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Carl Zeiss Meditec AGXSWX:AFX 77 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.49% as of Dec. 2025, which is 95% below its 10-year median of 9.51. GuruFocus rates XSWX:AFX with a GF Score™ of 77/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF68.86 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 374 Medical Devices & Instruments companies, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG ranks worse than 61.23% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's forward rate of return for was 0.49%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:AFX'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.28 Med: 9.51 Max: 23.64
Current: 3.42
During the past 13 years, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's highest Forward Rate of Return was 23.64. The lowest was 0.28. And the median was 9.51.
XSWX:AFX's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked worse than 61.23% of 374
companies
in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry
Industry Median: 8.73
vs XSWX:AFX: 3.42
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.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (XSWX:AFX) 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.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Carl Zeiss Meditec AG'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.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
XSWX:AFX vs ISRG, BDX, MDLN: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Medical Instruments & Supplies subindustry, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG'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.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Medical Devices & Instruments Industry
For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry and Healthcare sector, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG 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 0.49% mean?
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (XSWX:AFX) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.49% 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 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG and its competitors. This is 95% below median its historical median of 9.51. Over the past decade, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 0.28 to 23.64. According to the industry distribution chart, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG ranks #229 out of 374 companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, placing it in the top 61.2%.
Is Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.49% is 95% below median its 10-year median of 9.51. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.28 to a high of 23.64. The Medical Devices & Instruments industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 8.73. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's value of 0.49% is 94.4% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG ranks #229 out of 374 companies in the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG has a GF Score™ of 77/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to ISRG and BDX?
According to the Medical Devices & Instruments industry distribution chart, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG ranks #229 out of 374 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Carl Zeiss Meditec AG in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 8.73. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's value of 0.49% is 94.4% below this benchmark. Historically, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 0.28 to 23.64 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 9.51 vs. the industry median of 8.73, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG 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 a Medical Devices & Instruments company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Medical Devices & Instruments companies is 8.73, based on 374 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. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 0.49% is 94.4% 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 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG and its competitors. For the Medical Devices & Instruments industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 8.73 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.49%, which is 95% below median its own 10-year median of 9.51. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Carl Zeiss Meditec AG stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (XSWX:AFX) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF68.86, compared to a current price of CHF26.30 — trading 61.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.49%, which is 95% below median its 10-year median of 9.51 and 94.4% below the Medical Devices & Instruments industry median of 8.73. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG's overall GF Score™ is 77/100 with 4 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 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (XSWX:AFX), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 0.49% 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 Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (XSWX:AFX) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of CHF26.30 is trading 61.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of CHF68.86.
GuruFocus considers Carl Zeiss Meditec AG to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:AFX:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 0.49% (95% below median its 10-year median of 9.51)
GF Value™: CHF68.86 vs. price of CHF26.30 (61.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 94.4% below the Medical Devices & Instruments median (#229 of 374)
No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:AFX stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Carl Zeiss Meditec is one of the largest visioncare technology companies in the world, and it operates in two segments: ophthalmic devices and microsurgery. OPT, which made up about 75% of sales in 2025, includes refractive lasers, surgical ophthalmic devices, equipment for ophthalmic diagnostics, as well as a portfolio of intraocular lenses and disposable medical instruments. With a low-teens share of the market, Zeiss is the second-largest player in the space. MCS is composed of implants, surgical instruments, and visualization devices used during neurosurgery, spine surgery, and otolaryngology surgery. With over 60% market share, Zeiss is the clear leader in the microsurgery space.
77GF Score
Get the complete analysis for XSWX:AFX
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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