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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

x           ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002

OR

o            TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                For the transition period from ________________ to ________________.

Commission File Number: 0-19582

OLD DOMINION FREIGHT LINE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

500 Old Dominion Way
Thomasville, NC 27360
(Address of principal executive offices)

(336) 889-5000 (Registrant’s Telephone Number)
www.odfl.com (Registrant’s Web Site)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Common Stock ($.10 par value)
(Title of class)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2).
Yes o No x

The aggregate market value of voting stock held by nonaffiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2002, was $19,124,261.

As of March 25, 2003, the registrant had 10,692,264 outstanding shares of Common Stock ($.10 par value).

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2003 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

PART I

ITEM 1.         BUSINESS

General

We are a leading less-than-truckload multi-regional motor carrier providing timely one to four day service among five regions in the United States and next-day and second-day service within these regions. Through our non-union workforce and our four branded product groups, OD-Domestic, OD-Global, OD-Expedited and OD-Technology, we offer an array of innovative products and services that provide direct service to 38 states within the Southeast, South Central, Northeast, Midwest and West regions of the country, including 24 states within which we provide full-state coverage. In addition, through marketing and carrier relationships, we provide service to and from the remaining 12 states, as well as Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

We have grown substantially over the last several years through strategic acquisitions and internal growth. Prior to 1995, we provided inter-regional service to major metropolitan areas from, and regional service within, the Southeast region of the United States. Since 1995, we have expanded our infrastructure to provide next-day and second-day service within four additional regions as well as expanded inter-regional service among those regions. During this period, we increased our number of service centers from 53 to 117 and our states directly served from 21 to 38. We believe that our present infrastructure will enable us to increase freight density (the volume of freight moving through our network) and thereby improve our profitability.

We are committed to providing our customers with high quality service products. We are continually upgrading our technological capabilities to improve our customer service, reduce our transit times and minimize our operating costs. In addition to our core less-than-truckload, or LTL, services, we provide premium expedited services, including guaranteed on-time delivery, time-specific delivery and next-day air delivery. We also offer container delivery service to and from ten port facilities as well as assembly and distribution services in which we either consolidate LTL shipments for full truckload transport by a truckload carrier or break down full truckload shipments from a truckload carrier into LTL shipments for our delivery.

We combine the rapid transit times of a regional carrier with the geographic coverage of an inter-regional carrier. We believe our transit times are generally faster than those of our principal national competitors, in part because of our more efficient service center network, use of team drivers and industry leading technology. In addition, our direct service to 38 states and five regions provides greater geographic coverage than most of our regional competitors. We believe our diversified mix and scope of regional and inter-regional services enable us to provide our customers a single source to meet their LTL shipping needs.

We provide consistent customer service from a single organization offering our customers information and pricing from one point of contact. Most of our multi-regional competitors that offer inter-regional service do so through independent companies with separate points of contact, which can result in inconsistent service and pricing, as well as poor shipment visibility. Our integrated structure allows us to offer our customers consistent and continuous service across regions.

Our Industry

Trucks provide transportation services to virtually every industry operating in the United States and generally offer higher levels of reliability and faster transit times than other surface transportation options. The trucking industry is comprised principally of two types of motor carriers: truckload and LTL. Truckload carriers dedicate an entire trailer to one customer from origin to destination. LTL carriers pick up multiple shipments from multiple customers on a single truck and then route the goods through terminals, or service centers, where freight may be transferred to other trucks with similar destinations for delivery.

In contrast to truckload carriers, LTL carriers require expansive networks of local pickup and delivery service centers, as well as larger hub facilities. Significant capital is required of LTL motor carriers to create and maintain a network of service centers and a fleet of tractors and trailers. The substantial infrastructure spending needed for LTL carriers makes it difficult for new start-up or small operations to effectively compete with established companies.

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Service Center Operations

At December 31, 2002, we conducted operations through 117 service center locations, of which we own 51 and lease 66. We operate major breakbulk, or hub, facilities in Atlanta, Georgia; Rialto, California; Indianapolis, Indiana; Greensboro, North Carolina; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Morristown, Tennessee; and Dallas, Texas, while using some smaller service centers for limited breakbulk activity in order to serve next-day markets. Our service centers are strategically located in five regions of the country to permit us to provide the highest quality service and minimize freight rehandling costs.

