Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL) vs United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL)
A side-by-side comparison of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 31, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
ODFL
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
$212.14IndustrialsDelayed quote: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
UAL
United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
$121.33IndustrialsDelayed quote: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — ODFL vs UAL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 20yODFL +5205.4%UAL +314.1%ODFL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
ODFL UAL
ODFL vs UAL: by the numbers
- •ODFL is the larger company ($44.12B vs $39.38B market cap).
- •UAL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (11.56 vs 40.87 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •ODFL converts more revenue to profit (19.44% vs 5.56% net margin).
- •UAL grew revenue faster over the past five years (33.94% vs 4.12% CAGR).
- •ODFL pays a dividend (0.54% yield), while UAL is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 40.87 | 11.56 |
| Forward P/E | 36.82 | 11.84 |
| P/S ratio | 7.90 | 0.64 |
| P/B ratio | 9.74 | 2.42 |
| PEG ratio | 3.67 | 1.67 |
| EV / EBITDA | 25.37 | 8.11 |
| FCF yield | 2.29% | 6.30% |
Profitability
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 32.15% | 65.06% |
| Operating margin | 26.01% | 7.75% |
| Net margin | 19.44% | 5.56% |
| ROE | 23.95% | 20.94% |
| ROIC | 19.91% | 6.63% |
Dividends
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.54% | N/A |
| Payout ratio | 23.51% | N/A |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ODFL | UAL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.12% | 33.94% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 11.14% | N/A |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.53% | 52.92% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 10.07% | 21.11% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, ODFL or UAL?
- UAL has the lower trailing P/E: ODFL trades at 40.87 and UAL at 11.56. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, ODFL or UAL?
- Over the past five years, UAL grew revenue faster — ODFL at a 4.12% CAGR versus UAL at 33.94%.
- Does ODFL or UAL pay a bigger dividend?
- ODFL pays a dividend (0.54% yield), while UAL is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
- Is ODFL or UAL more profitable?
- ODFL runs the higher net margin — ODFL at 19.44% versus UAL at 5.56%.
- How have ODFL and UAL total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, ODFL delivered 25.27% and UAL delivered 10.01% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Old Dominion Freight Line P/E ratioUnited Airlines P/E ratioOld Dominion Freight Line dividend yieldUnited Airlines dividend yieldOld Dominion Freight Line ROEUnited Airlines ROEOld Dominion Freight Line operating marginUnited Airlines operating marginOld Dominion Freight Line revenue growthUnited Airlines revenue growthOld Dominion Freight Line free cash flowUnited Airlines free cash flow
Old Dominion Freight Line & United Airlines 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 July 31, 2026.