Fastenal Company (FAST) vs Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL)
FAST leads on 10 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Fastenal Company and Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
FAST
Fastenal Company
$46.57Industrials
ODFL
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
$245.75Industrials
Total return — FAST vs ODFL
growth of $100 · last 30yFAST +3226.4%ODFL +53219.6%ODFL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
FAST ODFL
FAST vs ODFL: by the numbers
- •FAST is the larger company ($53.46B vs $51.11B market cap).
- •FAST trades at the lower earnings multiple (40.85 vs 51.41 P/E).
- •ODFL converts more revenue to profit (18.46% vs 15.39% net margin).
- •FAST grew revenue faster over the past five years (8.19% vs 5.60% CAGR).
- •FAST pays the higher dividend yield (1.98% vs 0.46%).
Which is better, FAST or ODFL?
Metric tally: FAST 10 · ODFL 5It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueFAST(lower P/E)
GrowthFAST(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeFAST(higher dividend yield)
QualityFAST(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | FAST | ODFL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 40.85● | 51.41 |
| Forward P/E | 37.45● | 38.80 |
| P/S ratio | 6.35● | 9.43 |
| P/B ratio | 13.43 | 11.69● |
| PEG ratio | 3.66● | 4.62 |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.78 | 29.99 |
| FCF yield | 2.17%● | 1.98% |
Profitability
| Metric | FAST | ODFL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 44.89%● | 30.91% |
| Operating margin | 20.25% | 24.57%● |
| Net margin | 15.39% | 18.46%● |
| ROE | 32.58%● | 22.89% |
| ROIC | 28.17%● | 19.91% |
Dividends
| Metric | FAST | ODFL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.98%● | 0.46% |
| Payout ratio | 83.64% | 23.51% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | FAST | ODFL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 8.19%● | 5.60% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 7.96% | 11.14%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 3.42% | 4.53%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 14.87% | 14.94% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, FAST or ODFL?
- It depends on your goal. value: FAST (lower P/E); growth: FAST (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: FAST (higher dividend yield); quality: FAST (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, FAST leads 10 to 5.
- Is FAST or ODFL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, FAST is cheaper: FAST trades at a 40.85 P/E and ODFL at 51.41.
- Which has grown faster, FAST or ODFL?
- Over the past five years, FAST grew revenue faster — FAST at a 8.19% CAGR versus ODFL at 5.60%.
- Does FAST or ODFL pay a bigger dividend?
- FAST yields 1.98% and ODFL yields 0.46% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is FAST or ODFL more profitable?
- ODFL runs the higher net margin — FAST at 15.39% versus ODFL at 18.46%.
- Which has been the better investment, FAST or ODFL?
- Over the past 10-year, ODFL delivered the higher annualized total return — FAST at 18.42% versus ODFL at 29.03%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Fastenal P/E ratioOld Dominion Freight Line P/E ratioFastenal dividend yieldOld Dominion Freight Line dividend yieldFastenal ROEOld Dominion Freight Line ROEFastenal operating marginOld Dominion Freight Line operating marginFastenal revenue growthOld Dominion Freight Line revenue growthFastenal free cash flowOld Dominion Freight Line free cash flow
Fastenal & Old Dominion Freight Line appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.