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Macfarlane GroupLSE:MACF 60 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 24.50% as of Dec. 2025, which is 10% above its 10-year median of 22.34. GuruFocus rates LSE:MACF with a GF Score™ of 60/100 and a GF Value™ of £1.17 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 321 Packaging & Containers companies, Macfarlane Group ranks better than 91.9% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Macfarlane Group's forward rate of return for was 24.50%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Macfarlane Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:MACF'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 4.42 Med: 22.34 Max: 32.72
Current: 23.02
During the past 13 years, Macfarlane Group's highest Forward Rate of Return was 32.72. The lowest was 4.42. And the median was 22.34.
LSE:MACF's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked better than 91.9% of 321
companies
in the Packaging & Containers industry
Industry Median: 6.6
vs LSE:MACF: 23.02
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.
Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) 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.
Macfarlane Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Macfarlane Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Macfarlane Group'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.
Macfarlane Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
LSE:MACF vs SW, AMCR, PKG: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Packaging & Containers subindustry, Macfarlane Group'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.
Macfarlane Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Packaging & Containers Industry
For the Packaging & Containers industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Macfarlane Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Macfarlane Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Macfarlane Group 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 24.50% mean?
Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 24.50% as of Dec. 2025. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Macfarlane Group and its competitors. This is 10% above median its historical median of 22.34. Over the past decade, Macfarlane Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 4.42 to 32.72. According to the industry distribution chart, Macfarlane Group ranks #26 out of 321 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, placing it in the top 8.1%.
Is Macfarlane Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Macfarlane Group's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 24.50% is 10% above median its 10-year median of 22.34. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 4.42 to a high of 32.72. The Packaging & Containers industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.60. Macfarlane Group's value of 24.50% is 271.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Macfarlane Group ranks #26 out of 321 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Macfarlane Group has a GF Score™ of 60/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Macfarlane Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to SW and AMCR?
According to the Packaging & Containers industry distribution chart, Macfarlane Group ranks #26 out of 321 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Macfarlane Group in the top 8% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.60. Macfarlane Group's value of 24.50% is 271.2% above this benchmark. Historically, Macfarlane Group's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 4.42 to 32.72 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 22.34 vs. the industry median of 6.60, Macfarlane Group 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 Packaging & Containers company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Packaging & Containers companies is 6.60, based on 321 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. Macfarlane Group's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 24.50% is 271.2% 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 Macfarlane Group and its competitors. For the Packaging & Containers industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.60 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Macfarlane Group's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 24.50%, which is 10% above median its own 10-year median of 22.34. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Macfarlane Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is £1.17, compared to a current price of £0.78 — trading 33.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 24.50%, which is 10% above median its 10-year median of 22.34 and 271.2% above the Packaging & Containers industry median of 6.60. Macfarlane Group's overall GF Score™ is 60/100 with 6 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 Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 24.50% 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.
Is Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Macfarlane Group stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of £0.78 is trading 33.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of £1.17.
GuruFocus considers Macfarlane Group to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for LSE:MACF:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 24.50% (10% above median its 10-year median of 22.34)
GF Value™: £1.17 vs. price of £0.78 (33.3% below fair value)
Industry Position: 271.2% above the Packaging & Containers median (#26 of 321)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LSE:MACF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Macfarlane Group PLC is a United Kingdom-based company that provides services for the packaging sector. It operates in two segments Packaging Distribution segment, which includes the distribution of packaging materials & supply of storage & warehousing services, & Manufacturing Operations comprises the manufacturing & supplying of self-adhesive labels to fast-moving consumer goods. The business operates Regional Distribution Centers, supplying customers with a range of packaging materials & services. It operates across a wide range of sectors such as Aerospace, Defense, Electronics, Medical General, Industrial food, health & beauty, household products, & beverages sectors. It derives key revenue from the Distribution segment. Geographically, it derives the majority revenue from the UK.
60GF Score
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