OLD DOMINION FREIGHT LINE, INC. (ODFL)
SIC breadcrumb: Transportation, Communications, Electric, Gas, And Sanitary Services > Motor Freight Transportation And Warehousing > SIC 4213 Trucking (No Local)
SEC company page: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=878927. Latest filing source: 0001193125-26-067161.
Informational only. Descriptive public-record data — not a rating, forecast, or investment advice. See Disclaimer.
At a glance
- Revenue
- 5,496,389,000 USD verified
- Net income
- 1,023,703,000 USD verified
- Assets
- 5,470,160,000 USD verified
- Free cash flow
- 955,099,000 USD computed
- Net margin
- 18.63% computed
- Operating margin
- 24.76% computed
- Revenue YoY
- -5.48% computed
- ROE
- 23.75% computed
Peer & cluster context
Peer comparisons including ODFL
- Trucking and truckload logistics: peer review · market-risk page
Peer percentile fingerprint
Percentile = share of the N covered peers reporting that ratio whose value is lower (ties counted half); computed among grepcent-covered companies in SIC industry 4213 Trucking (No Local), not the whole market. A higher percentile means a higher value of the ratio, not a better company. Ratios with fewer than 8 reporting peers are omitted. Latest reported values per company; fiscal periods may differ. Descriptive arithmetic - not a score, rating, or ranking.
Selected Fundamentals
| Metric | Value | Unit | FY | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 5,496,389,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-24 |
| Net income | 1,023,703,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-24 |
| Assets | 5,470,160,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-24 |
Financials
Annual standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-02-24. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0000878927.json. Derived margins, ratios, and free cash flow are computed from the extracted annual SEC facts.
| Metric | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 2,991,517,000 | 3,358,112,000 | 4,043,695,000 | 4,109,111,000 | 4,015,129,000 | 5,256,328,000 | 6,260,077,000 | 5,866,152,000 | 5,814,810,000 | 5,496,389,000 |
| Net income | 295,765,000 | 463,774,000 | 605,668,000 | 615,518,000 | 672,682,000 | 1,034,375,000 | 1,377,159,000 | 1,239,502,000 | 1,186,073,000 | 1,023,703,000 |
| Operating income | 483,835,000 | 575,886,000 | 817,051,000 | 818,706,000 | 906,882,000 | 1,391,602,000 | 1,840,632,000 | 1,640,673,000 | 1,543,998,000 | 1,361,045,000 |
| Diluted EPS | 3.56 | 5.63 | 4.92 | 5.10 | 5.68 | 8.89 | 6.09 | 5.63 | 5.48 | 4.84 |
| Operating cash flow | 565,583,000 | 536,294,000 | 900,116,000 | 983,888,000 | 933,024,000 | 1,212,606,000 | 1,691,582,000 | 1,569,135,000 | 1,659,283,000 | 1,370,133,000 |
| Capital expenditures | 417,941,000 | 382,125,000 | 588,292,000 | 479,325,000 | 225,081,000 | 550,077,000 | 775,148,000 | 757,309,000 | 771,318,000 | 415,034,000 |
| Dividends paid | 32,925,000 | 42,566,000 | 54,552,000 | 71,023,000 | 92,366,000 | 134,484,000 | 175,089,000 | 223,618,000 | 235,641,000 | |
| Share buybacks | 130,316,000 | 8,013,000 | 163,265,000 | 240,960,000 | 364,057,000 | 536,465,000 | 1,277,219,000 | 453,613,000 | 967,294,000 | 730,338,000 |
| Assets | 2,696,247,000 | 3,068,424,000 | 3,545,283,000 | 3,995,568,000 | 4,369,410,000 | 4,821,544,000 | 4,838,610,000 | 5,512,393,000 | 5,491,395,000 | 5,470,160,000 |
| Liabilities | 845,089,000 | 791,570,000 | 864,800,000 | 914,851,000 | 1,043,122,000 | 1,141,737,000 | 1,185,693,000 | 1,254,582,000 | 1,246,807,000 | 1,159,103,000 |
| Stockholders' equity | 1,851,158,000 | 2,276,854,000 | 2,680,483,000 | 3,080,717,000 | 3,326,288,000 | 3,679,807,000 | 3,652,917,000 | 4,257,811,000 | 4,244,588,000 | 4,311,057,000 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 10,171,000 | 127,462,000 | 190,282,000 | 403,571,000 | 401,430,000 | 462,564,000 | 186,312,000 | 433,799,000 | 108,676,000 | 120,091,000 |
| Free cash flow | 147,642,000 | 154,169,000 | 311,824,000 | 504,563,000 | 707,943,000 | 662,529,000 | 916,434,000 | 811,826,000 | 887,965,000 | 955,099,000 |
Ratios
| Metric | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net margin | 9.89% | 13.81% | 14.98% | 14.98% | 16.75% | 19.68% | 22.00% | 21.13% | 20.40% | 18.63% |
| Operating margin | 16.17% | 17.15% | 20.21% | 19.92% | 22.59% | 26.47% | 29.40% | 27.97% | 26.55% | 24.76% |
| Return on equity | 15.98% | 20.37% | 22.60% | 19.98% | 20.22% | 28.11% | 37.70% | 29.11% | 27.94% | 23.75% |
