AstroNovaALOT -0.14%56 Operating Margin % is 3.97% as of Apr. 2026, which is 7% above its 10-year median of 3.72. GuruFocus rates ALOT with a GF Score™ of 56/100 and a GF Value™ of $13.24 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,471 Hardware companies, AstroNova ranks worse than 62% on this metric.
Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. AstroNova's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was $1.6 Mil. AstroNova's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was $39.4 Mil. Therefore, AstroNova's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 3.97%.
Warning Sign:
AstroNova Inc operating margin has been in a 5-year decline. The average rate of decline per year is -10%.
The historical rank and industry rank for AstroNova's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
ALOT'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1 Med: 3.72 Max: 6.38
Current: 1.68
ALOT's Operating Margin % is ranked worse than 62% of 2471
companies
in the Hardware industry
Industry Median: 3.8
vs ALOT: 1.68
AstroNova's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was -10.00% per year.
AstroNova's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was $1.6 Mil.
Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $2.6 Mil.
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
AstroNova Operating Margin % Related Terms
AstroNova Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for AstroNova's Operating 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.
ALOT vs VTIX, AMCI, QTEX: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Computer Hardware subindustry, AstroNova's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating 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.
AstroNova Operating Margin % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, AstroNova's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where AstroNova's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
AstroNova's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Jan. 2026 is calculated as
* 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.
AstroNova (ALOT) has a Operating Margin % of 3.97% as of Apr. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on AstroNova and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 3.72. Over the past decade, AstroNova's Operating Margin % has ranged from 1.00 to 6.38. According to the industry distribution chart, AstroNova ranks #1532 out of 2471 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 62%.
Is AstroNova's Operating Margin % too high?
AstroNova's current Operating Margin % of 3.97% is near median its 10-year median of 3.72. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.00 to a high of 6.38. The Hardware industry median Operating Margin % is 3.80. AstroNova's value of 3.97% is 4.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, AstroNova ranks #1532 out of 2471 companies in the Hardware industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, AstroNova has a GF Score™ of 56/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does AstroNova's Operating Margin % compare to VTIX and AMCI?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, AstroNova ranks #1532 out of 2471 companies for Operating Margin %. This places AstroNova in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 3.80. AstroNova's value of 3.97% is 4.5% above this benchmark. Historically, AstroNova's own Operating Margin % has ranged from 1.00 to 6.38 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 3.72 vs. the industry median of 3.80, AstroNova 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 Operating Margin % for a Hardware company?
The median Operating Margin % among Hardware companies is 3.80, based on 2,471 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. AstroNova's current Operating Margin % of 3.97% is 4.5% 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 Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on AstroNova and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Operating Margin % is 3.80 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. AstroNova's current Operating Margin % is 3.97%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 3.72. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is AstroNova stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, AstroNova (ALOT) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $13.24, compared to a current price of $28.42 — trading 114.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 3.97%, which is near median its 10-year median of 3.72 and 4.5% above the Hardware industry median of 3.80. AstroNova's overall GF Score™ is 56/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For AstroNova (ALOT), the current Operating Margin % is 3.97% 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 AstroNova (ALOT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, AstroNova stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $28.42 is trading 114.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $13.24.
GuruFocus considers AstroNova to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for ALOT:
Operating Margin %: 3.97% (near median its 10-year median of 3.72)
GF Value™: $13.24 vs. price of $28.42 (114.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 4.5% above the Hardware median (#1532 of 2471)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ALOT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
AstroNova Inc designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes a broad range of specialty printers and data acquisition and analysis systems, including both hardware and software, which incorporate technologies to acquire, store, analyze, and present data in multiple formats sold under the QuickLabel, TrojanLabel and GetLabels brand names. Its target markets for hardware and software products include aerospace, apparel, automotive, avionics, chemicals, computer peripherals, communications, distribution, food and beverage, general manufacturing, packaging, and transportation. It has two segments, Product Identification (PI) and Aerospace. It generates the majority of its revenue from the PI segment that includes specialty printing systems and related supplies.
56GF Score
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