MRTN
Marten Transport, Ltd. Industrials - Trucking Investor Relations →
Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) closed at $14.79 as of 2026-07-31, trading 9.3% below its 200-week moving average of $16.30. This places MRTN in the deep value zone. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from -0.1% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 50, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.2x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.27 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2031 weeks of data, MRTN has crossed below its 200-week moving average 39 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 +13.9%.
With a market cap of $1207 million, MRTN is a small-cap stock. Return on equity stands at 1.6%. The stock trades at 1.6x book value.
Over the past 33.6 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MRTN would have grown to $3183, compared to $3098 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 10.9% vs 10.8% for the index — confirming MRTN as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -100% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($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 +10.5% 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 +38.6% vs +23.2% 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.
Bean Score Experimental
The Bean Score measures how far a stock's free cash flow yield has deviated from its own quarterly baseline, normalized by the stock's historical behavior. MRTN currently has negative free cash flow, so price-based dislocation levels are not available. The score still tracks yield deviation from baseline.
Quarterly FCF & Yield Trailing twelve-month free cash flow and yield at each quarter end
Signal Accuracy Collecting Data
The Bean Score system is accumulating weekly data to validate signal accuracy. After 13+ weeks of history, this section will display win rates and average returns for each σ threshold crossing — answering the question: "When this score says cheap or expensive, does the price subsequently move in the expected direction?"
Theoretical framework — not backtested or forward-tested. The Bean Score uses trailing twelve-month free cash flow yield as a dislocation identifier. It measures whether the market has pushed a stock's yield unusually far from its own baseline behavior. These levels are reference points for identifying potential swing trade opportunities, not buy/sell signals. FCF values update quarterly with earnings; between reports, all movement is price-driven.
Dislocation Scores Experimental
Each score measures deviation from MRTN's own historical baseline — the same idea as the Bean Score, applied to different fundamentals. Positive means cheaper or more dislocated than this stock's norm. Scores marked σ are normalized by the stock's own variability; pp values are simple deltas from its recent baseline.
Theoretical framework — not backtested. These scores describe how unusual today's readings are for this specific company. They are starting points for research, not buy or sell signals. Annual-statement scores (buyback, accruals, FCF vs history) rest on only ~4 yearly data points and are deltas, not sigmas.
Historical Touches
MRTN has crossed below its 200-week MA 39 times with an average 1-year return of +13.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1987 | Mar 1991 | 183 | 66.4% | -60.0% | +2561.9% |
| May 1991 | Jun 1991 | 4 | 9.4% | +40.9% | +6554.8% |
| Dec 1995 | Dec 1995 | 1 | 1.1% | -11.7% | +2340.1% |
| Jan 1996 | Jan 1996 | 2 | 0.4% | -9.8% | +2300.1% |
| Mar 1996 | Apr 1996 | 1 | 0.0% | -23.0% | +2223.9% |
| Jun 1996 | Jul 1997 | 57 | 29.6% | -18.7% | +2187.6% |
| Mar 1999 | Apr 1999 | 4 | 10.8% | +25.6% | +2069.0% |
| May 1999 | Jun 1999 | 1 | 1.3% | +12.6% | +1954.8% |
| Jun 1999 | Dec 1999 | 25 | 18.2% | +8.3% | +1933.4% |
| Jun 2000 | Jun 2000 | 1 | 0.5% | +26.0% | +1852.1% |
| Oct 2000 | Jan 2001 | 14 | 15.8% | +46.2% | +1999.0% |
| Feb 2001 | Feb 2001 | 1 | 4.5% | +33.9% | +1813.8% |
| Mar 2001 | Mar 2001 | 2 | 4.1% | +40.7% | +1795.2% |
| Apr 2001 | May 2001 | 2 | 6.0% | +25.8% | +1806.3% |
| Feb 2007 | Feb 2007 | 1 | 0.1% | +11.0% | +399.3% |
| Jul 2007 | Jan 2008 | 27 | 31.3% | +33.9% | +384.6% |
| Feb 2008 | Apr 2008 | 10 | 10.5% | +22.1% | +383.6% |
| Jun 2008 | Jul 2008 | 2 | 5.3% | +32.4% | +356.7% |
| Sep 2008 | Oct 2008 | 1 | 0.8% | +3.5% | +330.6% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 1 | 7.2% | +16.4% | +359.6% |
| Nov 2008 | Dec 2008 | 6 | 6.2% | +10.0% | +339.5% |
| Jan 2009 | Jan 2009 | 2 | 6.5% | +8.2% | +337.9% |
| Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | 3 | 10.0% | +13.8% | +336.6% |
| Jul 2009 | Oct 2009 | 11 | 4.2% | +31.4% | +315.0% |
| Oct 2009 | Dec 2009 | 7 | 4.1% | +21.2% | +312.2% |
| Jan 2010 | Feb 2010 | 4 | 2.0% | +16.2% | +321.8% |
| Aug 2011 | Jan 2012 | 22 | 14.3% | +6.4% | +300.8% |
| Jul 2012 | Jan 2013 | 26 | 14.3% | +39.5% | +264.8% |
| Sep 2015 | Oct 2015 | 2 | 4.8% | +29.6% | +171.1% |
| Oct 2015 | Nov 2015 | 4 | 5.0% | +18.6% | +164.9% |
| Nov 2015 | Dec 2015 | 3 | 6.0% | +46.9% | +164.5% |
| Jan 2016 | Mar 2016 | 9 | 7.1% | +44.4% | +178.6% |
| Apr 2016 | Apr 2016 | 1 | 2.4% | +33.4% | +161.1% |
| Mar 2020 | Mar 2020 | 1 | 3.8% | +52.8% | +51.3% |
| Apr 2024 | May 2024 | 4 | 7.2% | -20.8% | -10.4% |
| May 2024 | Jun 2024 | 5 | 2.9% | -25.3% | -13.0% |
| Jul 2024 | Jul 2024 | 1 | 2.7% | -20.0% | -12.0% |
| Jul 2024 | May 2026 | 94 | 43.5% | -32.9% | -14.6% |
| Jul 2026 | Ongoing | 2+ | 9.3% | Ongoing | -9.3% |
| Average | 14 | — | +13.9% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MRTN below its 200-week moving average?
Yes. As of 2026-07-31, Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) is trading 9.3% below its 200-week moving average of $16.30. The current price is $14.79.
What is MRTN's 200-week moving average price?
Marten Transport, Ltd.'s 200-week moving average is $16.30 as of 2026-07-31. 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 39 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +13.9%. 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 2026-07-31: The stock is below its 200-week moving average, which is the starting point for our analysis. The 14-week RSI is 50. Return on equity is 1.6%. Price-to-book is 1.6x. 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 33.6 years, $100 invested in MRTN would have grown to $3183, compared to $3098 for the S&P 500. That's 10.9% annualized vs 10.8% for the index. MRTN has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does MRTN pay a dividend?
Yes. Marten Transport, Ltd. currently pays a dividend yield of 162.00%.
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 2026-07-31