Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd operating margin has been in a 5-year decline. The average rate of decline per year is -37.9%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
JSE:DCP'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.21 Med: -0.94 Max: 6.42
Current: -4.21
JSE:DCP's Operating Margin % is ranked worse than 73.2% of 668
companies
in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry
Industry Median: 4.845
vs JSE:DCP: -4.21
Dis-Chem Pharmacies's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was -37.90% 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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Operating Margin % Related Terms
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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 Pharmaceutical Retailers subindustry, Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Operating Margin % vs Healthcare Providers & Services Industry
For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry and Healthcare sector, Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Feb. 2026 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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) has a Operating Margin % of -4.88% as of Feb. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Dis-Chem Pharmacies and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks #489 out of 668 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, placing it in the top 73.2%.
Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Operating Margin % too high?
Dis-Chem Pharmacies' current Operating Margin % is -4.88%. Based on the distribution chart, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks #489 out of 668 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Dis-Chem Pharmacies has a GF Score™ of 88/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Operating Margin % compare to competitors?
According to the Healthcare Providers & Services industry distribution chart, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks #489 out of 668 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Dis-Chem Pharmacies in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 4.85. 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 668 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies 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. Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current Operating Margin % is -4.88%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is R38.02, compared to a current price of R33.06 — trading 13% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -4.88%. Dis-Chem Pharmacies' overall GF Score™ is 88/100 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP), the current Operating Margin % is -4.88% as of Feb. 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dis-Chem Pharmacies stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of R33.06 is trading 13% below its estimated GF Value™ of R38.02.
GuruFocus considers Dis-Chem Pharmacies to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for JSE:DCP:
Operating Margin %: -4.88%
GF Value™: R38.02 vs. price of R33.06 (13% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the JSE:DCP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd is a pharmaceutical company based in South Africa. Its product portfolio includes personal care products, beauty products, healthcare and nutrition products, and dispensary and baby care products. The operating segments of the group are Retail and Wholesale. It derives maximum revenue from the Retail segment, which includes company stores, retailers of pharmaceuticals and a variety of health and beauty products, as well as pharma-logistic services and oncology and retailers of pharmaceutical products. The Wholesale segment consists of the CJ wholesale and company distribution businesses, wholesalers of pharmaceuticals, and a variety of health and beauty products. Geographically, the group carries out its business operations principally in South Africa.
88GF Score
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