ODFL vs. CNI
ODFL (Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.) and CNI (Canadian National Railway Company) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — ODFL in Trucking, CNI in Railroads. Over the past 10 years, ODFL returned 29.45%/yr vs 9.51%/yr for CNI. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ODFL vs. CNI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ODFL achieves a 57.15% return, which is significantly higher than CNI's 21.78% return. Over the past 10 years, ODFL has outperformed CNI with an annualized return of 29.45%, while CNI has yielded a comparatively lower 9.51% annualized return.
ODFL
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- 30.07%
- YTD
- 57.15%
- 6M
- 54.50%
- 1Y
- 52.30%
- 3Y*
- 17.00%
- 5Y*
- 14.95%
- 10Y*
- 29.45%
CNI
- 1D
- 0.60%
- 1M
- 6.94%
- YTD
- 21.78%
- 6M
- 22.98%
- 1Y
- 15.90%
- 3Y*
- 3.44%
- 5Y*
- 3.57%
- 10Y*
- 9.51%
ODFL vs. CNI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODFL Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. | 57.15% | -10.47% | -12.51% | 43.46% | -20.48% | 84.15% | 54.81% | 54.36% | -5.79% | 54.11% |
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 21.78% | -0.10% | -17.51% | 7.84% | -1.86% | 13.70% | 23.66% | 24.26% | -8.49% | 25.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between ODFL and CNI is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 26, 1996 | 0.35 |
The correlation between ODFL and CNI shifts across timeframes, from 0.35 (all time) to 0.46 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
ODFL:
$51.44B
CNI:
$72.80B
ODFL:
$4.78
CNI:
CA$7.60
ODFL:
51.37
CNI:
21.89
ODFL:
9.48
CNI:
5.96
ODFL:
11.69
CNI:
4.73
ODFL:
$5.46B
CNI:
CA$17.29B
ODFL:
$1.69B
CNI:
CA$7.64B
ODFL:
$1.71B
CNI:
CA$8.60B
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Return for Risk
ODFL vs. CNI — Risk / Return Rank
ODFL
CNI
ODFL vs. CNI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL) and Canadian National Railway Company (CNI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| ODFL | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.62 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.14 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.02 | 1.13 | +0.89 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.50 | 2.08 | +2.43 |
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Drawdowns
ODFL vs. CNI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ODFL drawdown since its inception was -66.29%, which is greater than CNI's maximum drawdown of -46.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ODFL and CNI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ODFL | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.29% | -46.66% | -19.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.06% | -14.15% | -11.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.18% | -29.14% | -16.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.18% | -29.14% | -16.04% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.18% | -29.15% | -16.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.20% | -5.55% | +4.35% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.09% | -9.49% | -9.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.65% | 7.68% | +3.97% |
Volatility
ODFL vs. CNI - Volatility Comparison
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (ODFL) has a higher volatility of 10.52% compared to Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) at 4.12%. This indicates that ODFL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CNI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ODFL | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.52% | 4.12% | +6.40% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 29.25% | 17.30% | +11.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 38.94% | 21.90% | +17.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.44% | 22.38% | +14.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 33.12% | 22.67% | +10.45% |
Dividends
ODFL vs. CNI - Dividend Comparison
ODFL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%, less than CNI's 2.20% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 2.20% | 2.58% | 2.43% | 1.85% | 1.41% | 1.61% | 1.59% | 1.79% | 2.01% | 2.00% | 2.23% | 2.24% |
ODFL Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. | 0.46% | 0.71% | 0.59% | 0.39% | 0.42% | 0.22% | 0.31% | 0.36% | 0.42% | 0.38% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
ODFL vs. CNI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. and Canadian National Railway Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
ODFL vs. CNI - Profitability Comparison
ODFL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. reported a gross profit of 369.26M and revenue of 1.33B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 27.7%.
CNI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a gross profit of 1.88B and revenue of 4.39B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 42.8%.
ODFL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. reported an operating income of 317.34M and revenue of 1.33B, resulting in an operating margin of 23.8%.
CNI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported an operating income of 1.55B and revenue of 4.39B, resulting in an operating margin of 35.4%.
ODFL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. reported a net income of 238.26M and revenue of 1.33B, resulting in a net margin of 17.9%.
CNI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a net income of 1.15B and revenue of 4.39B, resulting in a net margin of 26.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
ODFL and CNI have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ODFL has higher volatility (10.52%) compared to CNI (4.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ODFL dropped -66.29% vs CNI's -46.66%.
ODFL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.35 vs 0.73), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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