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Lincoln Electric HoldingsLECO +0.87%98 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 18.85% as of Jun. 2026, which is 36% above its 10-year median of 13.82. GuruFocus rates LECO with a GF Score™ of 98/100 and a GF Value™ of $255.60 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,156 Industrial Products companies, Lincoln Electric Holdings ranks better than 77.5% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Lincoln Electric Holdings's forward rate of return for was 18.85%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Lincoln Electric Holdings's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
LECO'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -0.75 Med: 13.82 Max: 24.03
Current: 18.69
During the past 13 years, Lincoln Electric Holdings's highest Forward Rate of Return was 24.03. The lowest was -0.75. And the median was 13.82.
LECO's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 77.5% of 2156
companies
in the Industrial Products industry
Industry Median: 7.135
vs LECO: 18.69
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.
Lincoln Electric Holdings (NAS:LECO) 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.
Lincoln Electric Holdings Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Lincoln Electric Holdings Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Lincoln Electric Holdings'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.
Lincoln Electric Holdings Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
LECO vs RBC, SWK, SNA: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Tools & Accessories subindustry, Lincoln Electric Holdings'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.
Lincoln Electric Holdings Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Industrial Products Industry
For the Industrial Products industry and Industrials sector, Lincoln Electric Holdings's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lincoln Electric Holdings's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Lincoln Electric Holdings 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 18.85% mean?
Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 18.85% 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 Lincoln Electric Holdings and its competitors. This is 36% above median its historical median of 13.82. According to the industry distribution chart, Lincoln Electric Holdings ranks #485 out of 2156 companies in the Industrial Products industry, placing it in the top 22.5%.
Is Lincoln Electric Holdings' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Lincoln Electric Holdings' current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 18.85% is 36% above median its 10-year median of 13.82. The Industrial Products industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 7.14. Lincoln Electric Holdings' value of 18.85% is 164.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Lincoln Electric Holdings ranks #485 out of 2156 companies in the Industrial Products industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Lincoln Electric Holdings has a GF Score™ of 98/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lincoln Electric Holdings' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to RBC and SWK?
According to the Industrial Products industry distribution chart, Lincoln Electric Holdings ranks #485 out of 2156 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Lincoln Electric Holdings in the top 23% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 7.14. Lincoln Electric Holdings' value of 18.85% is 164.2% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 13.82 vs. the industry median of 7.14, Lincoln Electric Holdings 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 an Industrial Products company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Industrial Products companies is 7.14, based on 2,156 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. Lincoln Electric Holdings's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 18.85% is 164.2% 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 Lincoln Electric Holdings and its competitors. For the Industrial Products industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 7.14 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Lincoln Electric Holdings's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 18.85%, which is 36% above median its own 10-year median of 13.82. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Lincoln Electric Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $255.60, compared to a current price of $259.48 — trading 1.5% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 18.85%, which is 36% above median its 10-year median of 13.82 and 164.2% above the Industrial Products industry median of 7.14. Lincoln Electric Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 98/100 with 2 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 Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 18.85% 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 Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lincoln Electric Holdings stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $259.48 is trading 1.5% above its estimated GF Value™ of $255.60.
GuruFocus considers Lincoln Electric Holdings to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for LECO:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 18.85% (36% above median its 10-year median of 13.82)
GF Value™: $255.60 vs. price of $259.48 (1.5% above fair value)
Industry Position: 164.2% above the Industrial Products median (#485 of 2156)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LECO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Lincoln Electric is a leading manufacturer of welding, cutting, and brazing products. Its portfolio includes arc-welding solutions, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting systems, brazing and soldering alloys, and automation solutions. Lincoln Electric serves clients across general fabrication, heavy industries, automotive, construction, shipbuilding, energy, and process industries, among others. The company generated roughly $4.2 billion in sales in 2025.
98GF Score
Get the complete analysis for LECO
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