| Return on assets | 10.97% | 15.11% | 17.08% | 15.41% | 15.40% | 21.45% | 28.46% | 22.49% | 21.60% | 18.71% |
| Liabilities / equity | 0.46 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.30 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.32 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.27 |
| Current ratio | 1.33 | 1.67 | 1.98 | 2.37 | 3.33 | 2.98 | 1.76 | 2.10 | 1.33 | 1.44 |
Industry Peer Context
Net margin peer context
Operating margin peer context
ROE peer context
ROA peer context
Financial Bridges
Free cash flow = operating cash flow - capital expenditures
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts FY 2025. Operating cash flow: accession 0001193125-26-067161; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities | Capital expenditures: accession 0001193125-26-067161; concept PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets; source concepts us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets | Free cash flow: accession 0001193125-26-067161; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
Financial Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: RevenueFromContractWithCustomerIncludingAssessedTax. Source concepts: us-gaap:RevenueFromContractWithCustomerIncludingAssessedTax.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: OperatingIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: PaymentsOfDividends. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsOfDividends.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: Assets. Source concepts: us-gaap:Assets.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: Liabilities. Source concepts: us-gaap:Liabilities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: StockholdersEquity. Source concepts: us-gaap:StockholdersEquity.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue. Source concepts: us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001193125-26-067161; filed 2026-02-24. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets.
As-reported value updates
Quarterly
Quarterly standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-08-05. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0000878927.json.
| Quarter | End Date | Revenue | Net Income | Diluted EPS | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-Q3 | 2022-09-30 | 3.36 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q1 | 2023-03-31 | 2.58 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q2 | 2023-06-30 | 2.65 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q3 | 2023-09-30 | 1,515,277,000 | 339,287,000 | 3.09 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2023-Q4 | 2023-12-31 | 1,495,550,000 | 322,815,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2024-Q1 | 2024-03-31 | 1,460,073,000 | 292,304,000 | 1.34 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q2 | 2024-06-30 | 1,498,697,000 | 322,045,000 | 1.48 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q3 | 2024-09-30 | 1,470,211,000 | 308,580,000 | 1.43 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q4 | 2024-12-31 | 1,385,829,000 | 263,144,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2025-Q1 | 2025-03-31 | 1,374,858,000 | 254,660,000 | 1.19 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q2 | 2025-06-30 | 1,407,724,000 | 268,626,000 | 1.27 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q3 | 2025-09-30 | 1,406,511,000 | 270,947,000 | 1.28 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q4 | 2025-12-31 | 1,307,296,000 | 229,470,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2026-Q1 | 2026-03-31 | 1,334,696,000 | 238,258,000 | 1.14 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2026-Q2 | 2026-06-30 | 1,554,004,000 | 350,601,000 | 1.68 | reported discrete quarter |
Quarterly Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-06-30; accession 0000878927-26-000023; filed 2026-08-05. Concept: RevenueFromContractWithCustomerIncludingAssessedTax. Source concepts: us-gaap:RevenueFromContractWithCustomerIncludingAssessedTax.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-06-30; accession 0000878927-26-000023; filed 2026-08-05. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-06-30; accession 0000878927-26-000023; filed 2026-08-05. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Business
Read ODFL's verbatim Item 1 Business section from its latest 10-K: Business.
