Preformed Line Products CoPLPC -0.46%79 Gross Margin % is 31.33% as of Mar. 2026, which is 2% below its 10-year median of 32.05. GuruFocus rates PLPC with a GF Score™ of 79/100 and a GF Value™ of $169.69 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 3,003 Industrial Products companies, Preformed Line Products Co ranks better than 61.04% on this metric.
Preformed Line Products Co (NAS:PLPC) 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
Preformed Line Products Co had a gross margin of 31.33% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 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.
Preformed Line Products Co Gross Margin % Related Terms
Preformed Line Products Co Gross Margin % Historical Data
* 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.
PLPC vs ENVX, ENR, FCEL: Gross Margin % Comparison
For the Electrical Equipment & Parts subindustry, Preformed Line Products 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.
Preformed Line Products Co Gross Margin % vs Industrial Products Industry
For the Industrial Products industry and Industrials sector, Preformed Line Products Co's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Preformed Line Products 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.
Preformed Line Products Co (PLPC) has a Gross Margin % of 31.33% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Preformed Line Products Co and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 32.05. Over the past decade, Preformed Line Products Co's Gross Margin % has ranged from 30.86 to 35.07. According to the industry distribution chart, Preformed Line Products Co ranks #1170 out of 3003 companies in the Industrial Products industry, placing it in the top 39%.
Is Preformed Line Products Co's Gross Margin % too high?
Preformed Line Products Co's current Gross Margin % of 31.33% is near median its 10-year median of 32.05. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 30.86 to a high of 35.07. The Industrial Products industry median Gross Margin % is 26.79. Preformed Line Products Co's value of 31.33% is 16.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Preformed Line Products Co ranks #1170 out of 3003 companies in the Industrial Products industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Preformed Line Products Co has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Preformed Line Products Co's Gross Margin % compare to ENVX and ENR?
According to the Industrial Products industry distribution chart, Preformed Line Products Co ranks #1170 out of 3003 companies for Gross Margin %. This puts Preformed Line Products Co in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 26.79. Preformed Line Products Co's value of 31.33% is 16.9% above this benchmark. Historically, Preformed Line Products Co's own Gross Margin % has ranged from 30.86 to 35.07 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 32.05 vs. the industry median of 26.79, Preformed Line Products 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 an Industrial Products company?
The median Gross Margin % among Industrial Products companies is 26.79, based on 3,003 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. Preformed Line Products Co's current Gross Margin % of 31.33% is 16.9% 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 Preformed Line Products Co and its competitors. For the Industrial Products industry, the median Gross Margin % is 26.79 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Preformed Line Products Co's current Gross Margin % is 31.33%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 32.05. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Preformed Line Products Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Preformed Line Products Co (PLPC) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $169.69, compared to a current price of $381.69 — trading 124.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 31.33%, which is near median its 10-year median of 32.05 and 16.9% above the Industrial Products industry median of 26.79. Preformed Line Products Co's overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 7 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 Preformed Line Products Co (PLPC), the current Gross Margin % is 31.33% 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 Preformed Line Products Co (PLPC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Preformed Line Products Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $381.69 is trading 124.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $169.69.
GuruFocus considers Preformed Line Products Co to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for PLPC:
Gross Margin %: 31.33% (near median its 10-year median of 32.05)
GF Value™: $169.69 vs. price of $381.69 (124.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 16.9% above the Industrial Products median (#1170 of 3003)
No single metric tells the full story. See the PLPC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Preformed Line Products Co is a designer and manufacturer of products and systems for constructing and maintaining overhead and underground networks for energy, telecommunication, cable operators, data communication, and other industries. The Company's primary products support, protect, connect, terminate, and secure cables and wires. The Company provides helical solutions, connectors, fiber optic and copper splice closures, solar framing applications, and electric vehicle charging station foundations. The Company's customers include public and private energy utilities and communication companies, cable operators, contractors and subcontractors, distributors, and value-added resellers. Geographically, the company operates in four regions: PLP-USA, the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.
79GF Score
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