Central SecuritiesCET -0.79%49 Pretax Margin % is 97.72% as of Dec. 2025, which is 1% above its 10-year median of 97.22. GuruFocus rates CET with a GF Score™ of 49/100 and a GF Value™ of $48.47 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,576 Asset Management companies, Central Securities ranks better than 63.45% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for Central Securities's Pretax Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
CET'
s Pretax Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 92.27 Med: 97.22 Max: 120.34
Current: 97.22
CET's Pretax Margin % is ranked better than 63.45% of 1576
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 89.475
vs CET: 97.22
Central Securities (AMEX:CET) Pretax Margin % Explanation
The pretax margin, as know as pretax profit margin, is widely used to measure the operating efficiency of a company before deducting taxes.
The pretax margin is sometimes preferred over the net margin as tax expenditures can make profitability comparisons between companies misleading.
It is a useful tool to compare companies operating in the same sector and less effective when comparing companies from other sectors as each industry generally has different operating expenses and sales patterns.
The long term trend of the pretax margin is a good indicator of the competitiveness and health of the business.
Central Securities Pretax Margin % Related Terms
Central Securities Pretax Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Central Securities's Pretax 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.
CET vs ECAT, DXYZ, QQQX: Pretax Margin % Comparison
For the Asset Management subindustry, Central Securities's Pretax Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Pretax 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.
Central Securities Pretax Margin % vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, Central Securities's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Central Securities's Pretax Margin % falls into.
* 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 (CET) has a Pretax Margin % of 97.72% as of Dec. 2025. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Central Securities and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 97.22. Over the past decade, Central Securities' Pretax Margin % has ranged from 92.27 to 120.34. According to the industry distribution chart, Central Securities ranks #576 out of 1576 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 36.5%.
Is Central Securities' Pretax Margin % too high?
Central Securities' current Pretax Margin % of 97.72% is near median its 10-year median of 97.22. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 92.27 to a high of 120.34. The Asset Management industry median Pretax Margin % is 89.48. Central Securities' value of 97.72% is 9.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Central Securities ranks #576 out of 1576 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Central Securities has a GF Score™ of 49/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Central Securities' Pretax Margin % compare to ECAT and DXYZ?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Central Securities ranks #576 out of 1576 companies for Pretax Margin %. This puts Central Securities in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 89.48. Central Securities' value of 97.72% is 9.2% above this benchmark. Historically, Central Securities' own Pretax Margin % has ranged from 92.27 to 120.34 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 97.22 vs. the industry median of 89.48, Central Securities 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 Pretax Margin % for an Asset Management company?
The median Pretax Margin % among Asset Management companies is 89.48, based on 1,576 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Pretax Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Pretax Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Central Securities's current Pretax Margin % of 97.72% is 9.2% 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 Pretax Margin % mean?
A high Pretax Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Central Securities and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 89.48 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Central Securities's current Pretax Margin % is 97.72%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 97.22. 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?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Central Securities (CET) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $48.47, compared to a current price of $51.70 — trading 6.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Pretax Margin % is 97.72%, which is near median its 10-year median of 97.22 and 9.2% above the Asset Management industry median of 89.48. Central Securities' overall GF Score™ is 49/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Pretax Margin % calculated?
Pretax Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Central Securities (CET), the current Pretax Margin % is 97.72% 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.
Is Central Securities (CET) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Central Securities stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $51.70 is trading 6.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $48.47.
GuruFocus considers Central Securities to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for CET:
Pretax Margin %: 97.72% (near median its 10-year median of 97.22)
GF Value™: $48.47 vs. price of $51.70 (6.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 9.2% above the Asset Management median (#576 of 1576)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CET stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
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.
49GF Score
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