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Research FrontiersREFR +0.96%28 Cash Ratio is 2.65 as of Jun. 2026, which is 70% below its 10-year median of 8.83. GuruFocus rates REFR with a GF Score™ of 28/100 and a GF Value™ of $0.81 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,480 Hardware companies, Research Frontiers ranks better than 86.29% on this metric.
Research Frontiers has a Cash Ratio of 2.65. It generally indicates that the company is able to cover all short-term debt and still have cash remaining.
The historical rank and industry rank for Research Frontiers's Cash Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
REFR'
s Cash Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 2.23 Med: 8.83 Max: 24.83
Current: 2.65
During the past 13 years, Research Frontiers's highest Cash Ratio was 24.83. The lowest was 2.23. And the median was 8.83.
REFR's Cash Ratio is ranked better than 86.29% of 2480
companies
in the Hardware industry
Industry Median: 0.62
vs REFR: 2.65
Research Frontiers (NAS:REFR) Cash Ratio Explanation
The cash ratio is more conservative than other liquidity ratios, such as Quick Ratio and Current Ratio, because it only considers a company's most liquid resources. The numerator of cash ratio only considers Cash, Cash Equivalents and marketable securities. Other current assets, such as accounts receivable and inventories, are not included. The rationale is that these assets may require time to be transformed into cash, and the amount of money received is also uncertain.
The cash ratio shows a company’s ability to pay all current liabilities immediately without selling or liquidating other assets. Generally speaking, a higher cash ratio suggests the company has a stronger ability to cover its short-term debt. However, a high cash ratio could also indicate inefficient management: the company is inefficient in making full utilization of cash to invest protential profitable project. It may also suggest that the company is not confident about future profitability.
In general, the higher the cash ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
Research Frontiers Cash Ratio Related Terms
Research Frontiers Cash Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Research Frontiers's Cash Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Electronic Components subindustry, Research Frontiers's Cash Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Cash Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Research Frontiers Cash Ratio vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Research Frontiers's Cash Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Research Frontiers's Cash Ratio falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Research Frontiers (REFR) has a Cash Ratio of 2.65 as of Jun. 2026. Cashflow ratio is the ratio of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities to current liabilities. View historical data on Research Frontiers and its competitors. This is 70% below median its historical median of 8.83. Over the past decade, Research Frontiers' Cash Ratio has ranged from 2.23 to 24.83. According to the industry distribution chart, Research Frontiers ranks #340 out of 2480 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 13.7%.
Is Research Frontiers' Cash Ratio too high?
Research Frontiers' current Cash Ratio of 2.65 is 70% below median its 10-year median of 8.83. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 2.23 to a high of 24.83. The Hardware industry median Cash Ratio is 0.62. Research Frontiers' value of 2.65 is 327.4% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Research Frontiers ranks #340 out of 2480 companies in the Hardware industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Research Frontiers has a GF Score™ of 28/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Research Frontiers' Cash Ratio compare to WETH and NEON?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Research Frontiers ranks #340 out of 2480 companies for Cash Ratio. This places Research Frontiers in the top 14% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Cash Ratio is 0.62. Research Frontiers' value of 2.65 is 327.4% above this benchmark. Historically, Research Frontiers' own Cash Ratio has ranged from 2.23 to 24.83 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 8.83 vs. the industry median of 0.62, Research Frontiers has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Cash Ratio for a Hardware company?
The median Cash Ratio among Hardware companies is 0.62, based on 2,480 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cash Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cash Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Research Frontiers's current Cash Ratio of 2.65 is 327.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Cash Ratio mean?
A high Cash Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Cashflow ratio is the ratio of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities to current liabilities. View historical data on Research Frontiers and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Cash Ratio is 0.62 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Research Frontiers's current Cash Ratio is 2.65, which is 70% below median its own 10-year median of 8.83. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Research Frontiers stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Research Frontiers (REFR) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $0.81, compared to a current price of $0.44 — trading 45.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Cash Ratio is 2.65, which is 70% below median its 10-year median of 8.83 and 327.4% above the Hardware industry median of 0.62. Research Frontiers' overall GF Score™ is 28/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Cash Ratio calculated?
Cash Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Research Frontiers (REFR), the current Cash Ratio is 2.65 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Research Frontiers (REFR) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Research Frontiers stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $0.44 is trading 45.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $0.81.
GuruFocus considers Research Frontiers to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for REFR:
Cash Ratio: 2.65 (70% below median its 10-year median of 8.83)
GF Value™: $0.81 vs. price of $0.44 (45.7% below fair value)
Industry Position: 327.4% above the Hardware median (#340 of 2480)
No single metric tells the full story. See the REFR stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Research Frontiers Inc is engaged in the development and marketing of technology and devices to control the flow of light. The company develops and licenses its patented suspended particle device light-control technology to other companies that manufacture and market the SPD-Smart chemical emulsion, the light-control film made from the chemical emulsion, the light-control panels made by laminating the film, electronics to power end-products incorporating the film, or lamination services for, and the end-products. The company's revenue source comes from the licensing of technology.
28GF Score
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