Risk Factors
Read ODFL's verbatim Item 1A Risk Factors from its latest 10-K: Risk Factors.
Latest quarter (10-Q)
Latest 10-Q source: 0000878927-26-000023.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Overview
We are one of the largest North American less-than-truckload (“LTL”) motor carriers and provide regional, inter-regional and national LTL services through a single integrated, union-free organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, we also provide LTL services throughout North America. In addition to our core LTL services, we offer a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage and supply chain consulting. More than 98% of our revenue has historically been derived from transporting LTL shipments for our customers, whose demand for our services is generally tied to industrial production and the overall health of the U.S. domestic economy.
In analyzing the components of our revenue, we monitor changes and trends in our LTL volumes and LTL revenue per hundredweight. While LTL revenue per hundredweight is a yield measurement, it is also a commonly-used indicator for general pricing trends in the LTL industry. This yield metric is not a true measure of price, however, as it can be influenced by many other factors, such as changes in fuel surcharges, weight per shipment and length of haul. As a result, changes in LTL revenue per hundredweight do not necessarily indicate actual changes in underlying base rates. LTL revenue per hundredweight and the key factors that can impact this metric are described in more detail below:
•
LTL Revenue Per Hundredweight - Our LTL transportation services are generally priced based on weight, commodity, and distance. This measurement reflects the application of our pricing policies to the services we provide, which are influenced by competitive market conditions and our growth objectives. Generally, freight is rated by a class system, which is established by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Light, bulky freight typically has a higher class and is priced at higher revenue per hundredweight than dense, heavy freight. Fuel surcharges, accessorial charges, revenue adjustments and revenue for undelivered freight are included in this measurement, and we regularly monitor the components that impact our pricing. The fuel surcharge is generally designed to offset fluctuations in the cost of our petroleum-based products and is indexed to diesel fuel prices published by the U.S. Department of Energy, which reset each week. Revenue for undelivered freight is deferred for financial statement purposes in accordance with our revenue recognition policy; however, we believe including it in our revenue per hundredweight metrics results in a more accurate representation of the underlying changes in our yields by matching total billed revenue with the corresponding weight of those shipments.
•
LTL Weight Per Shipment - Fluctuations in weight per shipment can indicate changes in the mix of freight we receive from our customers, as well as changes in the number of units included in a shipment. Generally, increases in weight per shipment indicate higher demand for our customers’ products and overall increased economic activity. Changes in weight per shipment can also be influenced by shifts between LTL and other modes of transportation, such as truckload and intermodal, in response to capacity, service and pricing issues. Fluctuations in weight per shipment generally have an inverse effect on our revenue per hundredweight, as a decrease in weight per shipment will typically cause an increase in revenue per hundredweight.
•
Average Length of Haul - We consider lengths of haul less than 500 miles to be regional traffic, lengths of haul between 500 miles and 1,000 miles to be inter-regional traffic, and lengths of haul in excess of 1,000 miles to be national traffic. This metric is used to analyze our tonnage and pricing trends for shipments with similar characteristics, and also allows for comparison with other transportation providers serving specific markets. By analyzing this metric, we can determine the success and growth potential of our service products in these markets. Changes in length of haul generally have a direct effect on our revenue per hundredweight, as an increase in length of haul will typically cause an increase in revenue per hundredweight.
