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.
Southstone Minerals Operating Margin % Related Terms
Southstone Minerals Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Southstone Minerals'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.
For the Other Precious Metals & Mining subindustry, Southstone Minerals'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.
Southstone Minerals Operating Margin % vs Metals & Mining Industry
For the Metals & Mining industry and Basic Materials sector, Southstone Minerals's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Southstone Minerals'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.
Southstone Minerals's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Aug. 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.
Southstone Minerals (TSXV:SML) has a Operating Margin % of 0.32% as of Feb. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Southstone Minerals and its competitors.
Is Southstone Minerals' Operating Margin % too high?
Southstone Minerals' current Operating Margin % is 0.32%. The Metals & Mining industry median Operating Margin % is 5.79. Southstone Minerals' value of 0.32% is 94.5% below this industry median.
How does Southstone Minerals' Operating Margin % compare to competitors?
Southstone Minerals' Operating Margin % of 0.32% can be compared against companies in the Metals & Mining industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 5.79. Southstone Minerals' value of 0.32% is 94.5% below this benchmark. 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 Metals & Mining company?
The median Operating Margin % among Metals & Mining companies is 5.79, based on 841 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. Southstone Minerals's current Operating Margin % of 0.32% is 94.5% below 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 Southstone Minerals and its competitors. For the Metals & Mining industry, the median Operating Margin % is 5.79 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Southstone Minerals's current Operating Margin % is 0.32%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Southstone Minerals stock overvalued right now?
Southstone Minerals (TSXV:SML) has a current Operating Margin % of 0.32%. The current Operating Margin % is 0.32% and 94.5% below the Metals & Mining industry median of 5.79. 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 Southstone Minerals (TSXV:SML), the current Operating Margin % is 0.32% as of Feb. 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.
Southstone Minerals Ltd is a Canadian junior mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, development, and mining of mineral properties. It holds the majority interest in the Oena Diamond Mine, an alluvial diamond property located in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa, that produces diamonds of varying sizes and characteristics, including occasional larger stones. The company generates revenue from the sale of diamonds.
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