Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL) vs Paychex, Inc. (PAYX)

PAYX leads on 14 of 17 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. and Paychex, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Total return — ODFL vs PAYX

growth of $100 · last 30y
ODFL +50793.6%PAYX +945.0%ODFL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10k100kStart $100200120062011201620212026$50,894$1,045
ODFL PAYX

ODFL vs PAYX: by the numbers

  • ODFL is the larger company ($51.11B vs $36.05B market cap).
  • PAYX trades at the lower earnings multiple (22.21 vs 51.41 P/E).
  • PAYX converts more revenue to profit (25.84% vs 18.46% net margin).
  • PAYX grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.95% vs 5.60% CAGR).
  • PAYX pays the higher dividend yield (4.40% vs 0.46%).

Which is better, ODFL or PAYX?

Metric tally: ODFL 3 · PAYX 14

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValuePAYX(lower P/E)
GrowthPAYX(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomePAYX(higher dividend yield)
QualityODFL(higher ROIC)

Valuation

MetricODFLPAYX
P/E ratio51.4122.21
Forward P/E38.8018.31
P/S ratio9.435.73
P/B ratio11.699.04
PEG ratio4.622.61
EV / EBITDA29.9913.96
FCF yield1.98%5.93%

Profitability

MetricODFLPAYX
Gross margin30.91%73.93%
Operating margin24.57%36.90%
Net margin18.46%25.84%
ROE22.89%40.78%
ROIC19.91%16.77%

Dividends

MetricODFLPAYX
Dividend yield0.46%4.40%
Payout ratio23.51%96.30%

Growth (annualized)

MetricODFLPAYX
Revenue CAGR (5Y)5.60%9.95%
EPS CAGR (5Y)11.14%8.50%
FCF CAGR (5Y)4.53%13.61%
Total return CAGR (5Y)14.94%2.18%

Frequently asked

Which is better, ODFL or PAYX?
It depends on your goal. value: PAYX (lower P/E); growth: PAYX (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: PAYX (higher dividend yield); quality: ODFL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, PAYX leads 14 to 3.
Is ODFL or PAYX cheaper?
On trailing earnings, PAYX is cheaper: ODFL trades at a 51.41 P/E and PAYX at 22.21.
Which has grown faster, ODFL or PAYX?
Over the past five years, PAYX grew revenue faster — ODFL at a 5.60% CAGR versus PAYX at 9.95%.
Does ODFL or PAYX pay a bigger dividend?
ODFL yields 0.46% and PAYX yields 4.40% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is ODFL or PAYX more profitable?
PAYX runs the higher net margin — ODFL at 18.46% versus PAYX at 25.84%.
Which has been the better investment, ODFL or PAYX?
Over the past 10-year, ODFL delivered the higher annualized total return — ODFL at 29.03% versus PAYX at 9.63%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

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 14, 2026.