Sappi (SPPJY) Operating Margin %: -31.63% (As of Mar. 2026)


SPPJY Sappi Ltd SPPJY
52 GF Score
Price $0.68
GF Value $1.97
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 6 Warning Signs
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What is Sappi Operating Margin %?

Sappi SPPJY +1.34% 52 Operating Margin % is -31.63% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates SPPJY with a GF Score™ of 52/100 and a GF Value™ of $1.97 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 283 Forest Products companies, Sappi ranks worse than 80.92% on this metric.

Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Sappi's Operating Income for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $-422 Mil. Sappi's Revenue for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $1,334 Mil. Therefore, Sappi's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was -31.63%.

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

SPPJY' s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -10.11   Med: 6.6   Max: 10.54
Current: -10.11


SPPJY's Operating Margin % is ranked worse than
80.92% of 283 companies
in the Forest Products industry
Industry Median: 2.6 vs SPPJY: -10.11

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

Sappi's Operating Income for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $-422 Mil. Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $-549 Mil.

Warning Sign:

Sappi Ltd had lost money in 50% of the time over the past 12quarters.


Sappi  (OTCPK:SPPJY) 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.


Sappi Operating Margin % Related Terms


Sappi Operating Margin % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Sappi'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.

Sappi Operating Margin % Chart

Sappi 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 2.72 10.54 6.59 3.33 0.26

Sappi Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 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 0.15 -0.45 -7.42 -1.40 -31.63

SPPJY vs SLVM: Operating Margin % Comparison

For the Paper & Paper Products subindustry, Sappi'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.


Sappi Operating Margin % vs Forest Products Industry

For the Forest Products industry and Basic Materials sector, Sappi's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:

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


SPPJY
52GF Score
Sappi Ltd SPPJY
Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Sappi 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.

Sappi'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 )
=14 / 5420
=0.26 %

Sappi'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 )
=-422 / 1334
=-31.63 %

* 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 -31.63% mean?
Sappi (SPPJY) has a Operating Margin % of -31.63% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Sappi and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Sappi ranks #229 out of 283 companies in the Forest Products industry, placing it in the top 80.9%.
Is Sappi's Operating Margin % too high?
Sappi's current Operating Margin % is -31.63%. Based on the distribution chart, Sappi ranks #229 out of 283 companies in the Forest Products industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Sappi has a GF Score™ of 52/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Sappi's Operating Margin % compare to SLVM?
According to the Forest Products industry distribution chart, Sappi ranks #229 out of 283 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Sappi in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 2.60. 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 Forest Products company?
The median Operating Margin % among Forest Products companies is 2.60, based on 283 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 Sappi and its competitors. For the Forest Products industry, the median Operating Margin % is 2.60 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Sappi's current Operating Margin % is -31.63%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Sappi stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sappi (SPPJY) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $1.97, compared to a current price of $0.68 — trading 65.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -31.63%. Sappi's overall GF Score™ is 52/100 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 Sappi (SPPJY), the current Operating Margin % is -31.63% 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 Sappi (SPPJY) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sappi stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $0.68 is trading 65.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1.97. GuruFocus considers Sappi to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for SPPJY:

  • Operating Margin %: -31.63%
  • GF Value™: $1.97 vs. price of $0.68 (65.5% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 52/100 with 6 warning signs

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


Sappi Business Description

Other Exchanges SAP:South AfricaSPI:Germany
Address 108 Oxford Road, Ground Floor, Houghton Estate, Rosebank, Oxford Room, Johannesburg, GT, ZAF, 2198
Sappi Ltd is engaged in the manufacturing of sustainable woodfibre-based products including specialty and packaging papers, graphic papers, release papers, pulp, and biomaterials like lignin and furfural from renewable resources. The products and services include Dissolving pulp, Graphic papers, Packaging and specialty papers, Casting and release papers, Biomaterials and Bio-energy. The company's geographical segments include Europe, North America and South Africa. The majority of revenue is generated from South Africa.
52GF Score

Get the complete analysis for SPPJY

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

$0.68
Price
$1.97
GF Value