Each of our service centers is responsible for the pickup and delivery of freight for its own service area. All inbound freight received by the service center in the evening or during the night is scheduled for local delivery the next business day, unless a customer requests a different delivery schedule. Each service center loads the freight by destination the day it is picked up. Our management reviews the productivity and service performance of each service center on a daily basis in order to maximize quality service.

While we have established primary responsibility for customer service at the local service center level, our customers may access information through several different gateways such as our website, electronic data interchange, automated voice response systems, automated fax systems or through our customer service department located at our corporate office. Our systems offer direct access to information such as freight tracking, shipping documents, rate quotes, rate databases and account activity.

We plan to expand capacity at existing service centers as well as expand the number of service centers geographically as opportunities arise that provide for profitable growth and fit the needs of our customers.

Linehaul Transportation

Our Linehaul Transportation Department is responsible for directing the movement of freight among our service centers. Linehaul dispatchers control the movement of freight among service centers through real-time, integrated freight movement systems. We also utilize load-planning software to optimize efficiencies in our linehaul operations. Our senior management continuously monitors freight movements, transit times, load factors and other productivity measurements to ensure that we maintain our highest levels of service and efficiency.

We use scheduled dispatches, and additional dispatches as necessary, to meet our published service standards. In addition, we lower our cost structure by maintaining flexible work force rules and by using twin 28-foot trailers exclusively in our linehaul operations, which also reduces cargo claims expenses. Use of twin 28-foot trailers permits us to pick up freight directly from its point of origin to destination with minimal unloading and reloading and permits more freight to be hauled behind a tractor than could be hauled if we used one larger trailer.

Tractors and Trailers and Maintenance

At December 31, 2002, we operated 2,752 tractors. We generally use new tractors in linehaul operations for approximately three to five years and then transfer those tractors to pickup and delivery operations for the remainder of their useful lives. In a number of our service centers, tractors perform pickup and delivery functions during the day and linehaul functions at night to maximize tractor utilization.

At December 31, 2002, we operated a fleet of 10,729 trailers. As we have expanded and our needs for equipment have increased, we have purchased new trailers as well as trailers meeting our specifications from other trucking companies that have ceased operations. These purchases of pre-owned equipment, though providing an excellent value, have the effect of increasing the trailer fleet’s average age.

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The table below reflects, as of December 31, 2002, the average age of our tractors and trailers:

We develop certain specifications for tractors and trailers, the production and purchase of which are negotiated with several manufacturers. These purchases are planned well in advance of anticipated delivery dates in order to accommodate manufacturers’ production schedules. We believe that there is sufficient capacity among suppliers to ensure an uninterrupted flow of equipment.

The table below sets forth our capital expenditures for tractors and trailers for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000:

We currently have major maintenance operations at our service centers in Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; Chicago and Des Plaines, Illinois; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Jersey City, New Jersey; Morristown and Memphis, Tennessee; Los Angeles and Rialto, California; Columbus, Ohio; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina. In addition, six other service center locations are equipped to perform routine and preventive maintenance checks and repairs on our equipment.

We have an established scheduled maintenance policy and procedure. Linehaul tractors are routed to appropriate maintenance facilities at designated mileage intervals ranging from 12,500 to 25,000 miles, depending upon how the equipment was utilized. Pickup and delivery tractors and trailers are scheduled for maintenance every 90 days.

Marketing and Customers

At December 31, 2002, we had a sales staff of 328 employees. We compensate our sales force, in part, based upon revenue generated, company and service center profitability and on-time service performance, which we believe helps to motivate our employees.

We utilize a computerized freight costing model to determine the price level at which a particular shipment of freight will be profitable. We can modify elements of this freight costing model, as necessary, to simulate the actual conditions under which the freight will be moved. From time to time, we also compete for business by participating in bid solicitations. Customers generally solicit bids for relatively large numbers of shipments for a period of from one to two years and typically choose to enter into a contractual arrangement with a limited number of motor carriers based upon price and service.

