Empire CoEMLAF +2.08%78 Gross Margin % is 27.57% as of Apr. 2026, which is 8% above its 10-year median of 25.43. GuruFocus rates EMLAF with a GF Score™ of 78/100 and a GF Value™ of $34.55 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 305 Retail - Defensive companies, Empire Co ranks better than 60.66% on this metric.
Gross Margin % is calculated as gross profit divided by its revenue. Empire Co's Gross Profit for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was $1,565 Mil. Empire Co's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was $5,676 Mil. Therefore, Empire Co's Gross Margin % for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 27.57%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Empire Co's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
EMLAF'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 23.97 Med: 25.43 Max: 27.12
Current: 27.12
During the past 13 years, the highestGross Margin % of Empire Co was 27.12%. The lowest was 23.97%. And the median was 25.43%.
EMLAF's Gross Margin % is ranked better than 60.66% of 305
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 24.14
vs EMLAF: 27.12
Empire Co had a gross margin of 27.57% for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 => Competition eroding margins
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for Empire Co was 1.50% per year.
Empire Co (OTCPK:EMLAF) 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
Empire Co had a gross margin of 27.57% for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 => Competition eroding margins
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.
Empire Co Gross Margin % Related Terms
Empire Co Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Empire Co'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 Grocery Stores subindustry, Empire Co'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.
Empire Co Gross Margin % vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Empire Co's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Empire Co'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.
Empire Co (EMLAF) has a Gross Margin % of 27.57% as of Apr. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Empire Co and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 25.43. Over the past decade, Empire Co's Gross Margin % has ranged from 23.97 to 27.12. According to the industry distribution chart, Empire Co ranks #120 out of 305 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 39.3%.
Is Empire Co's Gross Margin % too high?
Empire Co's current Gross Margin % of 27.57% is near median its 10-year median of 25.43. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 23.97 to a high of 27.12. The Retail - Defensive industry median Gross Margin % is 24.14. Empire Co's value of 27.57% is 14.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Empire Co ranks #120 out of 305 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Empire Co has a GF Score™ of 78/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Empire Co's Gross Margin % compare to KR and SFM?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Empire Co ranks #120 out of 305 companies for Gross Margin %. This puts Empire Co in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 24.14. Empire Co's value of 27.57% is 14.2% above this benchmark. Historically, Empire Co's own Gross Margin % has ranged from 23.97 to 27.12 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 25.43 vs. the industry median of 24.14, Empire Co 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 Gross Margin % for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Gross Margin % among Retail - Defensive companies is 24.14, based on 305 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. Empire Co's current Gross Margin % of 27.57% is 14.2% 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 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 Empire Co and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Gross Margin % is 24.14 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Empire Co's current Gross Margin % is 27.57%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 25.43. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Empire Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Empire Co (EMLAF) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $34.55, compared to a current price of $36.31 — trading 5.1% above its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 27.57%, which is near median its 10-year median of 25.43 and 14.2% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 24.14. Empire Co's overall GF Score™ is 78/100 with 3 warning signs 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 Empire Co (EMLAF), the current Gross Margin % is 27.57% as of Apr. 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 Empire Co (EMLAF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Empire Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $36.31 is trading 5.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of $34.55.
GuruFocus considers Empire Co to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for EMLAF:
Gross Margin %: 27.57% (near median its 10-year median of 25.43)
GF Value™: $34.55 vs. price of $36.31 (5.1% above fair value)
Industry Position: 14.2% above the Retail - Defensive median (#120 of 305)
No single metric tells the full story. See the EMLAF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Empire Co Ltd is a Canadian company whose key businesses are food retailing and related real estate. The Company's business operations were conducted through its two reportable segments: Food retailing and Investments and other operations. The Food retailing segment is comprised of three operating segments: Sobeys National, Farm Boy and Longo's. Food retailing consists of corporate and franchisee-owned retail food stores, and includes convenience and fuel stores, retail pharmacy stores and in-store pharmacies, as well as an e-commerce grocery-business, providing customers offerings in fresh and non-fresh grocery, fuel, pharmacy, health and beauty care and general merchandise. The Investments and other operations consists of investments in Crombie REIT, real estate partnership.
78GF Score
Get the complete analysis for EMLAF
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