World ChessLSE:CHSS Gross Margin % is 25.12% as of Dec. 2025, which is 12% below its 10-year median of 28.47. The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,681 Software companies, World Chess ranks worse than 63.3% on this metric.
World Chess PLC gross margin has been in long-term decline. The average rate of decline per year is -18.4%.
The historical rank and industry rank for World Chess's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:CHSS'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -65.55 Med: 28.47 Max: 61.55
Current: 30.03
During the past 8 years, the highestGross Margin % of World Chess was 61.55%. The lowest was -65.55%. And the median was 28.47%.
LSE:CHSS's Gross Margin % is ranked worse than 63.3% of 2681
companies
in the Software industry
Industry Median: 40.41
vs LSE:CHSS: 30.03
World Chess had a gross margin of 25.12% for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 => Competition eroding margins
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for World Chess was -18.40% per year.
World Chess (LSE:CHSS) 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
World Chess had a gross margin of 25.12% for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 => 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.
World Chess Gross Margin % Related Terms
World Chess Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for World Chess'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.
LSE:CHSS vs UBER, SHOP, CRM: Gross Margin % Comparison
For the Software - Application subindustry, World Chess'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.
World Chess Gross Margin % vs Software Industry
For the Software industry and Technology sector, World Chess's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where World Chess'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.
World Chess (LSE:CHSS) has a Gross Margin % of 25.12% as of Dec. 2025. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on World Chess and its competitors. This is 12% below median its historical median of 28.47. According to the industry distribution chart, World Chess ranks #1697 out of 2681 companies in the Software industry, placing it in the top 63.3%.
Is World Chess' Gross Margin % too high?
World Chess' current Gross Margin % of 25.12% is 12% below median its 10-year median of 28.47. The Software industry median Gross Margin % is 40.41. World Chess' value of 25.12% is 37.8% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, World Chess ranks #1697 out of 2681 companies in the Software industry, which is below the industry midpoint.
How does World Chess' Gross Margin % compare to UBER and SHOP?
According to the Software industry distribution chart, World Chess ranks #1697 out of 2681 companies for Gross Margin %. This places World Chess in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 40.41. World Chess' value of 25.12% is 37.8% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 28.47 vs. the industry median of 40.41, World Chess 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 Software company?
The median Gross Margin % among Software companies is 40.41, based on 2,681 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. World Chess's current Gross Margin % of 25.12% is 37.8% 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 World Chess and its competitors. For the Software industry, the median Gross Margin % is 40.41 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. World Chess's current Gross Margin % is 25.12%, which is 12% below median its own 10-year median of 28.47. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is World Chess stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, World Chess (LSE:CHSS) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is £0.03, compared to a current price of £0.00 — trading 90.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 25.12%, which is 12% below median its 10-year median of 28.47 and 37.8% below the Software industry median of 40.41. 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 World Chess (LSE:CHSS), the current Gross Margin % is 25.12% as of Dec. 2025. 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.
World Chess PLC is a chess company that is developing and reinventing chess for the modern consumer, more than 600 million of them, combining tradition and innovation to create experiences that engage. The company runs FIDE Online Arena, the official platform of the International Chess Federation, where players can earn their FIDE-recognized ratings online. It develops official World Chess products, from its iconic championship sets to inventive digital tools that make following and playing chess more intuitive and exciting. Geographically, the company generates majority revenue from United Kingdom followed by United States of America and Europe.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
LSE:CHSS has been successfully added to your 