Revenue is generated from many customers and locations across the United States and North America. We currently serve over 57,000 customers with direct service to 38 states, including 24 with 100% full-state coverage. In addition, through marketing and carrier relationships, we provide service to the remaining 12 states, as well as Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. For the year ended December 31, 2002, our largest customer accounted for approximately 1.8% of revenue and our largest 20, 10 and five customers accounted for approximately 17.6%, 12.1% and 7.4% of our revenue, respectively. For each of the previous three years, less than 1% of our revenue was generated through our carrier relationships in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. We believe the

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diversity of our revenue base helps protect our business from adverse developments in a single geographic region and the reduction or loss of business from a single customer.

Competition

The transportation industry is highly competitive on the basis of both price and service. We compete with regional, inter-regional and national LTL carriers and, to a lesser extent, with truckload carriers, small package carriers, air freight carriers and railroads. We believe that we are able to compete effectively in our markets by providing high quality and timely service at competitive prices.

Seasonality

Our tonnage levels and revenue mix are subject to seasonal trends common in the motor carrier industry. Financial results in the first and fourth quarters are normally lower due to reduced shipments during the winter months. Harsh winter weather can also adversely impact our performance by reducing demand and increasing operating expenses. The second and third quarters reflect increased demand for services during the spring and summer months, which generally result in improved operating margins.

Technology

We continually upgrade our technological capabilities. We provide access to our systems through multiple gateways that offer our customers maximum flexibility and immediate access to necessary information. We also employ freight handling systems and logistics technology in an effort to reduce costs and transit times. Our principal technologies include:

•          www.odfl.com. A variety of information and services is available through our award-winning web site. We continuously update our web site with current information, including service products, coverage maps, financial data, news releases, employment opportunities and other information of importance to our customers, investors and employees. Since November 22, 2002, we have made available, free of charge on our web site, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file these reports with, or furnish them to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.

•          odfl4me.com. Customers may register their accounts on the secure area of our web site odfl4me.com. Our simple registration gives our customers the freedom to manage their accounts from their desktops; create bills of lading; get the information they need online easily and efficiently; check the real-time status of all active shipments; receive interactive rate estimates; schedule pickups; download rates; generate reports; and view or print documents.

•          Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Through our IVR telephone system, callers can trace shipments, develop rate estimates and access our fax server to retrieve shipping documents such as delivery receipts and bills of lading.

•          Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). For our customers who prefer to exchange information electronically, we provide a number of EDI options with flexible formats and communication alternatives. Through this system, our customers can transmit or receive invoices, remittance advices, shipping documents, shipment status information as well as other customized information.

•          Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) System. This automated arrival/dispatch system monitors equipment location and freight movement throughout our system. Radio frequency identification tags are installed on all of our tractors and trailers, and readers are installed in most of our service centers. These tags and readers record arrivals and departures, eliminating the need for manual recording and assisting in breakbulk planning.

•          Dock Yard Management (DYM) System. The DYM system tells us the status of any shipment moving within our system through a network of computers mounted on our freight docks and in each switching tractor. When a shipment is scanned, its status is updated throughout the

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system. Handheld computers are used to monitor, update and close loads on the dock. The DYM system is currently installed in 51 of our service centers and is scheduled to be fully installed by July 2004.

•          Handheld Computer System. Handheld computers carried by drivers on pickup and delivery tractors provide direct communication with our drivers and allow them to capture real-time information during pickups and deliveries, including individual pieces and weights as well as origin and destination shipping points. Timely pickup information allows for better direct loading and efficient scheduling of linehaul power and enhances real-time information for customer’s visibility of their supply chain. We expect the use of handheld computers by our pickup and delivery drivers to be fully implemented by August 2003.

Insurance

We carry significant insurance with third party insurance carriers. We are self-insured for bodily injury and property damage claims up to $1,750,000 per occurrence. Cargo claims are self-insured up to $100,000. We also are self-insured for workers’ compensation in certain states and have first dollar or high deductible plans in the other states. We believe that our policy of self-insuring up to set limits, together with our safety and loss prevention programs, is an effective means of managing insurance costs. We believe that our current insurance coverage is adequate to cover our liability risks.

