The European Smaller TrustLSE:ESCT +0.43%40 Net Margin % is 98.14% as of Dec. 2025, which is 0% above its 10-year median of 97.70. GuruFocus rates LSE:ESCT with a GF Score™ of 40/100. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,580 Asset Management companies, The European Smaller Trust ranks better than 73.8% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for The European Smaller Trust's Net Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:ESCT'
s Net Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 84.84 Med: 97.7 Max: 104.55
Current: 98.4
LSE:ESCT's Net Margin % is ranked better than 73.8% of 1580
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 84.895
vs LSE:ESCT: 98.40
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) Net Margin % Explanation
Although Net Income and Earnings-per-Share (EPS) are the most widely used parameter in measuring a company's profitability and valuation, it is the least reliable. The reason is that reported earnings can be manipulated easily by adjusting any numbers such as Depreciation, Depletion and Amotorization and non-recurring items.
But the long term trend of the net margin is a good indicator of the competitiveness and health of the business.
The European Smaller Trust Net Margin % Related Terms
The European Smaller Trust Net 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 Asset Management subindustry, The European Smaller Trust's Net Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Net 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.
The European Smaller Trust Net Margin % vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, The European Smaller Trust's Net Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The European Smaller Trust's Net 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.
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) has a Net Margin % of 98.14% as of Dec. 2025. Net margin is the ratio of total net income to net sales. View historical data on The European Smaller Trust and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 97.70. Over the past decade, The European Smaller Trust's Net Margin % has ranged from 84.84 to 104.55. According to the industry distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #414 out of 1580 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 26.2%.
Is The European Smaller Trust's Net Margin % too high?
The European Smaller Trust's current Net Margin % of 98.14% is near median its 10-year median of 97.70. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 84.84 to a high of 104.55. The Asset Management industry median Net Margin % is 84.90. The European Smaller Trust's value of 98.14% is 15.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #414 out of 1580 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, The European Smaller Trust has a GF Score™ of 40/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The European Smaller Trust's Net Margin % compare to BLK and BX?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #414 out of 1580 companies for Net Margin %. This puts The European Smaller Trust in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Net Margin % is 84.90. The European Smaller Trust's value of 98.14% is 15.6% above this benchmark. Historically, The European Smaller Trust's own Net Margin % has ranged from 84.84 to 104.55 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 97.70 vs. the industry median of 84.90, The European Smaller Trust 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 Net Margin % for an Asset Management company?
The median Net Margin % among Asset Management companies is 84.90, based on 1,580 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Net Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Net Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. The European Smaller Trust's current Net Margin % of 98.14% is 15.6% 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 Net Margin % mean?
A high Net Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Net margin is the ratio of total net income to net sales. View historical data on The European Smaller Trust and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median Net Margin % is 84.90 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The European Smaller Trust's current Net Margin % is 98.14%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 97.70. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The European Smaller Trust stock overvalued right now?
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) has a current Net Margin % of 98.14%. The current Net Margin % is 98.14%, which is near median its 10-year median of 97.70 and 15.6% above the Asset Management industry median of 84.90. The European Smaller Trust's overall GF Score™ is 40/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Net Margin % calculated?
Net Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT), the current Net Margin % is 98.14% 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.
The European Smaller Companies Trust PLC is a United Kingdom-based trust focused on capital growth through equities in smaller and medium-sized European companies. It focuses on equities from smaller and medium-sized companies quoted, domiciled, listed, or operating across Europe, excluding the UK. Its portfolio includes industrial goods, technology, financials, business providers, basic materials, consumer goods, retail providers and natural resource sectors.
40GF Score
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