Sanford (NZSE:SAN) Operating Margin %: 16.90% (As of Mar. 2026) — 312% Above Median


NZSE:SAN Sanford Ltd NZSE:SAN
75 GF Score
Price NZ$7.12
GF Value NZ$4.35
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Sanford Operating Margin %?

Sanford NZSE:SAN -0.42% 75 Operating Margin % is 16.90% as of Mar. 2026, which is 312% above its 10-year median of 4.10. GuruFocus rates NZSE:SAN with a GF Score™ of 75/100 and a GF Value™ of NZ$4.35 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,951 Consumer Packaged Goods companies, Sanford ranks better than 74.94% on this metric.

Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Sanford's Operating Income for the six months ended in Mar. 2026 was NZ$45.7 Mil. Sanford's Revenue for the six months ended in Mar. 2026 was NZ$270.2 Mil. Therefore, Sanford's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 16.90%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Sanford's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:

NZSE:SAN' s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -5.3   Med: 4.1   Max: 10.99
Current: 10.99


NZSE:SAN's Operating Margin % is ranked better than
74.94% of 1951 companies
in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry
Industry Median: 5.26 vs NZSE:SAN: 10.99

Sanford's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was 0.00% per year.

Sanford's Operating Income for the six months ended in Mar. 2026 was NZ$45.7 Mil. Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was NZ$62.5 Mil.


Sanford  (NZSE:SAN) 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 Nokia’s 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.


Sanford Operating Margin % Related Terms


Sanford Operating Margin % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Sanford'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.

Sanford Operating Margin % Chart

Sanford Annual Data
Trend Sep16 Sep17 Sep18 Sep19 Sep20 Sep21 Sep22 Sep23 Sep24 Sep25
Operating Margin %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -5.30 -0.15 -0.43 2.13 8.63

Sanford Semi-Annual Data
Sep16 Mar17 Sep17 Mar18 Sep18 Mar19 Sep19 Mar20 Sep20 Mar21 Sep21 Mar22 Sep22 Mar23 Sep23 Mar24 Sep24 Mar25 Sep25 Mar26
Operating Margin % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 3.72 0.71 11.74 5.64 16.90

NZSE:SAN vs ADM, BG, TSN: Operating Margin % Comparison

For the Farm Products subindustry, Sanford'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.


Sanford Operating Margin % vs Consumer Packaged Goods Industry

For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Sanford's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Sanford's Operating Margin % falls into.


NZSE:SAN
75GF Score
Sanford Ltd NZSE:SAN
Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Sanford Operating Margin % Calculation

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.

Sanford's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Sep. 2025 is calculated as

Operating Margin %=Operating Income (A: Sep. 2025 ) / Revenue (A: Sep. 2025 )
=50.383 / 584.109
=8.63 %

Sanford's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as

Operating Margin %=Operating Income (Q: Mar. 2026 ) / Revenue (Q: Mar. 2026 )
=45.655 / 270.154
=16.90 %

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Operating Margin % →
What does a Operating Margin % of 16.90% mean?
Sanford (NZSE:SAN) has a Operating Margin % of 16.90% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Sanford and its competitors. This is 312% above median its historical median of 4.10. According to the industry distribution chart, Sanford ranks #489 out of 1951 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, placing it in the top 25.1%.
Is Sanford's Operating Margin % too high?
Sanford's current Operating Margin % of 16.90% is 312% above median its 10-year median of 4.10. The Consumer Packaged Goods industry median Operating Margin % is 5.26. Sanford's value of 16.90% is 221.3% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Sanford ranks #489 out of 1951 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Sanford has a GF Score™ of 75/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Sanford's Operating Margin % compare to ADM and BG?
According to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry distribution chart, Sanford ranks #489 out of 1951 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Sanford in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 5.26. Sanford's value of 16.90% is 221.3% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 4.10 vs. the industry median of 5.26, Sanford 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 Consumer Packaged Goods company?
The median Operating Margin % among Consumer Packaged Goods companies is 5.26, based on 1,951 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. Sanford's current Operating Margin % of 16.90% is 221.3% 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 Sanford and its competitors. For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, the median Operating Margin % is 5.26 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Sanford's current Operating Margin % is 16.90%, which is 312% above median its own 10-year median of 4.10. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Sanford stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sanford (NZSE:SAN) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is NZ$4.35, compared to a current price of NZ$7.12 — trading 63.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 16.90%, which is 312% above median its 10-year median of 4.10 and 221.3% above the Consumer Packaged Goods industry median of 5.26. Sanford's overall GF Score™ is 75/100 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 Sanford (NZSE:SAN), the current Operating Margin % is 16.90% 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 Sanford (NZSE:SAN) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sanford stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of NZ$7.12 is trading 63.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of NZ$4.35. GuruFocus considers Sanford to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for NZSE:SAN:

  • Operating Margin %: 16.90% (312% above median its 10-year median of 4.10)
  • GF Value™: NZ$4.35 vs. price of NZ$7.12 (63.7% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 75/100 with 5 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 221.3% above the Consumer Packaged Goods median (#489 of 1951)

No single metric tells the full story. See the NZSE:SAN stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Sanford Business Description

Other Exchanges SARDY:USA
Address 22 Jellicoe Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland, NTL, NZL, 1010
Sanford Ltd is a seafood company principally engaged in the fishing and aquaculture farming business. The company's activities include farming, harvesting, processing, storage, and marketing of seafood products, as well as investments in related activities. The group's operating divisions are Wildcatch and Aquaculture. Its Wildcatch segment involves catching and processing inshore and deepwater fish species, whereas the Aquaculture segment involves farming, harvesting, and processing of mussels and salmon. Some of the company's seafood products include Antarctic toothfish, Arrow squid, Gemfish, Scampi, Snapper, King Salmon, Jack mackerel, Ling, and others. Geographically, it derives the majority of its revenue from New Zealand.
75GF Score

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Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

NZ$7.12
Price
NZ$4.35
GF Value