Fuel Availability and Cost

Our industry depends heavily upon the availability of diesel fuel. We have not experienced difficulties in maintaining a consistent and ample supply of fuel. In periods of significant price increases, we have implemented a fuel surcharge to offset the additional cost of fuel, which is consistent with our competitors’ practices. However, from time to time, we experience shortages in the availability of fuel at certain locations and have been forced to incur additional expense to ensure adequate supply on a timely basis. Our management believes that our operations and financial condition are susceptible to the same fuel price increases or fuel shortages as those of our competitors. Fuel costs, excluding fuel taxes, averaged 4.5% of revenue in 2002. In response to fuel price fluctuations, we implemented a fuel surcharge program in August 1999, which has remained in effect since that time.

Employees

As of December 31, 2002, we employed 6,895 individuals on a full-time basis in the following categories:

As of December 31, 2002, we employed 1,527 linehaul drivers and 1,983 pickup and delivery drivers. All of our drivers are selected based upon driving records and experience. Drivers are required to pass drug tests and have a current DOT physical and a valid commercial driver’s license prior to employment. Drivers are also required to take drug and alcohol tests periodically, by random selection.

To help fulfill driver needs, we offer qualified employees the opportunity to become drivers through the “Old Dominion Driver Training Program.” Since its inception in 1988, 1,234 individuals have graduated from this program, from which we have experienced an annual turnover rate of approximately 10%. In our management’s opinion, our driver training and qualification programs have been important factors in improving our safety record. Drivers with safe driving records are rewarded with bonuses of up to $1,000 annually. Driver safety bonuses paid during 2002 were approximately $688,000.

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Our management believes that relations with our employees are excellent and there are no employees represented under a collective bargaining agreement. We believe our non-union workforce gives us a significant advantage over unionized LTL carriers. Advantages of our workforce include flexible hours and the ability of our employees to perform multiple tasks, which we believe result in greater productivity, customer service, efficiency and cost savings. Management’s focus on communication and the continued education, development and motivation of our employees ensures that our relationship with our employees remains excellent.

Governmental Regulation

We are regulated by the Surface Transportation Board, an independent agency within the United States Department of Transportation, and by various state agencies. These regulatory authorities have broad powers, generally governing matters such as authority to engage in motor carrier operations, hours of service, certain mergers, consolidations and acquisitions, and periodic financial reporting. The trucking industry is subject to regulatory and legislative changes, such as increasingly stringent environmental and occupational safety and health regulations or limits on vehicle weight and size, ergonomics and hours of service. These changes may affect the economics of the industry by requiring changes in operating practices or by influencing the demand for, and the costs of providing services to, shippers.

We believe that the cost of compliance with applicable laws and regulations neither has materially affected nor will materially affect our results of operations or financial condition.

Environmental Regulation

We are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that focus on, among other things, the emission and discharge of hazardous materials into the environment from our properties and vehicles, fuel storage tanks and the discharge or retention of storm water. Under specific environmental laws, we could also be held responsible for any costs relating to contamination at our past or present facilities and at third-party waste disposal sites. We do not believe that the cost of future compliance with environmental laws or regulations will have a material adverse effect on our operations or financial condition.

Risk Factors

In addition to the factors discussed elsewhere in this report, the following are some of the important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements:

We operate in a highly competitive industry, and our business will suffer if we are unable to adequately address potential downward pricing pressures and other factors that may adversely affect our operations and profitability.

Numerous competitive factors could impair our ability to maintain our current profitability. These factors include the following:

•          we compete with many other transportation service providers of varying sizes, some of which have more equipment, a broader coverage network, a wider range of services and greater capital resources than we do or have other competitive advantages;

•          some of our competitors periodically reduce their prices to gain business, especially during times of reduced growth rates in the economy, which may limit our ability to maintain or increase prices or maintain significant growth in our business;

•          many customers reduce the number of carriers they use by selecting so-called “core carriers” as approved transportation service providers, and in some instances we may not be selected;

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•          many customers periodically accept bids from multiple carriers for their shipping needs, and this process may depress prices or result in the loss of some business to competitors;

•          the trend towards consolidation in the ground transportation industry may create other large carriers with greater financial resources than us and other competitive advantages relating to their size;

•          advances in technology require increased investments to remain competitive, and our customers may not be willing to accept higher prices to cover the cost of these investments; and

•          competition from non-asset-based logistics and freight brokerage companies may adversely affect our customer relationships and prices.

