Element SolutionsFRA:PLQ -3.85%77 Pretax Margin % is 9.85% as of Mar. 2026, which is 49% above its 10-year median of 6.60. GuruFocus rates FRA:PLQ with a GF Score™ of 77/100 and a GF Value™ of €27.07 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,585 Chemicals companies, Element Solutions ranks better than 62.65% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for Element Solutions's Pretax Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
FRA:PLQ'
s Pretax Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -13.86 Med: 6.6 Max: 11.71
Current: 8.31
FRA:PLQ's Pretax Margin % is ranked better than 62.65% of 1585
companies
in the Chemicals industry
Industry Median: 5.33
vs FRA:PLQ: 8.31
Element Solutions (FRA:PLQ) 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.
Element Solutions Pretax Margin % Related Terms
Element Solutions Pretax Margin % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Element Solutions'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.
FRA:PLQ vs WLK, EMN, SOLS: Pretax Margin % Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Element Solutions'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.
Element Solutions Pretax Margin % vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Element Solutions's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Element Solutions'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.
Element Solutions (FRA:PLQ) has a Pretax Margin % of 9.85% as of Mar. 2026. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Element Solutions and its competitors. This is 49% above median its historical median of 6.60. According to the industry distribution chart, Element Solutions ranks #592 out of 1585 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 37.4%.
Is Element Solutions' Pretax Margin % too high?
Element Solutions' current Pretax Margin % of 9.85% is 49% above median its 10-year median of 6.60. The Chemicals industry median Pretax Margin % is 5.33. Element Solutions' value of 9.85% is 84.8% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Element Solutions ranks #592 out of 1585 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Element Solutions has a GF Score™ of 77/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Element Solutions' Pretax Margin % compare to WLK and EMN?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Element Solutions ranks #592 out of 1585 companies for Pretax Margin %. This puts Element Solutions in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 5.33. Element Solutions' value of 9.85% is 84.8% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 6.60 vs. the industry median of 5.33, Element Solutions 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 Chemicals company?
The median Pretax Margin % among Chemicals companies is 5.33, based on 1,585 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. Element Solutions's current Pretax Margin % of 9.85% is 84.8% 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 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 Element Solutions and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 5.33 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Element Solutions's current Pretax Margin % is 9.85%, which is 49% above median its own 10-year median of 6.60. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Element Solutions stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Element Solutions (FRA:PLQ) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €27.07, compared to a current price of €40.00 — trading 47.8% above its estimated fair value. The current Pretax Margin % is 9.85%, which is 49% above median its 10-year median of 6.60 and 84.8% above the Chemicals industry median of 5.33. Element Solutions' overall GF Score™ is 77/100 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 Element Solutions (FRA:PLQ), the current Pretax Margin % is 9.85% 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 Element Solutions (FRA:PLQ) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Element Solutions stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €40.00 is trading 47.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of €27.07.
GuruFocus considers Element Solutions to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:PLQ:
Pretax Margin %: 9.85% (49% above median its 10-year median of 6.60)
GF Value™: €27.07 vs. price of €40.00 (47.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 84.8% above the Chemicals median (#592 of 1585)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:PLQ stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Element Solutions Inc is a specialty chemicals company whose businesses supply a broad range of solutions that enhance the performance of products people use every day. The company's reportable segments are Electronics and Industrial & Specialty. The Electronics segment, which generates maximum revenue, researches, formulates, and sells specialty chemicals and process technologies for all types of electronics hardware, from complex printed circuit board designs to semiconductor packaging. This segment's wet chemicals for metallization, surface treatments, and solderable finishes form the physical circuitry pathways, and its assembly materials, such as solder, pastes, fluxes, and adhesives, join those pathways together.
77GF Score
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