Mission Produce (NAS:AVO) 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.
Mission Produce Operating Margin % Related Terms
Mission Produce Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Mission Produce'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.
AVO vs WILC, CVGW, HFFG: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Food Distribution subindustry, Mission Produce'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.
Mission Produce Operating Margin % vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Mission Produce's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Mission Produce'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.
Mission Produce's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Oct. 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.
Mission Produce (AVO) has a Operating Margin % of -0.21% as of Apr. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Mission Produce and its competitors. Over the past decade, Mission Produce's Operating Margin % has ranged from 0.72 to 12.06. According to the industry distribution chart, Mission Produce ranks #128 out of 310 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 41.3%.
Is Mission Produce's Operating Margin % too high?
Mission Produce's current Operating Margin % is -0.21%. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.72 to a high of 12.06. Based on the distribution chart, Mission Produce ranks #128 out of 310 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Mission Produce has a GF Score™ of 80/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Mission Produce's Operating Margin % compare to WILC and CVGW?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Mission Produce ranks #128 out of 310 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Mission Produce in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 3.28. Historically, Mission Produce's own Operating Margin % has ranged from 0.72 to 12.06 over the past decade. 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 Retail - Defensive company?
The median Operating Margin % among Retail - Defensive companies is 3.28, based on 310 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 Mission Produce and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Operating Margin % is 3.28 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Mission Produce's current Operating Margin % is -0.21%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Mission Produce stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Mission Produce (AVO) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $12.80, compared to a current price of $12.23 — trading 4.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -0.21%. Mission Produce's overall GF Score™ is 80/100 with 4 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 Mission Produce (AVO), the current Operating Margin % is -0.21% 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 Mission Produce (AVO) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Mission Produce stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $12.23 is trading 4.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $12.80.
GuruFocus considers Mission Produce to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for AVO:
Operating Margin %: -0.21%
GF Value™: $12.80 vs. price of $12.23 (4.5% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the AVO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Mission Produce Inc produces, packs, and distributes mainly Hass avocados to retail, wholesale, and food service customers, offering pre-ripe and ripened fruit tailored to customer specifications through its network of ripening facilities. The Company operates through three segments: Marketing & Distribution, which sources and distributes fruit globally and generates the majority of revenue; International Farming, which owns and operates avocado orchards and supplies fruit mainly to Marketing & Distribution, with operations principally in Peru and Guatemala; and Blueberries, which farms blueberries sold under an exclusive marketing agreement. The Company's operations span Peru, the United States, Guatemala, Mexico, Europe, and Canada.
80GF Score
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