CET (Central Securities) Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 9.21 (As of Dec. 2025) — 78% Above Median

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CET Central Securities Corp CET
36 GF Score
Price $54.89
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Central Securities Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)?

Central Securities CET -0.65% 36 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 9.21 as of Dec. 2025, which is 78% above its 10-year median of 5.18. GuruFocus rates CET with a GF Score™ of 36/100. The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 366 Asset Management companies, Central Securities ranks better than 74.86% on this metric.

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

Central Securities's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $9.21. It's Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio for today is 5.96.


The historical rank and industry rank for Central Securities's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) or its related term are showing as below:

CET' s Price-to-Owner-Earnings Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 4.07   Med: 5.18   Max: 6.16
Current: 5.95


During the past 13 years, the highest Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio of Central Securities was 6.16. The lowest was 4.07. And the median was 5.18.


CET's Price-to-Owner-Earnings is ranked better than
74.86% of 366 companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 10.45 vs CET: 5.95

Central Securities's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the six months ended in Dec. 2025 was $5.44. Its Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $9.05. It's PE Ratio (TTM) ratio for today is 6.07.

Central Securities's EPS without NRI for the six months ended in Dec. 2025 was $5.44. Its EPS without NRI for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $9.05. It's PE Ratio without NRI ratio for today is 6.07.


Be Aware

Assumption: Companies usually do not report maintenance capital expenditures and growth capital expenditures separately. Here we use estimated numbers and average them over 5 years. The method to estimate maintenance capital expenditures can be found in above part 4.

Note: GuruFocus' Change In Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.


Central Securities Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Related Terms


Central Securities Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Central Securities's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) 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.

Central Securities Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Chart

Central Securities Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.00 0.00 7.97 10.08 9.21

Central Securities Semi-Annual Data
Jun16 Dec16 Jun17 Dec17 Jun18 Dec18 Jun19 Dec19 Jun20 Dec20 Jun21 Dec21 Jun22 Dec22 Jun23 Dec23 Jun24 Dec24 Jun25 Dec25
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) 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 7.97 0.00 10.08 0.00 9.21

CET vs GAM, TRIN, BST: Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Comparison

For the Asset Management subindustry, Central Securities's Price-to-Owner-Earnings, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Owner-Earnings 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.


Central Securities Price-to-Owner-Earnings vs Asset Management Industry

For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, Central Securities's Price-to-Owner-Earnings distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Central Securities's Price-to-Owner-Earnings falls into.


CET
36GF Score
Central Securities Corp CET
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Central Securities Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume. (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

To make it simple, then you will have:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) = (Net Income + Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization + Change In Deferred Tax - 5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure + Change In Working Capital) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)

Central Securities's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation:

Last Year Average of Last 5 Years
Net Income 265.2
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization 0.2
Change In Deferred Tax 0.0
5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure 0.4
Change In Working Capital 1.8
Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) 29.0

1. Start with "Net Income" from income statement. Central Securities's Net Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $265.2 Mil.

2. "Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization" is from cashflow statement. Central Securities's Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $0.2 Mil. This needs to be added back because company does not actually need to pay cash for it. It is a non-cash item.

3. Other non-cash charges usually include "Stock Based Compensation" and "Change In Deferred Tax":
However, to be conservative, GuruFocus will not add Stock Based Compensation back to net income. Central Securities's Change In Deferred Tax for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $0.0 Mil.

4. Average maintenance capital expenditure over a business/industry cycle: 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $0.4 Mil

It is usually best to take a long-term average of maintenance capital expenditure. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since many companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditure.

The following shows how to get maintenance capital expenditure.

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous year. If the revenue decreased from the previous year, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous year, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Growth Capital Expenditure = Percentage of Property, Plant and Equipment as of corresponding Revenue * Revenue Increase
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
Fourth, get the average of the 5 years maintenance capital expenditure.

Central Securities's 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $0.4 Mil

5. "Change In Working Capital" is from cashflow statement. Central Securities's Change In Working Capital for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2025 was $1.8 Mil.
Note: GuruFocus' Change in Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And sometimes it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.

6. Central Securities's Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) for the months ended in Dec. 2025 was 28.985 Mil.

Central Securities's Onwer Earnings Per Share for Dec. 2025 is calculated as:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=( Net Income+Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization+Change In Deferred Tax
=( 265.215 +0.187+0
-5Y Avg of Maintenance CAPEX+Change In Working Capital )/Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
-0.412+1.837)/28.985
=9.21

Price-to-Owner-Earnings=Current Price/Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=54.89/9.21
=5.96

* 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.

What does a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 9.21 mean?
Central Securities (CET) has a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 9.21 as of Dec. 2025. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on Central Securities. This is 78% above median its historical median of 5.18. Over the past decade, Central Securities' Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 4.07 to 6.16. According to the industry distribution chart, Central Securities ranks #92 out of 366 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 25.1%.
Is Central Securities' Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) too high?
Central Securities' current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 9.21 is 78% above median its 10-year median of 5.18. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 4.07 to a high of 6.16. The Asset Management industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 10.45. Central Securities' value of 9.21 is 11.9% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Central Securities ranks #92 out of 366 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Central Securities has a GF Score™ of 36/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Central Securities' Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) compare to GAM and TRIN?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Central Securities ranks #92 out of 366 companies for Owner Earnings per Share (TTM). This puts Central Securities in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 10.45. Central Securities' value of 9.21 is 11.9% below this benchmark. Historically, Central Securities' own Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 4.07 to 6.16 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 5.18 vs. the industry median of 10.45, Central Securities has consistently been below 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 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) for an Asset Management company?
The median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) among Asset Management companies is 10.45, based on 366 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Central Securities's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 9.21 is 11.9% 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 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) mean?
A high Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on Central Securities. For the Asset Management industry, the median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 10.45 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Central Securities's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 9.21, which is 78% above median its own 10-year median of 5.18. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Central Securities stock overvalued right now?
Central Securities (CET) has a current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 9.21. The current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 9.21, which is 78% above median its 10-year median of 5.18 and 11.9% below the Asset Management industry median of 10.45. Central Securities' overall GF Score™ is 36/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) calculated?
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Central Securities (CET), the current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 9.21 as of Dec. 2025. 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.

Central Securities Business Description

Address 630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 820, New York, NY, USA, 10111
Central Securities Corp is a non-diversified closed-end management investment company. The company's investment objective is long-term growth of capital. It invests in common stocks, bonds, convertible bonds, preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, warrants, options real estate, or short-term obligations of governments, banks, and corporations.
36GF Score

Get the complete analysis for CET

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$54.89
Price