Ardent HealthARDT +2.06%39 Operating Margin % is 5.05% as of Mar. 2026, which is 21% above its 10-year median of 4.19. GuruFocus rates ARDT with a GF Score™ of 39/100. The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 665 Healthcare Providers & Services companies, Ardent Health ranks better than 51.88% on this metric.
Ardent Health Inc operating margin is expanding. Margin expansion is usually a good sign.
The historical rank and industry rank for Ardent Health's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
ARDT'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.05 Med: 4.19 Max: 8.96
Current: 5.28
ARDT's Operating Margin % is ranked better than 51.88% of 665
companies
in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry
Industry Median: 4.85
vs ARDT: 5.28
Ardent Health's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was 2.50% per year.
Ardent Health (NYSE:ARDT) Operating Margin % Explanation
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.
Ardent Health Operating Margin % Related Terms
Ardent Health Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Ardent Health'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.
ARDT vs INNV, AMN, PNTG: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Medical Care Facilities subindustry, Ardent Health'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.
Ardent Health Operating Margin % vs Healthcare Providers & Services Industry
For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry and Healthcare sector, Ardent Health's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ardent Health'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.
Ardent Health's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 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.
Ardent Health (ARDT) has a Operating Margin % of 5.05% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Ardent Health and its competitors. This is 21% above median its historical median of 4.19. Over the past decade, Ardent Health's Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.05 to 8.96. According to the industry distribution chart, Ardent Health ranks #320 out of 665 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, placing it in the top 48.1%.
Is Ardent Health's Operating Margin % too high?
Ardent Health's current Operating Margin % of 5.05% is 21% above median its 10-year median of 4.19. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.05 to a high of 8.96. The Healthcare Providers & Services industry median Operating Margin % is 4.85. Ardent Health's value of 5.05% is 4.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ardent Health ranks #320 out of 665 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Ardent Health has a GF Score™ of 39/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ardent Health's Operating Margin % compare to INNV and AMN?
According to the Healthcare Providers & Services industry distribution chart, Ardent Health ranks #320 out of 665 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Ardent Health in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 4.85. Ardent Health's value of 5.05% is 4.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Ardent Health's own Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.05 to 8.96 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 4.19 vs. the industry median of 4.85, Ardent Health 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 Healthcare Providers & Services company?
The median Operating Margin % among Healthcare Providers & Services companies is 4.85, based on 665 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. Ardent Health's current Operating Margin % of 5.05% is 4.1% 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 Ardent Health and its competitors. For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, the median Operating Margin % is 4.85 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ardent Health's current Operating Margin % is 5.05%, which is 21% above median its own 10-year median of 4.19. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ardent Health stock overvalued right now?
Ardent Health (ARDT) has a current Operating Margin % of 5.05%. The current Operating Margin % is 5.05%, which is 21% above median its 10-year median of 4.19 and 4.1% above the Healthcare Providers & Services industry median of 4.85. Ardent Health's overall GF Score™ is 39/100 with 2 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 Ardent Health (ARDT), the current Operating Margin % is 5.05% 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.
Ardent Health Inc is a provider of healthcare in growing mid-sized urban communities across the U.S and operating in eight growing mid-sized urban markets across six states Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, New Jersey, Idaho, and Kansas. The main focus on people and investments in services and technologies.
39GF Score
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