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Kobe Bussan CoTSE:3038 -1.96%89 Gross Margin % is 12.23% as of Apr. 2026, which is 3% below its 10-year median of 12.66. GuruFocus rates TSE:3038 with a GF Score™ of 89/100 and a GF Value™ of 円4,408.71 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 306 Retail - Defensive companies, Kobe Bussan Co ranks worse than 79.41% on this metric.
Kobe Bussan Co Ltd gross margin has been in long-term decline. The average rate of decline per year is -1.7%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Kobe Bussan Co's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
TSE:3038'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 11.42 Med: 12.66 Max: 16.08
Current: 12.43
During the past 13 years, the highestGross Margin % of Kobe Bussan Co was 16.08%. The lowest was 11.42%. And the median was 12.66%.
TSE:3038's Gross Margin % is ranked worse than 79.41% of 306
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 24.055
vs TSE:3038: 12.43
Kobe Bussan Co had a gross margin of 12.23% for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 => No sustainable competitive advantage
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for Kobe Bussan Co was -1.70% per year.
Kobe Bussan Co (TSE:3038) 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
Kobe Bussan Co had a gross margin of 12.23% for the quarter that ended in Apr. 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.
Kobe Bussan Co Gross Margin % Related Terms
Kobe Bussan Co Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Kobe Bussan 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, Kobe Bussan 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.
Kobe Bussan Co Gross Margin % vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Kobe Bussan Co's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Kobe Bussan 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.
Kobe Bussan Co (TSE:3038) has a Gross Margin % of 12.23% as of Apr. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Kobe Bussan Co and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 12.66. Over the past decade, Kobe Bussan Co's Gross Margin % has ranged from 11.42 to 16.08. According to the industry distribution chart, Kobe Bussan Co ranks #243 out of 306 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 79.4%.
Is Kobe Bussan Co's Gross Margin % too high?
Kobe Bussan Co's current Gross Margin % of 12.23% is near median its 10-year median of 12.66. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 11.42 to a high of 16.08. The Retail - Defensive industry median Gross Margin % is 24.06. Kobe Bussan Co's value of 12.23% is 49.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Kobe Bussan Co ranks #243 out of 306 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Kobe Bussan Co has a GF Score™ of 89/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kobe Bussan Co's Gross Margin % compare to KR?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Kobe Bussan Co ranks #243 out of 306 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Kobe Bussan Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Gross Margin % is 24.06. Kobe Bussan Co's value of 12.23% is 49.2% below this benchmark. Historically, Kobe Bussan Co's own Gross Margin % has ranged from 11.42 to 16.08 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 12.66 vs. the industry median of 24.06, Kobe Bussan Co 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 Retail - Defensive company?
The median Gross Margin % among Retail - Defensive companies is 24.06, based on 306 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. Kobe Bussan Co's current Gross Margin % of 12.23% is 49.2% 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 Kobe Bussan Co and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Gross Margin % is 24.06 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Kobe Bussan Co's current Gross Margin % is 12.23%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 12.66. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kobe Bussan Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kobe Bussan Co (TSE:3038) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is 円4,408.71, compared to a current price of 円2,674.50 — trading 39.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 12.23%, which is near median its 10-year median of 12.66 and 49.2% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 24.06. Kobe Bussan Co's overall GF Score™ is 89/100 with 1 warning sign 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 Kobe Bussan Co (TSE:3038), the current Gross Margin % is 12.23% 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 Kobe Bussan Co (TSE:3038) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kobe Bussan Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of 円2,674.50 is trading 39.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of 円4,408.71.
GuruFocus considers Kobe Bussan Co to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for TSE:3038:
Gross Margin %: 12.23% (near median its 10-year median of 12.66)
GF Value™: 円4,408.71 vs. price of 円2,674.50 (39.3% below fair value)
Industry Position: 49.2% below the Retail - Defensive median (#243 of 306)
No single metric tells the full story. See the TSE:3038 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Kobe Bussan Co Ltd is a Japan-based company that operates through four business divisions: Business Supermarket, Restaurant and Ready-Meal, Eco-Renewable Energy, and Others. The Business Supermarket segment runs Gyomu Super stores offering affordable domestic and imported food products. The Restaurant and Ready-Meal segment operates buffet and delicatessen chains such as Kobe Cook World Buffet, Premium Karubi, and Chisouna. The Eco-Renewable Energy segment generates electricity from nineteen solar and one woody biomass power plant. The Others segment includes tourism and related businesses. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Business Supermarket segment.
89GF Score
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