•
LTL Revenue Per Shipment - This measurement is primarily determined by the three metrics listed above and is used in conjunction with the number of LTL shipments we receive to evaluate LTL revenue.
Our primary revenue focus is to increase density, which is shipment and tonnage growth within our existing infrastructure. Increases in density allow us to maximize our asset utilization and labor productivity, which we measure over many different functional areas of our operations including linehaul load factor, pickup and delivery (“P&D”) stops per hour, P&D shipments per hour, platform pounds handled per hour and platform shipments per hour. In addition to our focus on density and operating efficiencies, it is critical for us to obtain an appropriate yield, which is measured as revenue per hundredweight, on the shipments we handle. We focus on the profitability of each customer account and generally seek to obtain an appropriate yield to offset our cost inflation and support our ongoing investments in capacity and technology. We believe the continued execution of this yield-management philosophy, continued increases in density, and ongoing improvements in operating efficiencies are the key components of our ability to further improve our operating ratio and long-term profitable growth.
11
Our primary cost elements are direct wages and benefits associated with the movement of freight, operating supplies and expenses, which include diesel fuel, and depreciation of our equipment fleet and service center facilities. We gauge our overall success in managing costs by monitoring our operating ratio, a measure of profitability calculated by dividing total operating expenses by revenue, which also allows for industry-wide comparisons with our competition.
We regularly upgrade our technological capabilities to improve our customer service and lower our operating costs. Our technology provides our customers with visibility of their shipments throughout our network, increases the productivity of our workforce, and provides key metrics that we use to monitor and enhance our processes.
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, expenses and other items as a percentage of revenue from operations:
| Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | |||||||||||||
| Revenue from operations | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | ||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||
| Salaries, wages and benefits | 44.2 | 47.7 | 45.9 | 47.8 | ||||||||||||
| Operating supplies and expenses | 11.4 | 10.1 | 11.2 | 10.5 | ||||||||||||
| General supplies and expenses | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 2.9 | ||||||||||||
| Operating taxes and licenses | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.5 | ||||||||||||
| Insurance and claims | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | ||||||||||||
| Communications and utilities | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 5.9 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 | ||||||||||||
| Purchased transportation | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | ||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous (income) expense, net | (0.5 | ) | 0.9 | (0.1 | ) | 0.8 | ||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 70.1 | 74.6 | 72.9 | 75.0 | ||||||||||||
| Operating income | 29.9 | 25.4 | 27.1 | 25.0 | ||||||||||||
| Interest income, net | (0.2 | ) | (0.0 | ) | (0.2 | ) | (0.1 | ) | ||||||||
| Other expense, net | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 30.1 | 25.4 | 27.2 | 25.0 | ||||||||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 7.5 | 6.3 | 6.8 | 6.2 | ||||||||||||
| Net income | 22.6 | % | 19.1 | % | 20.4 | % | 18.8 | % |
12
Key financial and operating metrics are presented below:
| Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | % Change | 2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||||||||||||||||||
| Work days | 64 | 64 | — | % | 127 | 127 | — | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenue (in thousands) | $ | 1,554,004 | $ | 1,407,724 | 10.4 | % | $ | 2,888,700 | $ | 2,782,582 | 3.8 | % | ||||||||||||
| Operating ratio | 70.1 | % | 74.6 | % | 72.9 | % | 75.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Net income (in thousands) | $ | 350,601 | $ | 268,626 | 30.5 | % | $ | 588,859 | $ | 523,286 | 12.5 | % | ||||||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | $ | 1.68 | $ | 1.27 | 32.3 | % | $ | 2.82 | $ | 2.46 | 14.6 | % | ||||||||||||
| LTL tons (in thousands) | 2,035 | 2,123 | (4.1 | )% | 3,962 | 4,211 | (5.9 | )% | ||||||||||||||||
| LTL tonnage per day | 31,804 | 33,178 | (4.1 | )% | 31,199 | 33,157 | (5.9 | )% | ||||||||||||||||
| LTL shipments (in thousands) | 2,709 | 2,874 | (5.7 | )% | 5,295 | 5,682 | (6.8 | )% | ||||||||||||||||
| LTL shipments per day | 42,332 | 44,907 | (5.7 | )% | 41,689 | 44,738 | (6.8 | )% | ||||||||||||||||
