ODFL vs. UAL: Old Dominion Freight Line vs. United Airlines Stock Comparison
How do Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) and United Airlines (UAL) 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
Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) and United Airlines (UAL) both fall under the Transportation industry group, but ODFL is classified in Ground Transportation while UAL is classified in Passenger Airlines.
| Profile Item | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. | United Airlines Holdings, Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry Group | Transportation | Transportation |
| GICS Industry | Ground Transportation | Passenger Airlines |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Cargo Ground Transportation | Passenger Airlines |
| Market Capitalization | 33.98 billion USD | 36.63 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | October 24, 1991 | February 6, 2006 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 22.71% | 22.35% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -3.43% | 47.27% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -0.10% | 17.68% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 38.79% | 48.88% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.14 | 1.32 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -45.18% | -49.19% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.83M | 4.24M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.48 | 0.37 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.70 | 0.59 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 26.01% and United Airlines (UAL) at 22.31% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
26.01%
- Max
- 45.08%
- ODFL
- 26.01%
- Q3
- 22.02%
- Median
- 13.94%
- Q1
- 2.89%
- Min
- -10.45%
UAL
Transportation industry group
22.31%
- Max
- 45.08%
- UAL
- 22.31%
- Q3
- 22.02%
- Median
- 13.94%
- Q1
- 2.89%
- Min
- -10.45%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 20.08% and United Airlines (UAL) at 5.46% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
20.08%
- Max
- 50.36%
- Q3
- 21.18%
- ODFL
- 20.08%
- Median
- 5.58%
- Q1
- 1.55%
- Min
- -11.37%
UAL
Transportation industry group
5.46%
- Max
- 50.36%
- Q3
- 21.18%
- Median
- 5.58%
- UAL
- 5.46%
- Q1
- 1.55%
- Min
- -11.37%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 28.52% and United Airlines (UAL) at 7.03% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
28.52%
- Max
- 59.18%
- Q3
- 29.30%
- ODFL
- 28.52%
- Median
- 11.50%
- Q1
- 4.62%
- Min
- -8.91%
UAL
Transportation industry group
7.03%
- Max
- 59.18%
- Q3
- 29.30%
- Median
- 11.50%
- UAL
- 7.03%
- Q1
- 4.62%
- Min
- -8.91%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 26.01% | 22.31% |
| ROA (TTM) | 16.59% | 3.31% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 20.08% | 5.46% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 28.52% | 7.03% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 39.88% | 30.87% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
United Airlines (UAL) at 3.52% 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.
EPS Growth
Both Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at -11.68% and United Airlines (UAL) at 7.94% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -5.48% | 3.52% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -4.24% | 9.53% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -11.68% | 7.94% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -7.37% | 66.00% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 2.04 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while United Airlines (UAL) at 0.75 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
2.04
- Max
- 2.58
- ODFL
- 2.04
- Q3
- 1.62
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.22
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.75
- Max
- 2.58
- Q3
- 1.62
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.78
- UAL
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.22
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 0.00 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while United Airlines (UAL) at 1.93 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
0.00
- Max
- 2.75
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 0.78
- Q1
- 0.35
- ODFL
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
UAL
Transportation industry group
1.93
- Max
- 2.75
- UAL
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 0.78
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.04 | 0.75 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.00 | 1.93 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.24 | 2.79 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) reports a yield of 0.67%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
0.67%
- Max
- 4.68%
- Q3
- 1.99%
- Median
- 0.74%
- ODFL
- 0.67%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 4.68%
- Q3
- 1.99%
- Median
- 0.74%
- UAL
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) reports a payout of 20.65%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
20.65%
- Max
- 100.89%
- Q3
- 41.68%
- ODFL
- 20.65%
- Median
- 20.43%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 100.89%
- Q3
- 41.68%
- Median
- 20.43%
- UAL
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.67% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 20.65% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) at 10.32 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 29.61 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for UAL, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
29.61
- Max
- 46.76
- Q3
- 30.87
- ODFL
- 29.61
- Median
- 20.58
- Q1
- 10.44
- Min
- 0.00
UAL
Transportation industry group
10.32
- Max
- 46.76
- Q3
- 30.87
- Median
- 20.58
- Q1
- 10.44
- UAL
- 10.32
- Min
- 0.00
P/S Ratio (TTM)
United Airlines (UAL) at 0.56 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 5.87 clears its benchmark range — ODFL looks notably rich on sales.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
5.87
- ODFL
- 5.87
- Max
- 4.35
- Q3
- 2.07
- Median
- 0.93
- Q1
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.04
UAL
Transportation industry group
0.56
- Max
- 4.35
- Q3
- 2.07
- Median
- 0.93
- UAL
- 0.56
- Q1
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
United Airlines (UAL) at 2.06 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) at 7.29 prices above its benchmark range — ODFL looks rich relative to book.
ODFL
Transportation industry group
7.29
- ODFL
- 7.29
- Max
- 6.29
- Q3
- 3.39
- Median
- 1.90
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- -2.07
UAL
Transportation industry group
2.06
- Max
- 6.29
- Q3
- 3.39
- UAL
- 2.06
- Median
- 1.90
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- -2.07
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 29.61 | 10.32 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 5.87 | 0.56 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 7.29 | 2.06 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.93% | -1.57% |