If our employees were to unionize, our operating costs would increase.

None of our employees are currently represented by a collective bargaining agreement. However, from time to time there have been efforts to organize our employees at various service centers. We have no assurance that our employees will not unionize in the future, which could increase our operating costs and force us to alter our operating methods. This could in turn have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

Difficulty in attracting drivers could affect our profitability.

Competition for drivers is intense within the trucking industry, and we periodically experience difficulties in attracting and retaining qualified drivers. Our operations may be affected by a shortage of qualified drivers in the future, which could cause us to temporarily under-utilize our truck fleet, face difficulty in meeting shipper demands and increase our compensation levels for drivers. If we encounter difficulty in attracting or retaining qualified drivers, our ability to grow our business could be adversely affected.

Insurance and claims expenses could significantly reduce our profitability.

We are exposed to claims related to cargo loss and damage, property damage, personal injury and workers’ compensation. We carry significant insurance with third party insurance carriers. The cost of such insurance has risen significantly. To offset, in part, the significant increases we have experienced, we have elected to increase our self-insured retention levels from $250,000 to $1,750,000 for personal injury and property damage. If the number or severity of claims for which we are self-insured increases, our operating results would be adversely affected. Insurance companies require us to obtain letters of credit to collateralize our self-insured retention. If these requirements increase, our borrowing capacity could be adversely affected.

Our business is subject to general economic factors that are largely out of our control.

Economic conditions may adversely affect our customers’ business levels, the amount of transportation services they need and their ability to pay for our services. Customers encountering adverse economic conditions represent a greater potential for loss, and we may be required to increase our reserve for bad-debt losses.

Disruptions of port activity on the West Coast in 2002 moderately reduced our shipping volume in that region. If these disruptions recur, our results of operations may be adversely affected.

We have significant ongoing cash requirements that could limit our growth and affect our profitability if we are unable to obtain sufficient financing.

Our business is highly capital intensive. Our capital expenditures in 2002 and 2001 were $70.0 million and $43.6 million, respectively. We expect our capital expenditures for 2003 to be approximately $95.0 to $100.0 million. We depend on operating leases, lines of credit, secured equipment financing and cash flow from operations to finance the purchase of tractors, trailers and service centers. If we are unable in the future to raise sufficient capital or borrow sufficient funds to

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make these purchases, we will be forced to limit our growth and operate our trucks for longer periods of time, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

In addition, our business has significant operating cash requirements. If our cash requirements are high or our cash flow from operations is low during particular periods, we may need to seek additional financing, which may be costly or difficult to obtain. We have begun discussions to renew our credit line, which expires in May 2003, but we can provide no assurances that it will be renewed on comparable terms.

We may not realize additional revenues or profits from our infrastructure investments in a timely manner or at all.

We have invested, and expect to continue to invest, substantial amounts in building, expanding and upgrading service center facilities. If we are unsuccessful in our strategy for increasing our market share of LTL shipments, we may not realize additional revenues or profits from our infrastructure investments in a timely manner or at all.

We may be adversely impacted by fluctuations in the price and availability of fuel.

Fuel is a significant operating expense. We do not hedge against the risk of fuel price increases. Any increase in fuel taxes or fuel prices or any change in federal or state regulations that results in such an increase, to the extent not offset by freight rate increases or fuel surcharges to customers, or any interruption in the supply of fuel, could have a material adverse effect on our operating results. Historically, we have been able to offset significant increases in fuel prices through fuel surcharges to our customers, but we cannot be certain that we will be able to do so in the future. From time to time, we experience shortages in the availability of fuel at certain locations and have been forced to incur additional expense to ensure adequate supply on a timely basis.

Limited supply and increased prices for new equipment may adversely affect our earnings and cash flow.

