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SAIA achieves a 47.21% return, which is significantly higher than TSLA's -9.07% return. Over the past 10 years, SAIA has underperformed TSLA with an annualized return of 34.06%, while TSLA has yielded a comparatively higher 39.56% annualized return.

SAIA

• 1D: 3.04%
• 1M: 6.87%
• YTD: 47.21%
• 6M: 44.97%
• 1Y: 91.18%
• 3Y*: 17.70%
• 5Y*: 18.78%
• 10Y*: 34.06%

TSLA

• 1D: 4.59%
• 1M: -4.53%
• YTD: -9.07%
• 6M: -6.97%
• 1Y: 38.56%
• 3Y*: 18.72%
• 5Y*: 15.43%
• 10Y*: 39.56%

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

SAIA vs. TSLA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SAIA Saia, Inc.	47.21%	-28.35%	4.00%	108.99%	-37.79%	86.41%	94.16%	66.82%	-21.10%	60.25%
TSLA Tesla, Inc.	-9.07%	11.36%	62.52%	101.72%	-65.03%	49.76%	743.44%	25.70%	6.89%	45.70%

Correlation

The correlation between SAIA and TSLA is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.13
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.20
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.30
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.27
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 30, 2010	0.25

The correlation between SAIA and TSLA shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (1 year) to 0.30 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap SAIA : $12.89B TSLA : $1.45T
EPS SAIA : $9.52 TSLA : $1.10
PE Ratio SAIA : 50.49 TSLA : 372.50
PEG Ratio SAIA : 18.20 TSLA : 45.57
PS Ratio SAIA : 3.96 TSLA : 14.75
PB Ratio SAIA : 4.91 TSLA : 17.20
Total Revenue (TTM) SAIA : $3.25B TSLA : $97.88B
Gross Profit (TTM) SAIA : $1.27B TSLA : $18.66B
EBITDA (TTM) SAIA : $603.31M TSLA : $10.48B

Return for Risk

SAIA vs. TSLA — Risk / Return Rank

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

SAIA

SAIA Risk / Return Rank: 86
SAIA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
SAIA Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
SAIA Omega Ratio Rank: 82
SAIA Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
SAIA Martin Ratio Rank: 87

TSLA

TSLA Risk / Return Rank: 66
TSLA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
TSLA Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
TSLA Omega Ratio Rank: 61
TSLA Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
TSLA Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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. TSLA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Saia, Inc. (SAIA) and Tesla, Inc. (TSLA). 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.

	SAIA	TSLA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.92	0.87	+1.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.58	1.43	+1.16
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.17	+0.14
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.68	1.29	+2.38
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.66	3.01	+6.65
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SAIA vs. TSLA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SAIA Sharpe Ratio is 1.92, which is higher than the TSLA Sharpe Ratio of 0.87. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SAIA and TSLA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SAIA	TSLA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.92	0.87	+1.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	0.26	+0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.75	0.67	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.73	-0.34

Drawdowns

SAIA vs. TSLA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SAIA drawdown since its inception was -80.35%, which is greater than TSLA's maximum drawdown of -73.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SAIA and TSLA.

Drawdown Indicators

	SAIA	TSLA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.35%	-73.63%	-6.72%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-24.92%	-29.93%	+5.01%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-60.94%	-53.77%	-7.17%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-60.94%	-73.63%	+12.69%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.94%	-73.63%	+12.69%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.67%	-16.52%	-4.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-28.75%	-22.73%	-6.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.47%	12.84%	-3.37%

Volatility

SAIA vs. TSLA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Saia, Inc. (SAIA) is 10.29%, while Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) has a volatility of 14.26%. This indicates that SAIA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than TSLA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SAIA	TSLA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.29%	14.26%	-3.97%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	34.85%	28.15%	+6.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	47.90%	44.60%	+3.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	51.36%	58.92%	-7.56%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	45.74%	59.14%	-13.40%

Dividends

SAIA vs. TSLA - Dividend Comparison

Neither SAIA nor TSLA has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Financials

SAIA vs. TSLA - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Saia, Inc. and Tesla, 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%.

TSLA - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Tesla, Inc. reported a gross profit of 4.72B and revenue of 22.39B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 21.1%.

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%.

TSLA - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Tesla, Inc. reported an operating income of 941.00M and revenue of 22.39B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.2%.

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%.

TSLA - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Tesla, Inc. reported a net income of 491.00M and revenue of 22.39B, resulting in a net margin of 2.2%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SAIA and TSLA in my portfolio?

SAIA and TSLA have a correlation of 0.13, 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 TSLA?

TSLA has higher volatility (14.26%) compared to SAIA (10.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SAIA dropped -80.35% vs TSLA's -73.63%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SAIA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.92 vs 0.87), 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.