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Forward AirFWRD +1.09%56 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates FWRD with a GF Score™ of 56/100 and a GF Value™ of $32.72 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 755 Transportation companies, Forward Air ranks better than 93.25% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Forward Air's forward rate of return for was 0.00%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
FWRD'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.54 Med: 10.75 Max: 41.91
Current: 36.43
During the past 13 years, Forward Air's highest Forward Rate of Return was 41.91. The lowest was 3.54. And the median was 10.75.
FWRD's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 93.25% of 755
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 10.57
vs FWRD: 36.43
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Forward Air (NAS:FWRD) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Forward Air Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Forward Air Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % 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.
Forward Air Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
FWRD vs RLGT, CYRX, PAL: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Integrated Freight & Logistics subindustry, Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % 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.
Forward Air Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Forward Air Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return of Mar. 2026 is
Forward Rate of Return
=
Normalized Free Cash Flow
/
Price
+
5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=
4.23409524
/
16.71
+
0.0757
=
32.91 %
* 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.
What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.00% mean?
Forward Air (FWRD) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.00% as of Mar. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Forward Air and its competitors. Over the past decade, Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 3.54 to 41.91. According to the industry distribution chart, Forward Air ranks #51 out of 755 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 6.8%.
Is Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Forward Air's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00%. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.54 to a high of 41.91. Based on the distribution chart, Forward Air ranks #51 out of 755 companies in the Transportation industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Forward Air has a GF Score™ of 56/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Forward Air's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to RLGT and CYRX?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Forward Air ranks #51 out of 755 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Forward Air in the top 7% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.57. Historically, Forward Air's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 3.54 to 41.91 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Transportation company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Transportation companies is 10.57, based on 755 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Forward Air and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 10.57 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Forward Air's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Forward Air stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Forward Air (FWRD) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $32.72, compared to a current price of $14.83 — trading 54.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00%. Forward Air's overall GF Score™ is 56/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Forward Air (FWRD), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.00% 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 Forward Air (FWRD) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Forward Air stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $14.83 is trading 54.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $32.72.
GuruFocus considers Forward Air to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for FWRD:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 0.00%
GF Value™: $32.72 vs. price of $14.83 (54.7% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FWRD stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Forward Air Corp is an asset-light freight and logistics company. The company's operating segment includes Expedited Freight, Omni Logistics, and Intermodal and Corporate. The company generates maximum revenue from the Omni Logistics segment. The expedited Freight segment operates a comprehensive national network to provide expedited regional, inter-regional, and national LTL (less-than-truckload) services. It also offers customers local pick-up and delivery and other services including final mile, truckload, shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and other handling. The Company conducts business in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
56GF Score
Get the complete analysis for FWRD
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