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United Utilities GroupUUGRY +0.36%85 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.61% as of Mar. 2026, which is 91% above its 10-year median of 2.93. GuruFocus rates UUGRY with a GF Score™ of 85/100 and a GF Value™ of $38.93 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 426 Utilities - Regulated companies, United Utilities Group ranks worse than 54.23% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. United Utilities Group's forward rate of return for was 5.61%.
The historical rank and industry rank for United Utilities Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
UUGRY'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 2.02 Med: 2.93 Max: 5.63
Current: 5.61
During the past 13 years, United Utilities Group's highest Forward Rate of Return was 5.63. The lowest was 2.02. And the median was 2.93.
UUGRY's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked worse than 54.23% of 426
companies
in the Utilities - Regulated industry
Industry Median: 6.62
vs UUGRY: 5.61
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.
United Utilities Group (OTCPK:UUGRY) 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.
United Utilities Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
United Utilities Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for United Utilities 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.
United Utilities Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
UUGRY vs AWK, WTRG, AWR: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Utilities - Regulated Water subindustry, United Utilities 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.
United Utilities Group Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Utilities - Regulated Industry
For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, United Utilities Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where United Utilities Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
United Utilities 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 5.61% mean?
United Utilities Group (UUGRY) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 5.61% 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 United Utilities Group and its competitors. This is 91% above median its historical median of 2.93. Over the past decade, United Utilities Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 2.02 to 5.63. According to the industry distribution chart, United Utilities Group ranks #231 out of 426 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 54.2%.
Is United Utilities Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
United Utilities Group's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 5.61% is 91% above median its 10-year median of 2.93. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 2.02 to a high of 5.63. The Utilities - Regulated industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.62. United Utilities Group's value of 5.61% is 15.3% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, United Utilities Group ranks #231 out of 426 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, United Utilities Group has a GF Score™ of 85/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does United Utilities Group's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to AWK and WTRG?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, United Utilities Group ranks #231 out of 426 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places United Utilities Group in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.62. United Utilities Group's value of 5.61% is 15.3% below this benchmark. Historically, United Utilities Group's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 2.02 to 5.63 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.93 vs. the industry median of 6.62, United Utilities Group has consistently been below 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 Utilities - Regulated company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Utilities - Regulated companies is 6.62, based on 426 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. United Utilities Group's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 5.61% is 15.3% below 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 United Utilities Group and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 6.62 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. United Utilities Group's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.61%, which is 91% above median its own 10-year median of 2.93. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is United Utilities Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, United Utilities Group (UUGRY) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $38.93, compared to a current price of $35.85 — trading 7.9% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.61%, which is 91% above median its 10-year median of 2.93 and 15.3% below the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 6.62. United Utilities Group'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 United Utilities Group (UUGRY), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 5.61% 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 United Utilities Group (UUGRY) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, United Utilities Group stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $35.85 is trading 7.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $38.93.
GuruFocus considers United Utilities Group to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for UUGRY:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 5.61% (91% above median its 10-year median of 2.93)
GF Value™: $38.93 vs. price of $35.85 (7.9% below fair value)
Industry Position: 15.3% below the Utilities - Regulated median (#231 of 426)
No single metric tells the full story. See the UUGRY stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
United Utilities Group is primarily a holding company for United Utilities Water, the country's largest regulated water and wastewater utility, serving customers in northwest England, including Manchester and Liverpool.
85GF Score
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Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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