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.
Jacobs Solutions Operating Margin % Related Terms
Jacobs Solutions Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Jacobs Solutions'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 Engineering & Construction subindustry, Jacobs Solutions'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.
Jacobs Solutions Operating Margin % vs Construction Industry
For the Construction industry and Industrials sector, Jacobs Solutions's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Jacobs Solutions'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.
Jacobs Solutions's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Sep. 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.
Jacobs Solutions (J) has a Operating Margin % of -2.20% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Jacobs Solutions and its competitors. Over the past decade, Jacobs Solutions' Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.09 to 7.18. According to the industry distribution chart, Jacobs Solutions ranks #1045 out of 1767 companies in the Construction industry, placing it in the top 59.1%.
Is Jacobs Solutions' Operating Margin % too high?
Jacobs Solutions' current Operating Margin % is -2.20%. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.09 to a high of 7.18. Based on the distribution chart, Jacobs Solutions ranks #1045 out of 1767 companies in the Construction industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Jacobs Solutions has a GF Score™ of 74/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Jacobs Solutions' Operating Margin % compare to IESC and DY?
According to the Construction industry distribution chart, Jacobs Solutions ranks #1045 out of 1767 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Jacobs Solutions in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 5.89. Historically, Jacobs Solutions' own Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.09 to 7.18 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 Construction company?
The median Operating Margin % among Construction companies is 5.89, based on 1,767 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 Jacobs Solutions and its competitors. For the Construction industry, the median Operating Margin % is 5.89 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Jacobs Solutions's current Operating Margin % is -2.20%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Jacobs Solutions stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Jacobs Solutions (J) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $133.71, compared to a current price of $122.04 — trading 8.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -2.20%. Jacobs Solutions' overall GF Score™ is 74/100 with 5 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 Jacobs Solutions (J), the current Operating Margin % is -2.20% 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 Jacobs Solutions (J) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Jacobs Solutions stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $122.04 is trading 8.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $133.71.
GuruFocus considers Jacobs Solutions to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for J:
Operating Margin %: -2.20%
GF Value™: $133.71 vs. price of $122.04 (8.7% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the J stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Jacobs Solutions is a global provider of engineering, design, procurement, construction, and maintenance services as well as cyber engineering and security solutions. The firm serves industrial, commercial, and government clients in a wide variety of sectors, including water, transportation, healthcare, technology, and chemicals. Jacobs Solutions employs approximately 60,000 workers. The company generated $12 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025.
74GF Score
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