MRTN
Marten Transport, Ltd. Industrials - Trucking Investor Relations →
Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) closed at $12.18 as of 2026-03-20, trading 26.4% below its 200-week moving average of $16.55. This places MRTN in the extreme value zone. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from -29.4% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 53, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.6x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.90 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2012 weeks of data, MRTN has crossed below its 200-week moving average 38 times. On average, these episodes lasted 14 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MRTN at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +15.2%.
With a market cap of $994 million, MRTN is a small-cap stock. Free cash flow yield is currently negative, meaning the company is burning cash. Return on equity stands at 2.3%. The stock trades at 1.3x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MRTN would have grown to $2612, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. MRTN has returned 10.3% annualized vs 10.4% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -100% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: MRTN vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MRTN Crosses Below the Line?
Across 37 historical episodes, buying MRTN when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +11.3% after 12 months (median +18.0%), compared to +10.6% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 64% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +44.6% vs +20.8% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MRTN crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MRTN has crossed below its 200-week MA 38 times with an average 1-year return of +15.2% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1987 | Mar 1991 | 183 | 66.4% | -60.0% | +2084.8% |
| May 1991 | Jun 1991 | 4 | 9.4% | +40.9% | +5362.0% |
| Dec 1995 | Dec 1995 | 1 | 1.1% | -11.7% | +1902.7% |
| Jan 1996 | Jan 1996 | 2 | 0.4% | -9.8% | +1869.9% |
| Mar 1996 | Apr 1996 | 1 | 0.0% | -23.0% | +1807.3% |
| Jun 1996 | Jul 1997 | 57 | 29.6% | -18.7% | +1777.5% |
| Mar 1999 | Apr 1999 | 4 | 10.8% | +25.6% | +1680.2% |
| May 1999 | Jun 1999 | 1 | 1.3% | +12.6% | +1586.5% |
| Jun 1999 | Dec 1999 | 25 | 18.2% | +8.3% | +1568.9% |
| Jun 2000 | Jun 2000 | 1 | 0.5% | +26.0% | +1502.2% |
| Oct 2000 | Jan 2001 | 14 | 15.8% | +46.2% | +1622.8% |
| Feb 2001 | Feb 2001 | 1 | 4.5% | +33.9% | +1470.8% |
| Mar 2001 | Mar 2001 | 2 | 4.1% | +40.7% | +1455.5% |
| Apr 2001 | May 2001 | 2 | 6.0% | +25.8% | +1464.6% |
| Feb 2007 | Feb 2007 | 1 | 0.1% | +11.0% | +309.8% |
| Jul 2007 | Jan 2008 | 27 | 31.3% | +33.9% | +297.7% |
| Feb 2008 | Apr 2008 | 10 | 10.5% | +22.1% | +296.9% |
| Jun 2008 | Jul 2008 | 2 | 5.3% | +32.4% | +274.9% |
| Sep 2008 | Oct 2008 | 1 | 0.8% | +3.5% | +253.4% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 1 | 7.2% | +16.4% | +277.2% |
| Nov 2008 | Dec 2008 | 6 | 6.2% | +10.0% | +260.7% |
| Jan 2009 | Jan 2009 | 2 | 6.5% | +8.2% | +259.4% |
| Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | 3 | 10.0% | +13.8% | +258.3% |
| Jul 2009 | Oct 2009 | 11 | 4.2% | +31.4% | +240.6% |
| Oct 2009 | Dec 2009 | 7 | 4.1% | +21.2% | +238.3% |
| Jan 2010 | Feb 2010 | 4 | 2.0% | +16.2% | +246.2% |
| Aug 2011 | Jan 2012 | 22 | 14.3% | +6.4% | +229.0% |
| Jul 2012 | Jan 2013 | 26 | 14.3% | +39.5% | +199.4% |
| Sep 2015 | Oct 2015 | 2 | 4.8% | +29.6% | +122.5% |
| Oct 2015 | Nov 2015 | 4 | 4.9% | +18.6% | +117.4% |
| Nov 2015 | Dec 2015 | 3 | 6.1% | +46.9% | +117.1% |
| Jan 2016 | Mar 2016 | 9 | 7.1% | +44.4% | +128.7% |
| Apr 2016 | Apr 2016 | 1 | 2.4% | +33.4% | +114.3% |
| Mar 2020 | Mar 2020 | 1 | 4.0% | +52.8% | +24.5% |
| Apr 2024 | May 2024 | 4 | 7.2% | -20.8% | -26.4% |
| May 2024 | Jun 2024 | 5 | 3.1% | -25.3% | -28.6% |
| Jul 2024 | Jul 2024 | 1 | 2.6% | -20.0% | -27.8% |
| Jul 2024 | Ongoing | 86+ | 43.5% | Ongoing | -29.9% |
| Average | 14 | — | +15.2% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MRTN below its 200-week moving average?
Yes. As of 2026-03-20, Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) is trading 26.4% below its 200-week moving average of $16.55. The current price is $12.18.
What is MRTN's 200-week moving average price?
Marten Transport, Ltd.'s 200-week moving average is $16.55 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when MRTN drops below its 200-week moving average?
MRTN has crossed below its 200-week moving average 38 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +15.2%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 14 weeks on average.
Is MRTN a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about MRTN as of 2026-03-20: The stock is below its 200-week moving average, which is the starting point for our analysis. The 14-week RSI is 53. Free cash flow is currently negative. Return on equity is 2.3%. Price-to-book is 1.3x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does MRTN compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in MRTN would have grown to $2612, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 10.3% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. MRTN has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does MRTN pay a dividend?
Yes. Marten Transport, Ltd. currently pays a dividend yield of 197.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20