Element SolutionsSTU:PLQ -5.61%75 Operating Margin % is 13.26% as of Mar. 2026, which is 5% above its 10-year median of 12.61. GuruFocus rates STU:PLQ with a GF Score™ of 75/100 and a GF Value™ of €27.18 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,584 Chemicals companies, Element Solutions ranks better than 79.17% on this metric.
Element Solutions (STU:PLQ) 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.
Element Solutions Operating Margin % Related Terms
Element Solutions Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Element Solutions'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.
STU:PLQ vs WLK, EMN, SOLS: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Element Solutions'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.
Element Solutions Operating Margin % vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Element Solutions's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Element Solutions'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.
Element Solutions's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 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.
Element Solutions (STU:PLQ) has a Operating Margin % of 13.26% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Element Solutions and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 12.61. Over the past decade, Element Solutions' Operating Margin % has ranged from 7.68 to 14.00. According to the industry distribution chart, Element Solutions ranks #330 out of 1584 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 20.8%.
Is Element Solutions' Operating Margin % too high?
Element Solutions' current Operating Margin % of 13.26% is near median its 10-year median of 12.61. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 7.68 to a high of 14.00. The Chemicals industry median Operating Margin % is 6.03. Element Solutions' value of 13.26% is 120.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Element Solutions ranks #330 out of 1584 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Element Solutions has a GF Score™ of 75/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Element Solutions' Operating Margin % compare to WLK and EMN?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Element Solutions ranks #330 out of 1584 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Element Solutions in the top 21% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Operating Margin % is 6.03. Element Solutions' value of 13.26% is 120.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Element Solutions' own Operating Margin % has ranged from 7.68 to 14.00 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 12.61 vs. the industry median of 6.03, Element Solutions 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 6.03, based on 1,584 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. Element Solutions's current Operating Margin % of 13.26% is 120.1% 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 Element Solutions and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Operating Margin % is 6.03 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Element Solutions's current Operating Margin % is 13.26%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 12.61. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Element Solutions stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Element Solutions (STU:PLQ) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €27.18, compared to a current price of €40.40 — trading 48.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 13.26%, which is near median its 10-year median of 12.61 and 120.1% above the Chemicals industry median of 6.03. Element Solutions' overall GF Score™ is 75/100 with 7 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 Element Solutions (STU:PLQ), the current Operating Margin % is 13.26% 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 Element Solutions (STU:PLQ) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Element Solutions stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €40.40 is trading 48.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of €27.18.
GuruFocus considers Element Solutions to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for STU:PLQ:
Operating Margin %: 13.26% (near median its 10-year median of 12.61)
GF Value™: €27.18 vs. price of €40.40 (48.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 120.1% above the Chemicals median (#330 of 1584)
No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:PLQ stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Element Solutions Inc is a specialty chemicals company whose businesses supply a broad range of solutions that enhance the performance of products people use every day. The company's reportable segments are Electronics and Industrial & Specialty. The Electronics segment, which generates maximum revenue, researches, formulates, and sells specialty chemicals and process technologies for all types of electronics hardware, from complex printed circuit board designs to semiconductor packaging. This segment's wet chemicals for metallization, surface treatments, and solderable finishes form the physical circuitry pathways, and its assembly materials, such as solder, pastes, fluxes, and adhesives, join those pathways together.
75GF Score
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