Investment in new equipment is a significant part of our annual capital expenditures. We may face difficulty in purchasing new equipment due to decreased supply. In addition, some manufacturers have communicated their intention to raise the prices of new equipment. The price of our equipment may be adversely affected in the future by regulations on newly manufactured tractors and diesel engines. See “— We are subject to various environmental laws and regulations, and costs of compliance with, liabilities under, or violations of, existing or future environmental laws or regulations could adversely affect our business.”

We operate in a highly regulated industry, and increased costs of compliance with, or liability for violation of, existing or future regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are regulated by the Surface Transportation Board, an independent agency within the United States Department of Transportation, and by various state agencies. These regulatory authorities have broad powers, generally governing matters such as authority to engage in motor carrier operations, hours of service, certain mergers, consolidations and acquisitions, and periodic financial reporting. The trucking industry is subject to regulatory and legislative changes, such as increasingly stringent environmental and occupational safety and health regulations or limits on vehicle weight and size, ergonomics and hours of service. These changes may affect the economics of the industry by requiring changes in operating practices or by influencing the demand for, and the costs of providing services to, shippers.

We are subject to various environmental laws and regulations, and costs of compliance with, liabilities under, or violations of, existing or future environmental laws or regulations could adversely affect our business.

We are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations regulating, among other things, the emission and discharge of hazardous materials into the environment from our properties and vehicles, fuel storage tanks and the discharge or retention of storm water. Under

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specific environmental laws, we could also be held responsible for any costs relating to contamination at our past or present facilities and at third-party waste disposal sites. Environmental laws have become and are expected to become increasingly more stringent over time, and there can be no assurance that our costs of complying with current or future environmental laws or liabilities arising under such laws will not have a material adverse effect on our business, operations or financial condition.

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations that require progressive reductions in exhaust emissions from diesel engines through 2007. Beginning in October 2002, new diesel engines must meet these new emission limits. Some of the regulations require subsequent reductions in the sulfur content of diesel fuel beginning in June 2006 and the introduction of emissions after-treatment devices on newly-manufactured engines and vehicles beginning with model year 2007. These regulations could result in higher prices for tractors and diesel engines and increased fuel and maintenance costs. These adverse effects combined with the uncertainty as to the reliability of the vehicles equipped with the newly designed diesel engines and the residual values that will be realized from the disposition of these vehicles could increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business or operations.

Our results of operations may be affected by seasonal factors and harsh weather conditions.

Our operations are subject to seasonal trends common in the trucking industry. Our operating results in the first and fourth quarters are normally lower due to reduced demand during the winter months. Harsh weather can also adversely affect our performance by reducing demand and our ability to transport freight and increasing operating expenses.

If we are unable to retain our key employees, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.

The success of our business will continue to depend upon our executive officers, and we do not have employment agreements with any of them. The loss of the services of any of our key personnel could have a material adverse effect on us.

Our principal shareholders control a large portion of our outstanding common stock.

Earl E. Congdon and John R. Congdon and members of their families and their affiliates beneficially own 42.3% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. As long as the Congdon family controls a large portion of our voting stock, they will be able to significantly influence the election of the entire Board of Directors and the outcome of all matters involving a shareholder vote. The Congdon family’s interests may differ from yours.

We may not be able to continue to successfully execute our acquisition strategy, which could cause our business and future growth prospects to suffer.

Acquisitions have been and continue to be an important part of our growth strategy. However, suitable acquisition candidates may not be available on terms and conditions we find acceptable. In pursuing acquisitions, we compete with other companies, many of which have greater financial and other resources than we do to acquire attractive companies. Even if completed, the following are some of the risks associated with acquisitions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations:

•          some of the acquired businesses may not achieve anticipated revenues, earnings or cash flow;

•          we may assume liabilities that were not disclosed to us or exceed our estimates;

•          we may be unable to integrate acquired businesses successfully and realize anticipated economic, operational and other benefits in a timely manner, which could result in substantial costs and delays or other operational, technical or financial problems;

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•          acquisitions could disrupt our ongoing business, distract management, divert resources and make it difficult to maintain our current business standards, controls and procedures;

•          we may finance future acquisitions by issuing common stock for some or all of the purchase price, which could dilute the ownership interests of our shareholders; and

•          we may incur additional debt related to future acquisitions.

