The European Smaller TrustLSE:ESCT -1.07%40 Pretax Margin % is 98.38% as of Dec. 2025, which is 1% below its 10-year median of 99.24. GuruFocus rates LSE:ESCT with a GF Score™ of 40/100. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,572 Asset Management companies, The European Smaller Trust ranks better than 76.15% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for The European Smaller Trust's Pretax Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:ESCT'
s Pretax Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 89.43 Med: 99.24 Max: 101.6
Current: 99.08
LSE:ESCT's Pretax Margin % is ranked better than 76.15% of 1572
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 89.62
vs LSE:ESCT: 99.08
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) 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.
The European Smaller Trust Pretax Margin % Related Terms
The European Smaller Trust 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.
LSE:ESCT vs BLK, BX, KKR: Pretax Margin % Comparison
For the Asset Management subindustry, The European Smaller Trust'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.
The European Smaller Trust Pretax Margin % vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, The European Smaller Trust's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The European Smaller Trust'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.
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) has a Pretax Margin % of 98.38% as of Dec. 2025. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on The European Smaller Trust and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 99.24. Over the past decade, The European Smaller Trust's Pretax Margin % has ranged from 89.43 to 101.60. According to the industry distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #375 out of 1572 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 23.9%.
Is The European Smaller Trust's Pretax Margin % too high?
The European Smaller Trust's current Pretax Margin % of 98.38% is near median its 10-year median of 99.24. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 89.43 to a high of 101.60. The Asset Management industry median Pretax Margin % is 89.62. The European Smaller Trust's value of 98.38% is 9.8% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #375 out of 1572 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, The European Smaller Trust has a GF Score™ of 40/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The European Smaller Trust's Pretax Margin % compare to BLK and BX?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #375 out of 1572 companies for Pretax Margin %. This places The European Smaller Trust in the top 24% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 89.62. The European Smaller Trust's value of 98.38% is 9.8% above this benchmark. Historically, The European Smaller Trust's own Pretax Margin % has ranged from 89.43 to 101.60 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 99.24 vs. the industry median of 89.62, The European Smaller Trust 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 89.62, based on 1,572 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. The European Smaller Trust's current Pretax Margin % of 98.38% is 9.8% 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 The European Smaller Trust and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 89.62 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The European Smaller Trust's current Pretax Margin % is 98.38%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 99.24. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The European Smaller Trust stock overvalued right now?
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) has a current Pretax Margin % of 98.38%. The current Pretax Margin % is 98.38%, which is near median its 10-year median of 99.24 and 9.8% above the Asset Management industry median of 89.62. The European Smaller Trust's overall GF Score™ is 40/100 with 4 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 The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT), the current Pretax Margin % is 98.38% 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.
The European Smaller Companies Trust PLC is a United Kingdom-based trust focused on capital growth through equities in smaller and medium-sized European companies. It focuses on equities from smaller and medium-sized companies quoted, domiciled, listed, or operating across Europe, excluding the UK. Its portfolio includes industrial goods, technology, financials, business providers, basic materials, consumer goods, retail providers and natural resource sectors.
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