| LTL weight per shipment (lbs.) | 1,503 | 1,478 | 1.7 | % | 1,497 | 1,482 | 1.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| LTL revenue per hundredweight | $ | 37.84 | $ | 32.84 | 15.2 | % | $ | 36.22 | $ | 32.76 | 10.6 | % | ||||||||||||
| LTL revenue per shipment | $ | 568.55 | $ | 485.31 | 17.2 | % | $ | 542.19 | $ | 485.55 | 11.7 | % | ||||||||||||
| Average length of haul (miles) | 909 | 912 | (0.3 | )% | 911 | 914 | (0.3 | )% |
Our financial results for the second quarter and first six months of 2026 reflect an increase in revenue, net income, and earnings per diluted share compared to the same periods of 2025. The strength of our financial results reflects the continued improvement in demand trends and the benefits of our long-term focus on yield discipline and operational execution. We continued to maintain our commitment to superior customer service by providing our customers with 99% on-time service and a cargo claims ratio of 0.1% during the second quarter and first six months of 2026, which supported the continued improvement in our yield. We also maintained our focus on operating efficiently and controlling discretionary spending, which contributed to the improvement in our operating ratio to 70.1% and 72.9% in the second quarter and first six months of 2026, respectively. As a result, our net income and diluted earnings per share increased by 30.5% and 32.3%, respectively, for the second quarter of 2026 as compared to the second quarter of 2025 and increased 12.5% and 14.6%, respectively, for the first six months of 2026 as compared to the first six months of 2025.
Revenue
Revenue increased $146.3 million, or 10.4%, and $106.1 million, or 3.8%, in the second quarter and first six months of 2026, respectively, as compared to the same periods of 2025 due to an increase in LTL revenue per hundredweight that was partially offset by a decrease in volumes. LTL tonnage per day decreased 4.1% and 5.9% in the second quarter
[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]
Latest 10-K MD&A (excerpt)
Latest 10-K Item 7 source: 0001193125-26-067161. The complete FY 2025 MD&A is published at /company/ODFL/mda/fy2025/.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations generally discusses our 2025 and 2024 results and year-to-year comparisons between 2025 and 2024. Discussions of our 2024 results and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023 that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2025.
Overview
We are one of the largest North American less-than-truckload (“LTL”) motor carriers. We provide regional, inter-regional and national LTL services through a single integrated, union-free organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, we also provide LTL services throughout North America. In addition to our core LTL services, we offer a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage and supply chain consulting. More than 98% of our revenue has historically been derived from transporting LTL shipments for our customers, whose demand for our services is generally tied to industrial production and the overall health of the U.S. domestic economy.
In analyzing the components of our revenue, we monitor changes and trends in our LTL volumes and LTL revenue per hundredweight. While LTL revenue per hundredweight is a yield measurement, it is also a commonly-used indicator for general pricing trends in the LTL industry. This yield metric is not a true measure of price, however, as it can be influenced by many other factors, such as changes in fuel surcharges, weight per shipment and length of haul. As a result, changes in revenue per hundredweight do not necessarily indicate actual changes in underlying base rates. LTL revenue per hundredweight and the key factors that can impact this metric are described in more detail below:
•
LTL Revenue Per Hundredweight - Our LTL transportation services are generally priced based on weight, commodity, and distance. This measurement reflects the application of our pricing policies to the services we provide, which are influenced by competitive market conditions and our growth objectives. Generally, freight is rated by a class system, which is established by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Light, bulky freight typically has a higher class and is priced at higher revenue per hundredweight than dense, heavy freight. Fuel surcharges, accessorial charges, revenue adjustments and revenue for undelivered freight are included in this measurement, and we regularly monitor the components that impact our pricing. The fuel surcharge is generally designed to offset fluctuations in the cost of our petroleum-based products and is indexed to diesel fuel prices published by the U.S. Department of Energy, which reset each week. Revenue for undelivered freight is deferred for financial statement purposes in accordance with our revenue recognition policy; however, we believe including it in our revenue per hundredweight metrics results in a more accurate representation of the underlying changes in our yields by matching total billed revenue with the corresponding weight of those shipments.
