Clearwater Paper Corp gross margin has been in long-term decline. The average rate of decline per year is -14.9%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Clearwater Paper's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
STU:5WC'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 5.08 Med: 11.48 Max: 17.78
Current: 5.08
During the past 13 years, the highestGross Margin % of Clearwater Paper was 17.78%. The lowest was 5.08%. And the median was 11.48%.
STU:5WC's Gross Margin % is ranked worse than 87.1% of 279
companies
in the Forest Products industry
Industry Median: 19.05
vs STU:5WC: 5.08
Clearwater Paper had a gross margin of -0.25% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => No sustainable competitive advantage
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for Clearwater Paper was -14.90% per year.
Clearwater Paper (STU:5WC) 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
Clearwater Paper had a gross margin of -0.25% 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.
Clearwater Paper Gross Margin % Related Terms
Clearwater Paper Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Clearwater Paper'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.
STU:5WC vs MERC, ITP, SLVM: Gross Margin % Comparison
For the Paper & Paper Products subindustry, Clearwater Paper'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.
Clearwater Paper Gross Margin % vs Forest Products Industry
For the Forest Products industry and Basic Materials sector, Clearwater Paper's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Clearwater Paper'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.
Clearwater Paper (STU:5WC) has a Gross Margin % of -0.25% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Clearwater Paper and its competitors. Over the past decade, Clearwater Paper's Gross Margin % has ranged from 5.08 to 17.78. According to the industry distribution chart, Clearwater Paper ranks #243 out of 279 companies in the Forest Products industry, placing it in the top 87.1%.
Is Clearwater Paper's Gross Margin % too high?
Clearwater Paper's current Gross Margin % is -0.25%. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.08 to a high of 17.78. Based on the distribution chart, Clearwater Paper ranks #243 out of 279 companies in the Forest Products industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Clearwater Paper has a GF Score™ of 46/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Clearwater Paper's Gross Margin % compare to MERC and ITP?
According to the Forest Products industry distribution chart, Clearwater Paper ranks #243 out of 279 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Clearwater Paper in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 19.05. Historically, Clearwater Paper's own Gross Margin % has ranged from 5.08 to 17.78 over the past decade. 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 Forest Products company?
The median Gross Margin % among Forest Products companies is 19.05, based on 279 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. 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 Clearwater Paper and its competitors. For the Forest Products industry, the median Gross Margin % is 19.05 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Clearwater Paper's current Gross Margin % is -0.25%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Clearwater Paper stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Clearwater Paper (STU:5WC) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €33.03, compared to a current price of €13.70 — trading 58.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is -0.25%. Clearwater Paper's overall GF Score™ is 46/100 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 Clearwater Paper (STU:5WC), the current Gross Margin % is -0.25% 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 Clearwater Paper (STU:5WC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Clearwater Paper stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €13.70 is trading 58.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of €33.03.
GuruFocus considers Clearwater Paper to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for STU:5WC:
Gross Margin %: -0.25%
GF Value™: €33.03 vs. price of €13.70 (58.5% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:5WC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Clearwater Paper Corp is engaged in the manufacturing and supplier of Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) paperboard packaging products. The company products includes: SBS paperboard which is a premium paperboard grade that is frequently used to produce folding cartons, food service, commercial printing items. It generates maximum revenue from Pulp and Paperboard segment. Company operate in United States and have globalized access too. Geographically, it derives maximum revenue from the United States.
46GF Score
Get the complete analysis for STU:5WC
Gross Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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