ZEUS (Olympic Steel) Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 0.97% (As of Sep. 2025) — 68% Below Median

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
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Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
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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.

ZEUS Olympic Steel Inc ZEUS
58 GF Score
Price $47.86
GF Value $36.41
! 8 Warning Signs
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What is Olympic Steel Return-on-Tangible-Asset?

Olympic Steel ZEUS +0.06% 58 Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 0.97% as of Sep. 2025, which is 68% below its 10-year median of 3.07. GuruFocus rates ZEUS with a GF Score™ of 58/100 and a GF Value™ of $36.41. The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review.

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. Olympic Steel's annualized Net Income for the quarter that ended in Sep. 2025 was $9 Mil. Olympic Steel's average total tangible assets for the quarter that ended in Sep. 2025 was $884 Mil. Therefore, Olympic Steel's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Sep. 2025 was 0.97%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Olympic Steel's Return-on-Tangible-Asset or its related term are showing as below:

ZEUS' s Return-on-Tangible-Asset Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.71   Med: 3.07   Max: 15.3
Current: 1.59

During the past 13 years, Olympic Steel's highest Return-on-Tangible-Asset was 15.30%. The lowest was -4.71%. And the median was 3.07%.

ZEUS's Return-on-Tangible-Asset is not ranked
in the Steel industry.
Industry Median: 2.035 vs ZEUS: 1.59

Olympic Steel  (NAS:ZEUS) 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 company’s 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 company’s 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.


Olympic Steel Return-on-Tangible-Asset Related Terms


Olympic Steel Return-on-Tangible-Asset Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Olympic Steel'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.

Olympic Steel Return-on-Tangible-Asset Chart

Olympic Steel Annual Data
Trend Dec15 Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24
Return-on-Tangible-Asset
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -0.92 15.30 9.95 5.27 2.73

Olympic Steel Quarterly Data
Dec20 Mar21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25
Return-on-Tangible-Asset Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 1.26 1.82 1.18 2.41 0.97

ZEUS vs MSB, NWPX, MTUS: Return-on-Tangible-Asset Comparison

For the Steel subindustry, Olympic Steel'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.


Olympic Steel Return-on-Tangible-Asset vs Steel Industry

For the Steel industry and Basic Materials sector, Olympic Steel's Return-on-Tangible-Asset distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Olympic Steel's Return-on-Tangible-Asset falls into.


ZEUS
58GF Score
Olympic Steel Inc ZEUS
Return-on-Tangible-Asset is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Olympic Steel Return-on-Tangible-Asset Calculation

Olympic Steel's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2024 is calculated as:

Return-on-Tangible-Asset=Net Income/( (Total Tangible Assets+Total Tangible Assets)/ count )
(A: Dec. 2024 )  (A: Dec. 2023 )(A: Dec. 2024 )
=Net Income/( (Total Assets - Intangible Assets+Total Assets - Intangible Assets)/ count )
(A: Dec. 2024 )  (A: Dec. 2023 )(A: Dec. 2024 )
=22.98/( (840.123+842.567)/ 2 )
=22.98/841.345
=2.73 %

Olympic Steel's annualized Return-on-Tangible-Asset for the quarter that ended in Sep. 2025 is calculated as:

Return-on-Tangible-Asset=Net Income/( (Total Tangible Assets+Total Tangible Assets)/ count )
(Q: Sep. 2025 )  (Q: Jun. 2025 )(Q: Sep. 2025 )
=Net Income/( (Total Assets - Intangible Assets+Total Assets - Intangible Assets)/ count )
(Q: Sep. 2025 )  (Q: Jun. 2025 )(Q: Sep. 2025 )
=8.616/( (876.019+892.685)/ 2 )
=8.616/884.352
=0.97 %

* 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 (Sep. 2025) net income data.

What does a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 0.97% mean?
Olympic Steel (ZEUS) has a Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 0.97% as of Sep. 2025. Return on tangible assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period tangible assets. View historical data on Olympic Steel and its competitors. This is 68% below median its historical median of 3.07.
Is Olympic Steel's Return-on-Tangible-Asset too high?
Olympic Steel's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 0.97% is 68% below median its 10-year median of 3.07. The Steel industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.04. Olympic Steel's value of 0.97% is 52.3% below this industry median. Overall, Olympic Steel has a GF Score™ of 58/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Olympic Steel's Return-on-Tangible-Asset compare to MSB and NWPX?
Olympic Steel's Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 0.97% can be compared against companies in the Steel industry. The industry median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.04. Olympic Steel's value of 0.97% is 52.3% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 3.07 vs. the industry median of 2.04, Olympic Steel 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 Steel company?
The median Return-on-Tangible-Asset among Steel companies is 2.04, based on 634 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. Olympic Steel's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 0.97% is 52.3% 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 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 Olympic Steel and its competitors. For the Steel industry, the median Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 2.04 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Olympic Steel's current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 0.97%, which is 68% below median its own 10-year median of 3.07. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Olympic Steel stock overvalued right now?
Olympic Steel (ZEUS) has a current Return-on-Tangible-Asset of 0.97%. The stock's GF Value™ is $36.41, compared to a current price of $47.86 — trading 31.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 0.97%, which is 68% below median its 10-year median of 3.07 and 52.3% below the Steel industry median of 2.04. Olympic Steel's overall GF Score™ is 58/100 with 8 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 Olympic Steel (ZEUS), the current Return-on-Tangible-Asset is 0.97% as of Sep. 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 Olympic Steel (ZEUS) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Olympic Steel stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $47.86 is trading 31.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $36.41.

Key valuation signals for ZEUS:

  • Return-on-Tangible-Asset: 0.97% (68% below median its 10-year median of 3.07)
  • GF Value™: $36.41 vs. price of $47.86 (31.4% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 58/100 with 8 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 52.3% below the Steel median

No single metric tells the full story. See the ZEUS stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Olympic Steel Business Description

Address 22901 Millcreek Boulevard, Suite 650, Highland Hills, OH, USA, 44122
Olympic Steel Inc provides metals processing and distribution services in the United States. The company operates in three reportable segments; specialty metals flat products, carbon flat products, and tubular and pipe products. It specializes in the processing and distribution of large volumes of carbon, aluminum, and stainless steel flat-rolled sheet, coils, plates, bars, and fabricated parts. The group serves various industries such as industrial machinery and equipment manufacturers, automobile manufacturers and suppliers, and transportation equipment manufacturers. The company generates majority of the revenue from carbon flat products.
58GF Score

Get the complete analysis for ZEUS

Return-on-Tangible-Asset is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$47.86
Price
$36.41
GF Value