Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Gildan ActivewearGIL -0.39%85 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 12.26% as of Jun. 2026, which is 43% below its 10-year median of 21.62. GuruFocus rates GIL with a GF Score™ of 85/100 and a GF Value™ of $66.29 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 819 Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories companies, Gildan Activewear ranks better than 63.98% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Gildan Activewear's forward rate of return for was 12.26%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Gildan Activewear's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
GIL'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 12.19 Med: 21.62 Max: 27.25
Current: 12.19
During the past 13 years, Gildan Activewear's highest Forward Rate of Return was 27.25. The lowest was 12.19. And the median was 21.62.
GIL's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 63.98% of 819
companies
in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry
Industry Median: 5.52
vs GIL: 12.19
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.
Gildan Activewear (NYSE:GIL) 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.
Gildan Activewear Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Gildan Activewear Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Gildan Activewear'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.
Gildan Activewear Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
GIL vs RL, LEVI, VFC: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Apparel Manufacturing subindustry, Gildan Activewear'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.
Gildan Activewear Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories Industry
For the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Gildan Activewear's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Gildan Activewear's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Gildan Activewear 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).
* 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 12.26% mean?
Gildan Activewear (GIL) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 12.26% as of Jun. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Gildan Activewear and its competitors. This is 43% below median its historical median of 21.62. Over the past decade, Gildan Activewear's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 12.19 to 27.25. According to the industry distribution chart, Gildan Activewear ranks #295 out of 819 companies in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, placing it in the top 36%.
Is Gildan Activewear's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Gildan Activewear's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 12.26% is 43% below median its 10-year median of 21.62. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 12.19 to a high of 27.25. The Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.52. Gildan Activewear's value of 12.26% is 122.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Gildan Activewear ranks #295 out of 819 companies in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Gildan Activewear has a GF Score™ of 85/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Gildan Activewear's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to RL and LEVI?
According to the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry distribution chart, Gildan Activewear ranks #295 out of 819 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This puts Gildan Activewear in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.52. Gildan Activewear's value of 12.26% is 122.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Gildan Activewear's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 12.19 to 27.25 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 21.62 vs. the industry median of 5.52, Gildan Activewear 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 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories companies is 5.52, based on 819 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. Gildan Activewear's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 12.26% is 122.1% 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 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 Gildan Activewear and its competitors. For the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.52 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Gildan Activewear's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 12.26%, which is 43% below median its own 10-year median of 21.62. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Gildan Activewear stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Gildan Activewear (GIL) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $66.29, compared to a current price of $53.37 — trading 19.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 12.26%, which is 43% below median its 10-year median of 21.62 and 122.1% above the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry median of 5.52. Gildan Activewear's overall GF Score™ is 85/100 with 5 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 Gildan Activewear (GIL), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 12.26% as of Jun. 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 Gildan Activewear (GIL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Gildan Activewear stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $53.37 is trading 19.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $66.29.
GuruFocus considers Gildan Activewear to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for GIL:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 12.26% (43% below median its 10-year median of 21.62)
GF Value™: $66.29 vs. price of $53.37 (19.5% below fair value)
Industry Position: 122.1% above the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories median (#295 of 819)
No single metric tells the full story. See the GIL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Gildan is a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of basic apparel, including T-shirts, underwear, socks, and hosiery. It is a leader in blank T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other apparel to wholesalers, major clothing brands, and printers (printwear). Gildan also sells branded clothing through retail and direct-to-consumer channels, a business that has been greatly enhanced by the Hanesbrands acquisition. Gildan's brands include Hanes, Bali, Maidenform, Playtex, Gildan, American Apparel, Comfort Colors, and Goldtoe. Gildan produces most of its clothing at factories in Latin America but has been ramping up production at its new facility in Bangladesh. Incorporated in 1984, the Montreal-based company operates internationally but generated 90% of its sales in the US in 2025.
85GF Score
Get the complete analysis for GIL
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
GIL has been successfully added to your 