•
LTL Weight Per Shipment - Fluctuations in weight per shipment can indicate changes in the mix of freight we receive from our customers, as well as changes in the number of units included in a shipment. Generally, increases in weight per shipment indicate higher demand for our customers’ products and overall increased economic activity. Changes in weight per shipment can also be influenced by shifts between LTL and other modes of transportation, such as truckload and intermodal, in response to capacity, service and pricing issues. Fluctuations in weight per shipment generally have an inverse effect on our revenue per hundredweight, as a decrease in weight per shipment will typically cause an increase in revenue per hundredweight.
•
Average Length of Haul - We consider lengths of haul less than 500 miles to be regional traffic, lengths of haul between 500 miles and 1,000 miles to be inter-regional traffic, and lengths of haul in excess of 1,000 miles to be national traffic. This metric is used to analyze our tonnage and pricing trends for shipments with similar characteristics, and also allows for comparison with other transportation providers serving specific markets. By analyzing this metric, we can determine the success and growth potential of our service products in these markets. Changes in length of haul generally have a direct effect on our revenue per hundredweight, as an increase in length of haul will typically cause an increase in revenue per hundredweight.
•
LTL Revenue Per Shipment - This measurement is primarily determined by the three metrics listed above and is used in conjunction with the number of LTL shipments we receive to evaluate LTL revenue.
23
Our primary revenue focus is to increase density, which is shipment and tonnage growth within our existing infrastructure. Increases in density allow us to maximize our asset utilization and labor productivity, which we measure over many different functional areas of our operations including linehaul load factor, pickup and delivery (“P&D”) stops per hour, P&D shipments per hour, platform pounds handled per hour and platform shipments per hour. In addition to our focus on density and operating efficiencies, it is critical for us to obtain an appropriate yield, which is measured as revenue per hundredweight, on the shipments we handle. We focus on the profitability of each customer account and generally seek to obtain an appropriate yield to offset our cost inflation and support our ongoing investments in capacity and technology. We believe the continued execution of this yield-management philosophy, continued increases in density, and ongoing improvements in operating efficiencies are the key components of our ability to further improve our operating ratio and long-term profitable growth.
Our primary cost elements are direct wages and benefits associated with the movement of freight, operating supplies and expenses, which include diesel fuel, and depreciation of our equipment fleet and service center facilities. We gauge our overall success in managing costs by monitoring our operating ratio, a measure of profitability calculated by dividing total operating expenses by revenue, which also allows for industry-wide comparisons with our competition.
We regularly upgrade our technological capabilities to improve our customer service and lower our operating costs. Our technology provides our customers with visibility of their shipments throughout our network, increases the productivity of our workforce, and provides key metrics that we use to monitor and enhance our processes.
