Bio-Rad LaboratoriesFRA:BUWA +3.27%72 Operating Margin % is 5.76% as of Mar. 2026, which is 44% below its 10-year median of 10.21. GuruFocus rates FRA:BUWA with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of €272.83 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 816 Medical Devices & Instruments companies, Bio-Rad Laboratories ranks better than 63.11% on this metric.
Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc operating margin has been in a 5-year decline. The average rate of decline per year is -13.6%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Bio-Rad Laboratories's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
FRA:BUWA'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 5.71 Med: 10.21 Max: 17.12
Current: 8.84
FRA:BUWA's Operating Margin % is ranked better than 63.11% of 816
companies
in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry
Industry Median: 3.465
vs FRA:BUWA: 8.84
Bio-Rad Laboratories's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was -13.60% per year.
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.
Bio-Rad Laboratories Operating Margin % Related Terms
Bio-Rad Laboratories Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Bio-Rad Laboratories'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.
FRA:BUWA vs BRKR, MASI, PODD: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Medical Devices subindustry, Bio-Rad Laboratories'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.
Bio-Rad Laboratories Operating Margin % vs Medical Devices & Instruments Industry
For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry and Healthcare sector, Bio-Rad Laboratories's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Bio-Rad Laboratories'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.
Bio-Rad Laboratories'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.
Bio-Rad Laboratories (FRA:BUWA) has a Operating Margin % of 5.76% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Bio-Rad Laboratories and its competitors. This is 44% below median its historical median of 10.21. Over the past decade, Bio-Rad Laboratories' Operating Margin % has ranged from 5.71 to 17.12. According to the industry distribution chart, Bio-Rad Laboratories ranks #301 out of 816 companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, placing it in the top 36.9%.
Is Bio-Rad Laboratories' Operating Margin % too high?
Bio-Rad Laboratories' current Operating Margin % of 5.76% is 44% below median its 10-year median of 10.21. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.71 to a high of 17.12. The Medical Devices & Instruments industry median Operating Margin % is 3.47. Bio-Rad Laboratories' value of 5.76% is 66.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Bio-Rad Laboratories ranks #301 out of 816 companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Bio-Rad Laboratories has a GF Score™ of 72/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Bio-Rad Laboratories' Operating Margin % compare to BRKR and MASI?
According to the Medical Devices & Instruments industry distribution chart, Bio-Rad Laboratories ranks #301 out of 816 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Bio-Rad Laboratories in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 3.47. Bio-Rad Laboratories' value of 5.76% is 66.2% above this benchmark. Historically, Bio-Rad Laboratories' own Operating Margin % has ranged from 5.71 to 17.12 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 10.21 vs. the industry median of 3.47, Bio-Rad Laboratories 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 Medical Devices & Instruments company?
The median Operating Margin % among Medical Devices & Instruments companies is 3.47, based on 816 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. Bio-Rad Laboratories's current Operating Margin % of 5.76% is 66.2% 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 Bio-Rad Laboratories and its competitors. For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, the median Operating Margin % is 3.47 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Bio-Rad Laboratories's current Operating Margin % is 5.76%, which is 44% below median its own 10-year median of 10.21. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Bio-Rad Laboratories stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Bio-Rad Laboratories (FRA:BUWA) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €272.83, compared to a current price of €246.00 — trading 9.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 5.76%, which is 44% below median its 10-year median of 10.21 and 66.2% above the Medical Devices & Instruments industry median of 3.47. Bio-Rad Laboratories' overall GF Score™ is 72/100 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 Bio-Rad Laboratories (FRA:BUWA), the current Operating Margin % is 5.76% 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.
Is Bio-Rad Laboratories (FRA:BUWA) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Bio-Rad Laboratories stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €246.00 is trading 9.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of €272.83.
GuruFocus considers Bio-Rad Laboratories to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:BUWA:
Operating Margin %: 5.76% (44% below median its 10-year median of 10.21)
GF Value™: €272.83 vs. price of €246.00 (9.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 66.2% above the Medical Devices & Instruments median (#301 of 816)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:BUWA stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Bio-Rad Laboratories, headquartered in Hercules, California, develops, manufactures, and sells products and solutions for the clinical diagnostics and life sciences markets. In clinical diagnostics (60% of sales), Bio-Rad sells test systems and specialized quality controls for clinical laboratories. In life sciences (40% of sales), it develops and manufactures instruments and reagents used in research, biopharmaceutical production, and food testing and has a leadership position in dPCR technology. The company is geographically diverse, with major markets in the Americas (about 40% of sales), Europe (about 30%), Asia (about 30%), and other. Bio-Rad owns approximately 33% of Sartorius, a lab and bioprocessing supplier that specializes in single-use technology used in biologics manufacturing.
72GF Score
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