ESCO TechnologiesESE +1.00%82 Pretax Margin % is 14.18% as of Mar. 2026, which is 16% above its 10-year median of 12.19. GuruFocus rates ESE with a GF Score™ of 82/100 and a GF Value™ of $186.16 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,472 Hardware companies, ESCO Technologies ranks better than 82.44% on this metric.
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.
ESCO Technologies Pretax Margin % Related Terms
ESCO Technologies Pretax Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for ESCO Technologies'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.
For the Scientific & Technical Instruments subindustry, ESCO Technologies'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.
ESCO Technologies Pretax Margin % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, ESCO Technologies's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where ESCO Technologies'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.
ESCO Technologies (ESE) has a Pretax Margin % of 14.18% as of Mar. 2026. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on ESCO Technologies and its competitors. This is 16% above median its historical median of 12.19. Over the past decade, ESCO Technologies' Pretax Margin % has ranged from 4.98 to 14.25. According to the industry distribution chart, ESCO Technologies ranks #434 out of 2472 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 17.6%.
Is ESCO Technologies' Pretax Margin % too high?
ESCO Technologies' current Pretax Margin % of 14.18% is 16% above median its 10-year median of 12.19. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 4.98 to a high of 14.25. The Hardware industry median Pretax Margin % is 3.58. ESCO Technologies' value of 14.18% is 296.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, ESCO Technologies ranks #434 out of 2472 companies in the Hardware industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, ESCO Technologies has a GF Score™ of 82/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does ESCO Technologies' Pretax Margin % compare to ST and NOVT?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, ESCO Technologies ranks #434 out of 2472 companies for Pretax Margin %. This places ESCO Technologies in the top 18% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 3.58. ESCO Technologies' value of 14.18% is 296.6% above this benchmark. Historically, ESCO Technologies' own Pretax Margin % has ranged from 4.98 to 14.25 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 12.19 vs. the industry median of 3.58, ESCO Technologies 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 a Hardware company?
The median Pretax Margin % among Hardware companies is 3.58, based on 2,472 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. ESCO Technologies's current Pretax Margin % of 14.18% is 296.6% 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 ESCO Technologies and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 3.58 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. ESCO Technologies's current Pretax Margin % is 14.18%, which is 16% above median its own 10-year median of 12.19. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is ESCO Technologies stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, ESCO Technologies (ESE) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $186.16, compared to a current price of $346.51 — trading 86.1% above its estimated fair value. The current Pretax Margin % is 14.18%, which is 16% above median its 10-year median of 12.19 and 296.6% above the Hardware industry median of 3.58. ESCO Technologies' overall GF Score™ is 82/100 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 ESCO Technologies (ESE), the current Pretax Margin % is 14.18% 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 ESCO Technologies (ESE) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, ESCO Technologies stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $346.51 is trading 86.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of $186.16.
GuruFocus considers ESCO Technologies to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for ESE:
Pretax Margin %: 14.18% (16% above median its 10-year median of 12.19)
GF Value™: $186.16 vs. price of $346.51 (86.1% above fair value)
Industry Position: 296.6% above the Hardware median (#434 of 2472)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ESE stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
ESCO Technologies Inc sells engineered products and systems for utility, industrial, aerospace, and commercial applications. The firm operates in three segments: Aerospace & Defense (A&D), Utility Solutions Group (USG), and RF Test & Measurement (Test). The Aerospace and Defense segment designs and manufactures specialty filtration and naval products. The USG segment provides diagnostic testing solutions. The Test segment provides its customers with the ability to identify, measure, and contain magnetic, electromagnetic, and acoustic energy.
82GF Score
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