Our business may be harmed by anti-terrorism measures.

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, federal, state and municipal authorities have implemented and are continuing to implement various security measures, including checkpoints and travel restrictions on large trucks. If new security measures disrupt or impede the timing of our deliveries, we may fail to meet the needs of our customers or may incur increased expenses to do so. We cannot assure you that these measures will not have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

Our stock price may be volatile and could decline substantially.

Our common stock has experienced price and volume fluctuations. Many factors may cause the market price for our common stock to decline, including some of the risks enumerated above. In addition, if our operating results fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts or investors in any quarter or securities analysts revise their estimates downward, our stock price could decline.

In the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been the subject of securities class action litigation. If we become involved in a securities class action litigation in the future, it could result in substantial costs and diversion of management attention and resources, harming our business.

Proposed reforms of corporate governance standards for public companies will require changes in our Board of Directors.

If current corporate governance proposals of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Board of Directors of the Nasdaq Stock Market are approved and implemented, we will have to make changes to our Board of Directors and its committees to increase their independence. We cannot assure you that a reconstituted Board of Directors will provide the expertise and leadership necessary for our continued growth or success.

ITEM 2.         PROPERTIES

We own our general office located in Thomasville, North Carolina, consisting of a two-story office building of approximately 160,000 square feet on 23.6 acres of land. We also own service center facilities in Birmingham, Dothan and Huntsville, Alabama; Tucson, Arizona; Little Rock, Arkansas; Los Angeles and Rialto, California; South Windsor, Connecticut; Atlanta and Sylvester, Georgia; Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Des Plaines, Illinois; Kansas City, Kansas; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Tupelo, Mississippi; Syracuse, New York; Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Hickory, Wilmington and Wilson, North Carolina; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Charleston, Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Memphis, Morristown and Nashville, Tennessee; Amarillo, Dallas, Houston and Wichita Falls, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Richmond, Manassas, Martinsville and Norfolk, Virginia; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

We also own non-operating properties in Jacksonville, Florida; Des Moines, Iowa; Tupelo, Mississippi; St. Louis, Missouri; Fayetteville and Hickory, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, Morristown, and Nashville, Tennessee; and two properties in Houston, Texas. All of these properties are held for lease except for the Des Moines property, which we are currently renovating and plan to open in the second quarter of 2003. Currently, the Tupelo property is leased until September 2004; the St. Louis property is leased until February 2004; the Hickory is leased until June 2003; the Jacksonville property is leased month-to-month; one of the two Houston properties is leased until December 2003;

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and the remaining Houston property along with the Cincinnati, Fayetteville, Memphis, Morristown, and Nashville properties are not under lease.

We lease 66 of our 117 service centers. These leased facilities are dispersed over the 38 states in which we operate in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, South Central and West regions of the country. The length of these leases ranges from month-to-month to a lease that expires in July 2008. We believe that as current leases expire, we will be able either to renew them or find comparable facilities without incurring any material negative impact on service to customers or our operating results.

We believe that all of our properties are in good repair and are capable of providing the level of service required by current business levels and customer demands.

ITEM 3.         LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We are involved in various legal proceedings and claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of our business that have not been fully adjudicated. Many of these are covered in whole or in part by insurance. Our management does not believe that these actions, when finally concluded and determined, will have a significant adverse effect upon our financial position or results of operations.

ITEM 4.         SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

None.

PART II

ITEM 5.         MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Common Stock and Dividend Information

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ODFL. At March 17, 2003, there were approximately 2,600 holders of our common stock, including 122 shareholders of record. We did not pay any dividends on our common stock in fiscal year 2001 or 2002. The information concerning restrictions on dividend payments required by Item 5 of Form 10-K appears in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Item 7 of this report and Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under Item 8 of this report.

The following table sets forth the high and low bid prices of our common stock for the periods indicated, as reported by the Nasdaq National Market:

12

ITEM 6.         SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA