Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ:ODFL) Issues Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.03 EPS

Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ:ODFL) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The transportation company reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.03, Briefing.com reports. The company had revenue of $1.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.30 billion. Old Dominion Freight Line had a net margin of 18.62% and a return on equity of 24.03%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.23 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Old Dominion Freight Line’s conference call:

• Q4 revenue was $1.31 billion (-5.7% YoY) with LTL tons per day down 10.7%, and the operating ratio deteriorated to 76.7%, reflecting deleveraging from lower volumes.
• Strong cash generation — operating cash flow was $1.4 billion for 2025, the company repurchased $730.3 million of stock for the year, and the board raised the quarterly dividend 3.6% to $0.29, supporting shareholder returns.
• Management is “cautiously optimistic” after a strong ISM print and rising weight per shipment, guiding Q1 revenue between $1.25B–$1.3B and expecting ~150 basis points of sequential OR deterioration from Q4 (±20 bps).
• Company says it has unmatched capacity to capture a recovery — roughly 35% spare service-center capacity and a refreshed fleet (average tractor age ~3.9 years) that should enable market-share gains when volumes rebound.

Old Dominion Freight Line Price Performance

ODFL stock traded down $0.91 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $201.23. 869,810 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,260,020. The stock has a market capitalization of $42.08 billion, a PE ratio of 41.68, a P/E/G ratio of 10.38 and a beta of 1.28. Old Dominion Freight Line has a 52 week low of $126.01 and a 52 week high of $209.61. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $165.35 and a 200 day moving average price of $151.50.

Old Dominion Freight Line Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be issued a dividend of $0.29 per share. This is a positive change from Old Dominion Freight Line’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 4th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Old Dominion Freight Line’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22.54%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Old Dominion Freight Line

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in shares of Old Dominion Freight Line by 5.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 1,559 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $275,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in Old Dominion Freight Line by 134.9% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 10,213 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,690,000 after purchasing an additional 5,866 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP bought a new position in Old Dominion Freight Line during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $7,478,000. Jump Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Old Dominion Freight Line in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,891,000. Finally, AXA S.A. boosted its stake in shares of Old Dominion Freight Line by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 20,253 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $3,287,000 after purchasing an additional 238 shares during the last quarter. 77.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Old Dominion Freight Line News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Old Dominion Freight Line this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beats and signs of pricing power: ODFL beat EPS and revenue expectations, reported a solid operating ratio and raised its quarterly dividend, which supports cash return and shows management confidence. Old Dominion Proves Pricing Power In A Tough Trucking Market
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades lifting sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target (big boost reported), which helped the stock rally earlier in the week. Old Dominion Climbs as Morgan Stanley Hikes PT
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple firms raised price targets after the quarter (Evercore, Jefferies, TD Cowen), reflecting improved analyst estimates even as volumes stay weak. Analysts Boost Their Forecasts After Better-Than-Expected Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Freight-market tone improving: Management and industry commentary indicate the market is “starting to feel a little bit better,” a constructive signal but framed cautiously. Old Dominion: Freight market ‘starting to feel a little bit better’
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $216 target — modest upside but not a buy signal — keeping analyst views mixed. Citigroup Reaffirms Neutral
• Negative Sentiment: Volume and revenue weakness: Revenue fell ~5.7% Y/Y and LTL tons per day declined roughly 10.7% Y/Y — the core demand weakness is the main headwind to near-term earnings growth. Analysts Boost Their Forecasts After Better-Than-Expected Q4 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed-to-negative analyst moves: Robert W. Baird downgraded to underperform and Wells Fargo left an underweight call (even while some PTs were raised), contributing to downward pressure and conflicting signals for investors. Baird Downgrades Old Dominion Wells Fargo Price Target Change
• Negative Sentiment: Early investor reaction and share pullback: Several reports note the stock dipped on the quarterly print and softer demand metrics, indicating investors are torn between pricing strength and volume declines. Old Dominion Dips in Early Reaction to Q4 Earnings

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on ODFL shares. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $165.00 price objective on shares of Old Dominion Freight Line in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Old Dominion Freight Line from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, January 25th. Susquehanna reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $170.00 target price on shares of Old Dominion Freight Line in a research report on Monday, January 5th. TD Cowen raised their price target on Old Dominion Freight Line from $167.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Truist Financial set a $225.00 price objective on shares of Old Dominion Freight Line in a research report on Thursday. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Old Dominion Freight Line currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $181.50.

About Old Dominion Freight Line

Old Dominion Freight Line is a U.S.-based less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation company that provides regional, inter-regional and national freight services. Founded in 1934 and headquartered in Thomasville, North Carolina, the company has grown from a regional carrier into a national freight network, operating a broad system of service centers and terminals to move shipments for shippers of varying sizes and industries.

The company’s core business is LTL trucking, offering scheduled pickup and delivery for palletized freight that does not require a full truckload.