$ODFL down 1% after their Q4 double beat.
Old Dominion Freight Line’s latest results reflect a company maintaining its best-in-class reputation despite a sluggish economy. While total revenue and profits declined, the core story is ODFL’s incredible pricing discipline.
Even though the amount of freight they moved (tonnage) dropped by over 10%, they successfully charged more per shipment. This yield strength helped cushion the blow from a quiet manufacturing sector. However, because they are moving fewer goods, their operating ratio (a key efficiency metric) rose slightly, as fixed costs like property and technology were spread over a smaller volume of business.