With a market cap of $42.2 billion, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL) is a leading less-than-truckload motor carrier providing regional, inter-regional, and national transportation services across the United States and North America. It also offers expedited shipping, supply chain consulting, brokerage services, and fleet maintenance operations.
Shares of the trucking firm have lagged behind the broader market over the past 52 weeks. ODFL stock has gained 19.4% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied 24.6%. However, shares of the company have surged 30.4% on a YTD basis, exceeding SPX’s 8.4% rise.
Focusing more closely, shares of the Thomasville, North Carolina-based company have slightly outpaced the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLI) 19% return over the past 52 weeks.
Shares of Old Dominion Freight Line fell 5.6% on Apr. 29 after the company reported weaker Q1 2026 results, including a 2.9% decline in total revenue to $1.33 billion and a 4.2% drop in EPS to $1.14 from $1.19 a year earlier. The decline was driven by softer freight demand, as LTL tons per day fell 7.7% and shipments per day decreased 7.9%, while operating income dropped 6.1% to $317.3 million and the operating ratio worsened to 76.2% from 75.4%.
Investors were also concerned that higher overhead costs and revenue deleveraging offset operational efficiencies, signaling continued pressure on profitability despite a 4.4% increase in LTL revenue per hundredweight excluding fuel surcharges.
For the fiscal year ending in December 2026, analysts expect ODFL’s EPS to grow 9.9% year-over-year to $5.32. The company's earnings surprise history is mixed. It topped the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion.
Among the 25 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on eight “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” 14 “Holds,” and two “Strong Sells.”
On May 1, Ravi Shanker of Morgan Stanley maintained a “Buy” rating on Old Dominion Freight Line and set a price target of $235.
The mean price target of $215.35 represents a 5.7% premium to ODFL’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $240 suggests a 17.8% potential upside.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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