Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL)
Old Dominion is a premium American trucking company that specialises in moving smaller, time-sensitive freight across the country.
Is Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Strong reputation for reliable, on-time delivery. Worth weighing: High valuation compared to typical industrial companies. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. fell as much as −46% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Dominating the premium shipping market through superior service.
Increased competition or a major shift in logistics technology.
What does Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. do?
Think of Old Dominion as the high-end courier of the trucking world, focusing on 'less-than-truckload' shipments where they combine goods from different customers into one trailer. The premium they charge rests on a hard-won reputation for reliability and on-time delivery. How they hold onto their high profit margins even when the broader economy slows and demand for shipping dips is worth following.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and momentum, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 0.6% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 10% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 19% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 41 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 25%)
- Quality screens high (71/100)
- Strong reputation for reliable, on-time delivery
- High profit margins compared to typical trucking firms
- Efficient use of shareholder capital
- Value screens low (18/100)
- Sensitivity to fuel price spikes
- Vulnerability to a general economic downturn
- High operational costs to maintain a large fleet and terminal network
What do Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 0.6% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.'s dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-28 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-29 | $1.53 | $1.68 | Beat +10% |
| 2026-04-29 | $1.05 | $1.14 | Beat +8% |
| 2026-02-04 | $1.06 | $1.09 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-10-29 | $1.22 | $1.28 | Beat +5% |
| 2025-07-30 | $1.29 | $1.27 | Missed -1% |
| 2025-04-23 | $1.14 | $1.19 | Beat +4% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Southwest Airlines Co.What are the scenarios for Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong reputation for reliable, on-time delivery
- High profit margins compared to typical trucking firms
- Efficient use of shareholder capital
- High valuation compared to typical industrial companies
- Recent dip in revenue and earnings growth
- Small dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone. may not appeal to income-focused investors
- Sensitivity to fuel price spikes
- Vulnerability to a general economic downturn
- High operational costs to maintain a large fleet and terminal network
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained period of falling profit margins
- Loss of market share to lower-cost competitors
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.