California Water Service GroupCWT +3.22%80 Pretax Margin % is 1.88% as of Mar. 2026, which is 85% below its 10-year median of 12.84. GuruFocus rates CWT with a GF Score™ of 80/100 and a GF Value™ of $50.86 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 501 Utilities - Regulated companies, California Water Service Group ranks better than 55.69% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for California Water Service Group's Pretax Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
CWT'
s Pretax Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 5.61 Med: 12.84 Max: 22.43
Current: 13.36
CWT's Pretax Margin % is ranked better than 55.69% of 501
companies
in the Utilities - Regulated industry
Industry Median: 12.12
vs CWT: 13.36
California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT) 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.
California Water Service Group Pretax Margin % Related Terms
California Water Service Group Pretax Margin % Historical Data
* 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.
California Water Service Group Pretax Margin % Chart
For the Utilities - Regulated Water subindustry, California Water Service Group'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.
California Water Service Group Pretax Margin % vs Utilities - Regulated Industry
For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, California Water Service Group's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where California Water Service Group'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.
California Water Service Group (CWT) has a Pretax Margin % of 1.88% as of Mar. 2026. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on California Water Service Group and its competitors. This is 85% below median its historical median of 12.84. Over the past decade, California Water Service Group's Pretax Margin % has ranged from 5.61 to 22.43. According to the industry distribution chart, California Water Service Group ranks #222 out of 501 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 44.3%.
Is California Water Service Group's Pretax Margin % too high?
California Water Service Group's current Pretax Margin % of 1.88% is 85% below median its 10-year median of 12.84. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.61 to a high of 22.43. The Utilities - Regulated industry median Pretax Margin % is 12.12. California Water Service Group's value of 1.88% is 84.5% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, California Water Service Group ranks #222 out of 501 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, California Water Service Group has a GF Score™ of 80/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does California Water Service Group's Pretax Margin % compare to HTO and AWR?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, California Water Service Group ranks #222 out of 501 companies for Pretax Margin %. This puts California Water Service Group in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 12.12. California Water Service Group's value of 1.88% is 84.5% below this benchmark. Historically, California Water Service Group's own Pretax Margin % has ranged from 5.61 to 22.43 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 12.84 vs. the industry median of 12.12, California Water Service Group 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 Pretax Margin % for an Utilities - Regulated company?
The median Pretax Margin % among Utilities - Regulated companies is 12.12, based on 501 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. California Water Service Group's current Pretax Margin % of 1.88% is 84.5% 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 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 California Water Service Group and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 12.12 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. California Water Service Group's current Pretax Margin % is 1.88%, which is 85% below median its own 10-year median of 12.84. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is California Water Service Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, California Water Service Group (CWT) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $50.86, compared to a current price of $49.08 — trading 3.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Pretax Margin % is 1.88%, which is 85% below median its 10-year median of 12.84 and 84.5% below the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 12.12. California Water Service Group's overall GF Score™ is 80/100 with 7 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 California Water Service Group (CWT), the current Pretax Margin % is 1.88% 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 California Water Service Group (CWT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, California Water Service Group stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $49.08 is trading 3.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $50.86.
GuruFocus considers California Water Service Group to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for CWT:
Pretax Margin %: 1.88% (85% below median its 10-year median of 12.84)
GF Value™: $50.86 vs. price of $49.08 (3.5% below fair value)
Industry Position: 84.5% below the Utilities - Regulated median (#222 of 501)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CWT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
California Water Service Group Business Description
California Water Service Group is a U.S. water and utilities holding company based in California. The company provides water utility and other related services in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii and Texas through its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The bulk of the company's business consists of the production, purchase, storage, treatment, testing, distribution, and sale of water for domestic, industrial, public, and irrigation uses, and the provision of water for domestic and municipal fire protection services.
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