BallBALL +0.81%85 Gross Margin % is 17.93% as of Mar. 2026, which is 9% below its 10-year median of 19.77. GuruFocus rates BALL with a GF Score™ of 85/100 and a GF Value™ of $73.61 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 383 Packaging & Containers companies, Ball ranks worse than 56.14% on this metric.
Gross Margin % is calculated as gross profit divided by its revenue. Ball's Gross Profit for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $646 Mil. Ball's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $3,603 Mil. Therefore, Ball's Gross Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 17.93%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Ball's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
BALL'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 16.83 Med: 19.77 Max: 20.86
Current: 19.17
During the past 13 years, the highestGross Margin % of Ball was 20.86%. The lowest was 16.83%. And the median was 19.77%.
BALL's Gross Margin % is ranked worse than 56.14% of 383
companies
in the Packaging & Containers industry
Industry Median: 21.27
vs BALL: 19.17
Ball had a gross margin of 17.93% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => No sustainable competitive advantage
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for Ball was -0.10% per year.
Ball (NYSE:BALL) Gross Margin % Explanation
Warren Buffett believes that firms with excellent long term economics tend to have consistently higher margins.
Durable competitive advantage creates a high Gross Margin % because of the freedom to price in excess of cost. Companies can be categorized by their Gross Margin %
1. Greater than 40% = Durable competitive advantage
2. Less than 40% = Competition eroding margins
3. Less than 20% = no sustainable competitive advantage
Consistency of Gross Margin is key
Ball had a gross margin of 17.93% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => No sustainable competitive advantage
Be Aware
If a company loses its competitive advantages, usually its gross margin declines well before its sales declines. Watching Gross Margin % and Operating Margin % closely helps avoid value trap situations.
Ball Gross Margin % Related Terms
Ball Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Ball's Gross Margin % 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 Packaging & Containers subindustry, Ball's Gross Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Gross Margin % 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.
Ball Gross Margin % vs Packaging & Containers Industry
For the Packaging & Containers industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Ball's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ball's Gross Margin % 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.
A positive Gross Profit is only the first step for a company to make a net profit. The gross profit needs to be big enough to also cover related labor, equipment, rental, marketing/advertising, research and development and a lot of other costs in selling the products.
Ball (BALL) has a Gross Margin % of 17.93% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Ball and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 19.77. Over the past decade, Ball's Gross Margin % has ranged from 16.83 to 20.86. According to the industry distribution chart, Ball ranks #215 out of 383 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, placing it in the top 56.1%.
Is Ball's Gross Margin % too high?
Ball's current Gross Margin % of 17.93% is near median its 10-year median of 19.77. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 16.83 to a high of 20.86. The Packaging & Containers industry median Gross Margin % is 21.27. Ball's value of 17.93% is 15.7% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ball ranks #215 out of 383 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Ball has a GF Score™ of 85/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ball's Gross Margin % compare to AVY and IP?
According to the Packaging & Containers industry distribution chart, Ball ranks #215 out of 383 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Ball in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 21.27. Ball's value of 17.93% is 15.7% below this benchmark. Historically, Ball's own Gross Margin % has ranged from 16.83 to 20.86 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 19.77 vs. the industry median of 21.27, Ball has consistently been below 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 Gross Margin % for a Packaging & Containers company?
The median Gross Margin % among Packaging & Containers companies is 21.27, based on 383 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Gross Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Gross Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ball's current Gross Margin % of 17.93% is 15.7% below 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 Gross Margin % mean?
A high Gross Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Ball and its competitors. For the Packaging & Containers industry, the median Gross Margin % is 21.27 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ball's current Gross Margin % is 17.93%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 19.77. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ball stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ball (BALL) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $73.61, compared to a current price of $60.98 — trading 17.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 17.93%, which is near median its 10-year median of 19.77 and 15.7% below the Packaging & Containers industry median of 21.27. Ball's overall GF Score™ is 85/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Gross Margin % calculated?
Gross Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ball (BALL), the current Gross Margin % is 17.93% as of Mar. 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 Ball (BALL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ball stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $60.98 is trading 17.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of $73.61.
GuruFocus considers Ball to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for BALL:
Gross Margin %: 17.93% (near median its 10-year median of 19.77)
GF Value™: $73.61 vs. price of $60.98 (17.2% below fair value)
Industry Position: 15.7% below the Packaging & Containers median (#215 of 383)
No single metric tells the full story. See the BALL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Ball is the world's largest metal can manufacturer with market share over 30% in its three main regions (North America, Europe, and South America). The company is focused on increasing capacity amid a wave of new developed-market demand, while also investing in faster-growing emerging-market economies. Ball spun-off its glass jar business in 1993 and is now owned by Newell. The company reports three segments—beverage packaging, North and Central America (48% of 2025 revenue), beverage packaging, EMEA (30%), beverage packaging, South America (16%)—and it generated $13 billion in revenue in 2025.
85GF Score
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