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.
Continental Coal Operating Margin % Related Terms
Continental Coal Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Continental Coal'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.
For the Coking Coal subindustry, Continental Coal'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.
Continental Coal Operating Margin % vs Steel Industry
For the Steel industry and Basic Materials sector, Continental Coal's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Continental Coal'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.
Continental Coal's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Jun. 2014 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.
Continental Coal (ASX:CCC) has a Operating Margin % of -26.42% as of Jun. 2014. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Continental Coal and its competitors.
Is Continental Coal's Operating Margin % too high?
Continental Coal's current Operating Margin % is -26.42%.
How does Continental Coal's Operating Margin % compare to competitors?
Continental Coal's Operating Margin % of -26.42% can be compared against companies in the Steel industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 2.99. 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 Steel company?
The median Operating Margin % among Steel companies is 2.99, based on 615 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. 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 Continental Coal and its competitors. For the Steel industry, the median Operating Margin % is 2.99 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Continental Coal's current Operating Margin % is -26.42%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Continental Coal stock overvalued right now?
Continental Coal (ASX:CCC) has a current Operating Margin % of -26.42%. The current Operating Margin % is -26.42%. 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 Continental Coal (ASX:CCC), the current Operating Margin % is -26.42% as of Jun. 2014. 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.
Continental Coal Ltd is a coal exploration and development company. It is engaged in producing, development and exploration of coal in its projects located in South Africa's coal fields. Its three main operating mines are Vlakvarkfontein, Ferreira and Penumbra mine. Its development projects include De Wittekrans development project; and exploration projects, such as Vaalbank, Leiden and Knapdaar in South Africa, as well as Kweneng and Serowe exploration projects in Botswana.
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