Worthington SteelWS +4.72%21 Operating Margin % is 3.97% as of May. 2026, which is 25% below its 10-year median of 5.29. GuruFocus rates WS with a GF Score™ of 21/100. The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 615 Steel companies, Worthington Steel ranks better than 57.56% on this metric.
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.
Worthington Steel Operating Margin % Related Terms
Worthington Steel Operating Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Worthington Steel'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.
WS vs NWPX, MTUS, MSB: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Steel subindustry, Worthington Steel'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.
Worthington Steel Operating Margin % vs Steel Industry
For the Steel industry and Basic Materials sector, Worthington Steel's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Worthington Steel'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.
Worthington Steel's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in May. 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.
Worthington Steel (WS) has a Operating Margin % of 3.97% as of May. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Worthington Steel and its competitors. This is 25% below median its historical median of 5.29. Over the past decade, Worthington Steel's Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.76 to 10.50. According to the industry distribution chart, Worthington Steel ranks #261 out of 615 companies in the Steel industry, placing it in the top 42.4%.
Is Worthington Steel's Operating Margin % too high?
Worthington Steel's current Operating Margin % of 3.97% is 25% below median its 10-year median of 5.29. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.76 to a high of 10.50. The Steel industry median Operating Margin % is 2.99. Worthington Steel's value of 3.97% is 32.8% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Worthington Steel ranks #261 out of 615 companies in the Steel industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Worthington Steel has a GF Score™ of 21/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Worthington Steel's Operating Margin % compare to NWPX and MTUS?
According to the Steel industry distribution chart, Worthington Steel ranks #261 out of 615 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Worthington Steel in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 2.99. Worthington Steel's value of 3.97% is 32.8% above this benchmark. Historically, Worthington Steel's own Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.76 to 10.50 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 5.29 vs. the industry median of 2.99, Worthington Steel 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 Steel company?
The median Operating Margin % among Steel companies is 2.99, based on 615 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. Worthington Steel's current Operating Margin % of 3.97% is 32.8% 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 Worthington Steel and its competitors. For the Steel industry, the median Operating Margin % is 2.99 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Worthington Steel's current Operating Margin % is 3.97%, which is 25% below median its own 10-year median of 5.29. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Worthington Steel stock overvalued right now?
Worthington Steel (WS) has a current Operating Margin % of 3.97%. The current Operating Margin % is 3.97%, which is 25% below median its 10-year median of 5.29 and 32.8% above the Steel industry median of 2.99. Worthington Steel's overall GF Score™ is 21/100 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 Worthington Steel (WS), the current Operating Margin % is 3.97% as of May. 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.
Worthington Steel Inc is a processor of carbon flat-rolled steel, a producer of laser-welded solutions, and a provider of electrical steel laminations. The company has manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada, China, India, Germany and Mexico. It buys coils of steel from primary steel producers and processes them to precise type, thickness, length, width, shape, and surface quality required by customer specifications. The company's product lines and processing capabilities include; carbon flat-rolled steel processing, electrical steel laminations, and tailor welded products. Geographically, the company generates a majority of its revenue from the United States followed by Canada, Mexico, and other regions.
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