Heartland Express (HTLD) vs Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Heartland Express (HTLD) has outperformed Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) over the past year, gaining 29.1% versus a gain of 25.5%. Over five years, ODFL leads with a +20.1% price change compared with -31.5% for HTLD. Old Dominion Freight Line is the larger company by market cap ($37.78 billion vs $877.7 million), about 43.0 times the size.
On valuation, Heartland Express trades at a lower forward P/E (22.6x vs 27.1x for Old Dominion Freight Line). Heartland Express offers the higher dividend yield (0.70% vs 0.63%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | HTLD | ODFL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $11.35 | $181.65 |
| Market cap | $877.73M | $37.78B |
| 1-day change | +0.62% | +3.44% |
| YTD return | +25.69% | +15.85% |
| 1-year return | +29.12% | +25.47% |
| 5-year return | -31.50% | +20.10% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 34.93 |
| Forward P/E | 22.61 | 27.07 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.29 | $5.20 |
| Dividend yield | 0.70% | 0.63% |
| Annual dividend | $0.08 | $1.14 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $5.50B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | -5.48% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $1.02B |
| Operating margin | — | 24.76% |
| Net margin | — | 18.63% |
| 52-week high | $16.64 | $252.03 |
| 52-week low | $7.00 | $126.01 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -31.79% | -27.93% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +16.30% | +22.42% |
| Average volume | 728.65K | 1.74M |
| Shares outstanding | 77.33M | 207.97M |
| Employees | 3,630 | 20,173 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Trucking | Trucking |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Old Dominion Freight Line is about 43.0 times larger than Heartland Express by market value ($37.78B vs $877.73M).
About Heartland Express
HTLD stock →Heartland Express, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides short, medium, and long-haul truckload carrier and transportation services in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It primarily provides nationwide asset-based dry van truckload services for shippers; cross-border freight and other transportation services; and temperature-controlled truckload services.
Industrials · Trucking · 3,630 employees
About Old Dominion Freight Line
ODFL stock →Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. operates as a less-than-truckload motor carrier in the United States and North America.
Industrials · Trucking · 20,173 employees
HTLD vs ODFL FAQ
Which is bigger, Heartland Express or Old Dominion Freight Line?
Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $37.78B compared with $877.73M for Heartland Express (HTLD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HTLD or ODFL?
HTLD returned +29.12% over the past 12 months, compared with +25.47% for ODFL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Heartland Express or Old Dominion Freight Line?
Heartland Express has the higher yield at 0.70%, compared with 0.63% for Old Dominion Freight Line.
Are Heartland Express and Old Dominion Freight Line in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Trucking industry within the Industrials sector.