Here's Why Investors Should Give Ryder System Stock a Miss Now

Ryder System R is grappling with challenges, which are significantly impacting its financial stability. The increased operating expenses and weak liquidity are major headwinds hurting the company’s prospects, making it an unattractive choice for investors’ portfolios.

Let us delve deeper

R: Key Risks to Watch

Southward Earnings Estimate Revision: The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-quarter earnings has been revised 16.6% downward in the past 60 days. For 2026, the consensus mark for earnings has been revised 4.4% downward in the same time frame.

The unfavorable estimate revision indicates brokers’ lack of confidence in the stock.

Dim Price Performance: The company’s price trend reveals that its shares have fallen 7.2% over the past month compared with the Transportation - Equipment and Leasing industry’s 7.3% decline.

Weak Zacks Rank: R currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Headwinds: Ryder System faces significant financial pressure from elevated operating costs and weak liquidity. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the company reported high operating expenses, driven partly by a 1.5% increase in selling, general and administrative expenses, which accounted for about 23% of the total operating costs. Ryder has steadily increased its operating expenses over the past few years, from $10.8 billion in 2022 to $11.2 billion in 2023 and $11.9 billion in 2024. This persistent rise in costs could strain Ryder’s operational performance and financial stability if the trend continues.

Ryder’s liquidity position is concerning. The company exited the fourth quarter of 2025 with cash and cash equivalents of $198 million, lower than the current debt level of $819 million. This implies that the company does not have sufficient cash to meet its current debt obligations. The long-term debt level has increased to $6.83 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025 from $6.66 billion at the end of fourth-quarter 2024. The current ratio (a measure of liquidity) was pegged at 0.89 for the December-end quarter of 2025.

Stocks to Consider

Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Allegiant Travel Company ALGT and Southwest Airlines LUV.

ALGT currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Allegiant has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year.  The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, and missed the mark once, delivering an average beat of 23.61%.

Southwest Airlines presently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1.

LUV has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, missed once in the remaining, delivering an average beat of 253.9%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research