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth, for the years indicated, expenses and other items as a percentage of revenue from operations:
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue from operations | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | ||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||
| Salaries, wages and benefits | 47.9 | 46.2 | ||||||
| Operating supplies and expenses | 10.4 | 10.9 | ||||||
| General supplies and expenses | 3.1 | 3.0 | ||||||
| Operating taxes and licenses | 2.5 | 2.6 | ||||||
| Insurance and claims | 1.4 | 1.6 | ||||||
| Communications and utilities | 0.7 | 0.7 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 6.6 | 5.9 | ||||||
| Purchased transportation | 2.0 | 2.1 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous expenses, net | 0.6 | 0.4 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | 75.2 | 73.4 | ||||||
| Operating income | 24.8 | 26.6 | ||||||
| Interest income, net | (0.1 | ) | (0.3 | ) | ||||
| Other expense, net | 0.1 | 0.1 | ||||||
| Income before income taxes | 24.8 | 26.8 | ||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 6.2 | 6.4 | ||||||
| Net income | 18.6 | % | 20.4 | % |
24
Key financial and operating metrics for 2025 and 2024 are presented below:
| 2025 | 2024 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work days | 253 | 254 | (1 | ) | (0.4 | ) | ||||||||||
| Revenue (in thousands) | $ | 5,496,389 | $ | 5,814,810 | $ | (318,421 | ) | (5.5 | ) | |||||||
| Operating ratio | 75.2 | % | 73.4 | % | ||||||||||||
| Net income (in thousands) | $ | 1,023,703 | $ | 1,186,073 | $ | (162,370 | ) | (13.7 | ) | |||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | $ | 4.84 | $ | 5.48 | $ | (0.64 | ) | (11.7 | ) | |||||||
| LTL tons (in thousands) | 8,177 | 9,000 | (823 | ) | (9.1 | ) | ||||||||||
| LTL tonnage per day | 32,319 | 35,433 | (3,114 | ) | (8.8 | ) | ||||||||||
| LTL shipments (in thousands) | 11,072 | 12,011 | (939 | ) | (7.8 | ) | ||||||||||
| LTL shipments per day | 43,762 | 47,288 | (3,526 | ) | (7.5 | ) | ||||||||||
| LTL weight per shipment (lbs.) | 1,477 | 1,499 | (22 | ) | (1.5 | ) | ||||||||||
| LTL revenue per hundredweight | $ | 33.31 | $ | 32.05 | $ | 1.26 | 3.9 | |||||||||
| LTL revenue per shipment | $ | 492.01 | $ | 480.29 | $ | 11.72 | 2.4 | |||||||||
| Average length of haul (miles) | 911 | 919 | (8 | ) | (0.9 | ) |
Our financial results for 2025 reflect continued softness in the domestic economy, which contributed to the decline in our revenue, net income and diluted earnings per share. Despite the decrease in our LTL tons, we maintained our commitment to superior customer service by providing our customers with 99% on-time service and a cargo claims ratio of 0.1% during the year. This service performance supported the continued improvement in our yield. We also maintained our focus on operating efficiently and controlling discretionary spending during the year, although the deleveraging effect from the decrease in revenue and an increase in depreciation expense led to an increase in our operating ratio. As a result, our net income and diluted earnings per share decreased by 13.7% and 11.7%, respectively, as compared to 2024.
Revenue
Revenue decreased $318.4 million, or 5.5%, in 2025 compared to 2024 due to a decrease in volumes that was partially offset by an increase in LTL revenue per hundredweight. LTL tonnage per day decreased 8.8% primarily due to decreases in LTL shipments per day and LTL weight per shipment. This decrease in our volumes was partially offset by a 3.9% increase in our LTL revenue per hundredweight. Our LTL revenue per hundredweight includes the impact of lower fuel surcharges resulting from a decline in the average price of diesel fuel from the comparable period. Excluding fuel surcharges, LTL revenue per hundredweight increased 4.8% in 2025 as compared to 2024. We believe the increase in our LTL revenue per hundredweight metric was driven by the ongoing execution of our yield management strategy. Our consistent, cost-based approach to pricing focuses on offsetting our cost inflation while also supporting additional investments into our business to expand capacity and enhance our technology.
January 2026 Update
Revenue per day decreased 6.8% in January 2026 as compared to the same month last year. LTL tons per day decreased 9.6%, due primarily to a 9.8% decrease in LTL shipments per day that was partially offset by a 0.3% increase in LTL weight per shipment. LTL revenue per hundredweight increase
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MD&A history
Prior-year 10-K MD&A spans are extracted from SEC filings with the same bounded parser used for the latest filing. Each year's full verbatim text is on its own sub-page.