NSC vs. ODFL: Norfolk Southern vs. Old Dominion Freight Line Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) both belong to the Ground Transportation industry, though NSC is classified under Rail Transportation while ODFL falls under Cargo Ground Transportation.

Company profile comparison for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Profile Item	NSC	ODFL
Name	Norfolk Southern Corp.	Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Transportation	Transportation
GICS Industry	Ground Transportation	Ground Transportation
GICS Sub-Industry	Rail Transportation	Cargo Ground Transportation
Market Capitalization	71.86 billion USD	33.98 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	June 2, 1982	October 24, 1991
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NSC

ODFL

GSPC

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
Total Return (1Y)	16.63%	22.71%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	21.35%	-3.43%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	4.94%	-0.10%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NSC

ODFL

GSPC

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.75%	38.79%
Beta (5Y)	1.19	1.14
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-35.64%	-45.18%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.02M	1.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NSC and ODFL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.57	0.48
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.86	0.70

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 26.01% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 16.84% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ODFL.

NSC

Transportation industry group

16.84%

Max: 45.08%
Q3: 22.02%
NSC: 16.84%
Median: 13.94%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -10.45%

ODFL

Transportation industry group

26.01%

Max: 45.08%
ODFL: 26.01%
Q3: 22.02%
Median: 13.94%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -10.45%

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their ROE against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 20.71% and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 20.08% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

NSC

Transportation industry group

20.71%

Max: 50.36%
Q3: 21.18%
NSC: 20.71%
Median: 5.58%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -11.37%

ODFL

Transportation industry group

20.08%

Max: 50.36%
Q3: 21.18%
ODFL: 20.08%
Median: 5.58%
Q1: 1.55%
Min: -11.37%

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their net margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 35.42% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 28.52%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

NSC

Transportation industry group

35.42%

Max: 59.18%
NSC: 35.42%
Q3: 29.30%
Median: 11.50%
Q1: 4.62%
Min: -8.91%

ODFL

Transportation industry group

28.52%

Max: 59.18%
Q3: 29.30%
ODFL: 28.52%
Median: 11.50%
Q1: 4.62%
Min: -8.91%

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
ROE (TTM)	16.84%	26.01%
ROA (TTM)	6.03%	16.59%
Net Margin (TTM)	20.71%	20.08%
Operating Margin (TTM)	35.42%	28.52%
Gross Margin (TTM)	44.68%	39.88%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 0.47% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at -5.48% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 10.20% and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at -11.68% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	0.47%	-5.48%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-1.50%	-4.24%
EPS Growth (YoY)	10.20%	-11.68%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-2.79%	-7.37%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 0.90 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 2.04 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

NSC

Transportation industry group

0.90

Max: 2.58
Q3: 1.62
Median: 1.16
NSC: 0.90
Q1: 0.78
Min: 0.22

ODFL

Transportation industry group

2.04

Max: 2.58
ODFL: 2.04
Q3: 1.62
Median: 1.16
Q1: 0.78
Min: 0.22

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 0.00 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 1.02 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

NSC

Transportation industry group

1.02

Max: 2.75
Q3: 1.37
NSC: 1.02
Median: 0.78
Q1: 0.35
Min: 0.00

ODFL

Transportation industry group

0.00

Max: 2.75
Q3: 1.37
Median: 0.78
Q1: 0.35
ODFL: 0.00
Min: 0.00

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.90	2.04
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.02	0.00
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.68	-0.24

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 1.65% and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 0.67% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NSC

Transportation industry group

1.65%

Max: 4.68%
Q3: 1.99%
NSC: 1.65%
Median: 0.74%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ODFL

Transportation industry group

0.67%

Max: 4.68%
Q3: 1.99%
Median: 0.74%
ODFL: 0.67%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 20.65% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 45.26% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

NSC

Transportation industry group

45.26%

Max: 100.89%
NSC: 45.26%
Q3: 41.68%
Median: 20.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ODFL

Transportation industry group

20.65%

Max: 100.89%
Q3: 41.68%
ODFL: 20.65%
Median: 20.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.65%	0.67%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	45.26%	20.65%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 26.82 and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 29.61 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NSC

Transportation industry group

26.82

Max: 46.76
Q3: 30.87
NSC: 26.82
Median: 20.58
Q1: 10.44
Min: 0.00

ODFL

Transportation industry group

29.61

Max: 46.76
Q3: 30.87
ODFL: 29.61
Median: 20.58
Q1: 10.44
Min: 0.00

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Investors are paying well above the peer range per dollar of sales for both Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 5.54 and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 5.87 — each P/S ratio clears its industry’s benchmark range.

NSC

Transportation industry group

5.54

NSC: 5.54
Max: 4.35
Q3: 2.07
Median: 0.93
Q1: 0.53
Min: 0.04

ODFL

Transportation industry group

5.87

ODFL: 5.87
Max: 4.35
Q3: 2.07
Median: 0.93
Q1: 0.53
Min: 0.04

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Norfolk Southern (NSC) at 4.30 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 7.29 prices even higher, above its industry range.

NSC

Transportation industry group

4.30

Max: 6.29
NSC: 4.30
Q3: 3.39
Median: 1.90
Q1: 1.03
Min: -2.07

ODFL

Transportation industry group

7.29

ODFL: 7.29
Max: 6.29
Q3: 3.39
Median: 1.90
Q1: 1.03
Min: -2.07

Norfolk Southern (NSC) vs. Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Transportation industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Metric	NSC	ODFL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	26.82	29.61
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.54	5.87
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	4.30	7.29
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.25%	2.93%