Smiths NewsCHIX:SNWSL +0.30%53 ROA % is 14.20% as of Feb. 2026, which is 28% above its 10-year median of 11.06. GuruFocus rates CHIX:SNWSL with a GF Score™ of 53/100 and a GF Value™ of £0.54 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,042 Media - Diversified companies, Smiths News ranks better than 95.78% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Smiths News's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was £24 Mil.
Smiths News's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was £172 Mil. Therefore, Smiths News's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Feb. 2026 was 14.20%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Smiths News's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
CHIX:SNWSl'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -15.76 Med: 11.06 Max: 16.01
Current: 15.68
During the past 13 years, Smiths News's highest ROA % was 16.01%. The lowest was -15.76%. And the median was 11.06%.
CHIX:SNWSl's ROA % is ranked better than 95.78% of 1042
companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 0.65
vs CHIX:SNWSl: 15.68
Smiths News (CHIX:SNWSl) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Feb. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is two times the semi-annual (Feb. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % 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. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % 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 ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
Smiths News ROA % Related Terms
Smiths News ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Smiths News's ROA % 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.
For the Publishing subindustry, Smiths News's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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.
Smiths News ROA % vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Smiths News's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Smiths News's ROA % 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 ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Feb. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Smiths News (CHIX:SNWSL) has a ROA % of 14.20% as of Feb. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Smiths News and its competitors. This is 28% above median its historical median of 11.06. According to the industry distribution chart, Smiths News ranks #44 out of 1042 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 4.2%.
Is Smiths News' ROA % too high?
Smiths News' current ROA % of 14.20% is 28% above median its 10-year median of 11.06. The Media - Diversified industry median ROA % is 0.65. Smiths News' value of 14.20% is 2084.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Smiths News ranks #44 out of 1042 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Smiths News has a GF Score™ of 53/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Smiths News' ROA % compare to NYT and WLY?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Smiths News ranks #44 out of 1042 companies for ROA %. This places Smiths News in the top 4% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median ROA % is 0.65. Smiths News' value of 14.20% is 2084.6% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 11.06 vs. the industry median of 0.65, Smiths News has consistently been above 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 ROA % for a Media - Diversified company?
The median ROA % among Media - Diversified companies is 0.65, based on 1,042 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Smiths News's current ROA % of 14.20% is 2084.6% above 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 ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Smiths News and its competitors. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median ROA % is 0.65 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Smiths News's current ROA % is 14.20%, which is 28% above median its own 10-year median of 11.06. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Smiths News stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Smiths News (CHIX:SNWSL) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is £0.54, compared to a current price of £0.67 — trading 24.8% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 14.20%, which is 28% above median its 10-year median of 11.06 and 2084.6% above the Media - Diversified industry median of 0.65. Smiths News' overall GF Score™ is 53/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Smiths News (CHIX:SNWSL), the current ROA % is 14.20% as of Feb. 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 Smiths News (CHIX:SNWSL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Smiths News stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of £0.67 is trading 24.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of £0.54.
GuruFocus considers Smiths News to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for CHIX:SNWSL:
ROA %: 14.20% (28% above median its 10-year median of 11.06)
GF Value™: £0.54 vs. price of £0.67 (24.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 2084.6% above the Media - Diversified median (#44 of 1042)
No single metric tells the full story. See the CHIX:SNWSL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Smiths News PLC is a UK wholesaler of newspapers and magazines, providing nationwide early-morning distribution and logistics services. The company supplies newspapers, magazines, and related products to a wide network of retail outlets, supported by integrated services such as warehousing, pick-and-pack, returns collection, recycling, invoicing, and market insight. Operating through a hub-and-spoke distribution network across England and Wales, Smiths News delivers seven days a week, reaching locations from urban centres to remote rural communities, and also offers recycling and waste management solutions through its dedicated recycling operations.
53GF Score
Get the complete analysis for CHIX:SNWSL
ROA % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
CHIX:SNWSL has been successfully added to your 
