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Suburban Propane Partners LPSPH +0.27%57 Gross Margin % is 62.36% as of Mar. 2026, which is 3% above its 10-year median of 60.26. GuruFocus rates SPH with a GF Score™ of 57/100 and a GF Value™ of $18.09 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 488 Utilities - Regulated companies, Suburban Propane Partners LP ranks better than 88.93% on this metric.
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
Suburban Propane Partners LP had a gross margin of 62.36% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => Durable 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.
Suburban Propane Partners LP Gross Margin % Related Terms
Suburban Propane Partners LP 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.
For the Utilities - Regulated Gas subindustry, Suburban Propane Partners LP'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.
Suburban Propane Partners LP Gross Margin % vs Utilities - Regulated Industry
For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Suburban Propane Partners LP's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Suburban Propane Partners LP'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.
Suburban Propane Partners LP (SPH) has a Gross Margin % of 62.36% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Suburban Propane Partners LP and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 60.26. Over the past decade, Suburban Propane Partners LP's Gross Margin % has ranged from 52.57 to 65.43. According to the industry distribution chart, Suburban Propane Partners LP ranks #54 out of 488 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 11.1%.
Is Suburban Propane Partners LP's Gross Margin % too high?
Suburban Propane Partners LP's current Gross Margin % of 62.36% is near median its 10-year median of 60.26. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 52.57 to a high of 65.43. The Utilities - Regulated industry median Gross Margin % is 30.63. Suburban Propane Partners LP's value of 62.36% is 103.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Suburban Propane Partners LP ranks #54 out of 488 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Suburban Propane Partners LP has a GF Score™ of 57/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Suburban Propane Partners LP's Gross Margin % compare to NWN and RGCO?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Suburban Propane Partners LP ranks #54 out of 488 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Suburban Propane Partners LP in the top 11% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Gross Margin % is 30.63. Suburban Propane Partners LP's value of 62.36% is 103.6% above this benchmark. Historically, Suburban Propane Partners LP's own Gross Margin % has ranged from 52.57 to 65.43 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 60.26 vs. the industry median of 30.63, Suburban Propane Partners LP 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 Utilities - Regulated company?
The median Gross Margin % among Utilities - Regulated companies is 30.63, based on 488 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. Suburban Propane Partners LP's current Gross Margin % of 62.36% is 103.6% 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 Suburban Propane Partners LP and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median Gross Margin % is 30.63 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Suburban Propane Partners LP's current Gross Margin % is 62.36%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 60.26. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Suburban Propane Partners LP stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Suburban Propane Partners LP (SPH) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $18.09, compared to a current price of $18.66 — trading 3.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 62.36%, which is near median its 10-year median of 60.26 and 103.6% above the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 30.63. Suburban Propane Partners LP's overall GF Score™ is 57/100 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 Suburban Propane Partners LP (SPH), the current Gross Margin % is 62.36% 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 Suburban Propane Partners LP (SPH) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Suburban Propane Partners LP stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $18.66 is trading 3.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $18.09.
GuruFocus considers Suburban Propane Partners LP to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for SPH:
Gross Margin %: 62.36% (near median its 10-year median of 60.26)
GF Value™: $18.09 vs. price of $18.66 (3.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 103.6% above the Utilities - Regulated median (#54 of 488)
No single metric tells the full story. See the SPH stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Suburban Propane Partners LP distributes propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas (RNG), fuel oil, refined fuels, and markets natural gas and electricity in deregulated markets. It produces and invests in low-carbon fuel alternatives. The company installs and services home comfort heating and ventilation equipment and distributes fuel oil, kerosene, diesel, and gasoline to about 25,000 residential and commercial customers mainly in the U.S. northeast. It operates three segments: Propane, Fuel Oil and Refined Fuels, and Natural Gas and Electricity, with the Propane segment generating the majority of revenue. Propane, a by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, is a clean-burning energy source known for transportability and ease of use.
57GF Score
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