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.
Andhra Cements Operating Margin % Related Terms
Andhra Cements Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Andhra Cements'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.
NSE:ACL vs CRH, VMC, MLM: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Building Materials subindustry, Andhra Cements'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.
Andhra Cements Operating Margin % vs Building Materials Industry
For the Building Materials industry and Basic Materials sector, Andhra Cements's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Andhra Cements'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.
Andhra Cements's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Mar. 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.
Andhra Cements (NSE:ACL) has a Operating Margin % of -11.80% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Andhra Cements and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Andhra Cements ranks #371 out of 405 companies in the Building Materials industry, placing it in the top 91.6%.
Is Andhra Cements' Operating Margin % too high?
Andhra Cements' current Operating Margin % is -11.80%. Based on the distribution chart, Andhra Cements ranks #371 out of 405 companies in the Building Materials industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Andhra Cements has a GF Score™ of 34/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Andhra Cements' Operating Margin % compare to CRH and VMC?
According to the Building Materials industry distribution chart, Andhra Cements ranks #371 out of 405 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Andhra Cements in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 7.64. 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 Building Materials company?
The median Operating Margin % among Building Materials companies is 7.64, based on 405 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 Andhra Cements and its competitors. For the Building Materials industry, the median Operating Margin % is 7.64 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Andhra Cements's current Operating Margin % is -11.80%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Andhra Cements stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Andhra Cements (NSE:ACL) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is ₹119.61, compared to a current price of ₹52.34 — trading 56.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -11.80%. Andhra Cements' overall GF Score™ is 34/100 with 2 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 Andhra Cements (NSE:ACL), the current Operating Margin % is -11.80% 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 Andhra Cements (NSE:ACL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Andhra Cements stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of ₹52.34 is trading 56.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of ₹119.61.
GuruFocus considers Andhra Cements to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for NSE:ACL:
Operating Margin %: -11.80%
GF Value™: ₹119.61 vs. price of ₹52.34 (56.2% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the NSE:ACL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Andhra Cements Ltd is engaged in the business of manufacture and sale of cement. The company has single reportable segment manufacturing and selling cement.
34GF Score
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