Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
The York Water CoYORW +0.10%71 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.81% as of Mar. 2026, which is 29% below its 10-year median of 3.97. GuruFocus rates YORW with a GF Score™ of 71/100 and a GF Value™ of $39.05 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 510 Utilities - Regulated companies, The York Water Co ranks worse than 51.76% 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. The York Water Co's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $19.26 Mil. The York Water Co's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $685.35 Mil. Therefore, The York Water Co's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 2.81%.
The historical rank and industry rank for The York Water Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:
YORW'
s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.05 Med: 3.97 Max: 4.32
Current: 3.19
During the past 13 years, The York Water Co's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 4.32%. The lowest was 3.05%. And the median was 3.97%.
YORW's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is ranked worse than 51.76% of 510
companies
in the Utilities - Regulated industry
Industry Median: 3.3
vs YORW: 3.19
The York Water Co (NAS:YORW) 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.
The York Water Co Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms
The York Water Co Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for The York Water 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.
YORW vs CWCO, ARTNA, CDZI: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison
For the Utilities - Regulated Water subindustry, The York Water 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.
The York Water Co Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Utilities - Regulated Industry
For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, The York Water Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The York Water 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 2.81% mean?
The York Water Co (YORW) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.81% 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 The York Water Co and its competitors. This is 29% below median its historical median of 3.97. Over the past decade, The York Water Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset has ranged from 3.05 to 4.32. According to the industry distribution chart, The York Water Co ranks #264 out of 510 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 51.8%.
Is The York Water Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
The York Water Co's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.81% is 29% below median its 10-year median of 3.97. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.05 to a high of 4.32. The Utilities - Regulated industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.30. The York Water Co's value of 2.81% is 14.8% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The York Water Co ranks #264 out of 510 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, The York Water Co has a GF Score™ of 71/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The York Water Co's Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to CWCO and ARTNA?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, The York Water Co ranks #264 out of 510 companies for Return-on-Tangible-Asset. This places The York Water Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.30. The York Water Co's value of 2.81% is 14.8% below this benchmark. Historically, The York Water Co's own Return-on-Tangible-Asset has ranged from 3.05 to 4.32 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 3.97 vs. the industry median of 3.30, The York Water 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 an Utilities - Regulated company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Utilities - Regulated companies is 3.30, based on 510 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. The York Water Co's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 2.81% is 14.8% 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 The York Water Co and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 3.30 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The York Water Co's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.81%, which is 29% below median its own 10-year median of 3.97. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The York Water Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The York Water Co (YORW) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $39.05, compared to a current price of $31.02 — trading 20.6% below its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.81%, which is 29% below median its 10-year median of 3.97 and 14.8% below the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 3.30. The York Water Co's overall GF Score™ is 71/100 with 7 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 The York Water Co (YORW), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.81% 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 The York Water Co (YORW) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The York Water Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $31.02 is trading 20.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $39.05.
GuruFocus considers The York Water Co to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for YORW:
Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 2.81% (29% below median its 10-year median of 3.97)
GF Value™: $39.05 vs. price of $31.02 (20.6% below fair value)
Industry Position: 14.8% below the Utilities - Regulated median (#264 of 510)
No single metric tells the full story. See the YORW stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
The York Water Co is the investor-owned water utility in the United States. The primary business of the company is to impound, purify to meet or exceed safe drinking water standards and distribute water. The company also owns and operates three wastewater collection systems and twelve wastewater collection and treatment systems. The company operates within its franchised water and wastewater territory, which covers portions of municipalities within four counties in south-central Pennsylvania. It provides services to diversified, manufacturing such items as fixtures and furniture, electrical machinery, food products, paper, ordnance units, textile products, air conditioning systems, laundry detergent, barbells, and motorcycles.
71GF Score
Get the complete analysis for YORW
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
YORW has been successfully added to your 
