L.B. Foster CoFSTR -2.99%72 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.08% as of Mar. 2026, which is 43% above its 10-year median of 1.45. GuruFocus rates FSTR with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of $25.01 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,006 Transportation companies, L.B. Foster Co ranks better than 50.5% on this metric.
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated as Net Income divided by its average total tangible assets. Total tangible assets equals to Total Assets minus Intangible Assets. L.B. Foster Co's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $6.0 Mil. L.B. Foster Co's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $288.0 Mil. Therefore, L.B. Foster Co's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 2.08%.
The historical rank and industry rank for L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:
FSTR'
s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -42.89 Med: 1.45 Max: 15.66
Current: 3.81
During the past 13 years, L.B. Foster Co's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 15.66%. The lowest was -42.89%. And the median was 1.45%.
FSTR's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is ranked better than 50.5% of 1006
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 3.755
vs FSTR: 3.81
L.B. Foster Co (NAS:FSTR) Return-on-Tangible-Asset Explanation
Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures the rate of return on the average total tangible assets (total assets minus intangible assets). Tangible means physical in nature. Intangible Assets are assets that are not physical in nature, and typically "derive their value from legal or intellectual rights." Return-on-Tangible-Asset measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from its tangible assets. It shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. Return-on-Tangible-Assets can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be used to compare companies in different industries.
Be Aware
Like ROE and ROA, Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the companys earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. Return-on-Tangible-Asset can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by a companys tax rate and its interest payment. Return-on-Tangible-Asset may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high Return-on-Tangible-Asset may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
L.B. Foster Co Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms
L.B. Foster Co Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset 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.
FSTR vs RAIL, SWVL, RVSN: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison
For the Railroads subindustry, L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset, along with its competitors' market caps and Return-on-Tangible-Asset 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.
L.B. Foster Co Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset falls into.
* 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.
In the calculation of annual Return-on-Tangible-Asset, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total tangible assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
What does a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.08% mean?
L.B. Foster Co (FSTR) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.08% as of Mar. 2026. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on L.B. Foster Co and its competitors. This is 43% above median its historical median of 1.45. According to the industry distribution chart, L.B. Foster Co ranks #498 out of 1006 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 49.5%.
Is L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
L.B. Foster Co's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.08% is 43% above median its 10-year median of 1.45. The Transportation industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.76. L.B. Foster Co's value of 2.08% is 44.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, L.B. Foster Co ranks #498 out of 1006 companies in the Transportation industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, L.B. Foster Co has a GF Score™ of 72/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does L.B. Foster Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to RAIL and SWVL?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, L.B. Foster Co ranks #498 out of 1006 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Asset. This puts L.B. Foster Co in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.76. L.B. Foster Co's value of 2.08% is 44.6% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 1.45 vs. the industry median of 3.76, L.B. Foster Co 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset for a Transportation company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Transportation companies is 3.76, based on 1,006 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Return-on-Tangible-Asset significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Return-on-Tangible-Asset should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. L.B. Foster Co's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.08% is 44.6% 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 Return-on-Tangible-Asset mean?
A high Return-on-Tangible-Asset can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on L.B. Foster Co and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.76 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. L.B. Foster Co's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.08%, which is 43% above median its own 10-year median of 1.45. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is L.B. Foster Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, L.B. Foster Co (FSTR) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $25.01, compared to a current price of $42.57 — trading 70.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.08%, which is 43% above median its 10-year median of 1.45 and 44.6% below the Transportation industry median of 3.76. L.B. Foster Co's overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Return-on-Tangible-Asset calculated?
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is calculated from a company's financial statements. For L.B. Foster Co (FSTR), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.08% 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 L.B. Foster Co (FSTR) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, L.B. Foster Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $42.57 is trading 70.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $25.01.
GuruFocus considers L.B. Foster Co to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for FSTR:
Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 2.08% (43% above median its 10-year median of 1.45)
GF Value™: $25.01 vs. price of $42.57 (70.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 44.6% below the Transportation median (#498 of 1006)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FSTR stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
L.B. Foster Co is a technology solutions provider of products and services for the rail and infrastructure markets. The company has two reporting segments: Rail, Technologies, and Services (Rail); and Infrastructure Solutions (Infrastructure). Maximum revenue is generated from the Rail segment, which is comprised of several manufacturing and distribution businesses that provide products and services for freight and passenger railroads and industrial companies throughout the world. The Infrastructure segment offers engineered precast concrete solutions, as well as fabricated bridge, protective pipe coating, and pipe threading offerings across North America. Geographically, the company generates maximum revenue from the United States, followed by Canada, the UK, and other markets.
72GF Score
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