Indian EmulsifiersNSE:IEML -0.55%17 Operating Margin % is 11.07% as of Mar. 2026, which is 32% below its 10-year median of 16.23. GuruFocus rates NSE:IEML with a GF Score™ of 17/100. The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,585 Chemicals companies, Indian Emulsifiers ranks better than 81.77% on this metric.
Indian Emulsifiers (NSE:IEML) 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.
Indian Emulsifiers Operating Margin % Related Terms
Indian Emulsifiers Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Indian Emulsifiers'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:IEML vs LIN, SHW, ECL: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Indian Emulsifiers'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.
Indian Emulsifiers Operating Margin % vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Indian Emulsifiers's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Indian Emulsifiers'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.
Indian Emulsifiers'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.
Indian Emulsifiers (NSE:IEML) has a Operating Margin % of 11.07% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Indian Emulsifiers and its competitors. This is 32% below median its historical median of 16.23. Over the past decade, Indian Emulsifiers' Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.33 to 19.67. According to the industry distribution chart, Indian Emulsifiers ranks #289 out of 1585 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 18.2%.
Is Indian Emulsifiers' Operating Margin % too high?
Indian Emulsifiers' current Operating Margin % of 11.07% is 32% below median its 10-year median of 16.23. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.33 to a high of 19.67. The Chemicals industry median Operating Margin % is 6.02. Indian Emulsifiers' value of 11.07% is 83.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Indian Emulsifiers ranks #289 out of 1585 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Indian Emulsifiers has a GF Score™ of 17/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Indian Emulsifiers' Operating Margin % compare to LIN and SHW?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Indian Emulsifiers ranks #289 out of 1585 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Indian Emulsifiers in the top 18% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Operating Margin % is 6.02. Indian Emulsifiers' value of 11.07% is 83.9% above this benchmark. Historically, Indian Emulsifiers' own Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.33 to 19.67 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 16.23 vs. the industry median of 6.02, Indian Emulsifiers 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 Chemicals company?
The median Operating Margin % among Chemicals companies is 6.02, based on 1,585 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. Indian Emulsifiers's current Operating Margin % of 11.07% is 83.9% 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 Indian Emulsifiers and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Operating Margin % is 6.02 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Indian Emulsifiers's current Operating Margin % is 11.07%, which is 32% below median its own 10-year median of 16.23. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Indian Emulsifiers stock overvalued right now?
Indian Emulsifiers (NSE:IEML) has a current Operating Margin % of 11.07%. The current Operating Margin % is 11.07%, which is 32% below median its 10-year median of 16.23 and 83.9% above the Chemicals industry median of 6.02. Indian Emulsifiers' overall GF Score™ is 17/100 with 6 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 Indian Emulsifiers (NSE:IEML), the current Operating Margin % is 11.07% 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.
Indian Emulsifiers Ltd is engaged in Manufacturing and Supplying of Specialty Chemicals. Its product include Esters, Amphoterics, Phosphate Esters, Imidazolines, Wax Emulsions, SMO & PIBSA Emulsifiers. The company serves specialty chemicals to wide range of industries such as Mining, Textile, Cleaning Industry, Metal Working, Lubricants, Food and Other Industries.
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