ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. International Stem Cell's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $-0.88 Mil.
International Stem Cell's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $4.98 Mil. Therefore, International Stem Cell's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was -17.68%.
The historical rank and industry rank for International Stem Cell's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
ISCO'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -87.27 Med: -16.4 Max: -2.49
Current: -7.23
During the past 13 years, International Stem Cell's highest ROA % was -2.49%. The lowest was -87.27%. And the median was -16.40%.
ISCO's ROA % is ranked better than 72.61% of 1413
companies
in the Biotechnology industry
Industry Median: -32.67
vs ISCO: -7.23
International Stem Cell (OTCPK:ISCO) 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 four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 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.
* 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 Biotechnology subindustry, International Stem Cell'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.
International Stem Cell ROA % vs Biotechnology Industry
For the Biotechnology industry and Healthcare sector, International Stem Cell's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where International Stem Cell'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 four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
International Stem Cell (ISCO) has a ROA % of -17.68% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on International Stem Cell and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, International Stem Cell ranks #387 out of 1413 companies in the Biotechnology industry, placing it in the top 27.4%.
Is International Stem Cell's ROA % too high?
International Stem Cell's current ROA % is -17.68%. Based on the distribution chart, International Stem Cell ranks #387 out of 1413 companies in the Biotechnology industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, International Stem Cell has a GF Score™ of 24/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does International Stem Cell's ROA % compare to ZVSA and AXIM?
According to the Biotechnology industry distribution chart, International Stem Cell ranks #387 out of 1413 companies for ROA %. This puts International Stem Cell in the upper half of its industry. 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 Biotechnology company?
A good ROA % depends on the Biotechnology industry context. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. 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 International Stem Cell and its competitors. International Stem Cell's current ROA % is -17.68%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is International Stem Cell stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, International Stem Cell (ISCO) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $0.13, compared to a current price of $0.18 — trading 37.7% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is -17.68%. International Stem Cell's overall GF Score™ is 24/100 with 6 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 International Stem Cell (ISCO), the current ROA % is -17.68% 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 International Stem Cell (ISCO) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, International Stem Cell stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $0.18 is trading 37.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $0.13.
GuruFocus considers International Stem Cell to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for ISCO:
ROA %: -17.68%
GF Value™: $0.13 vs. price of $0.18 (37.7% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ISCO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
International Stem Cell Corp is a clinical-stage biotechnology company. It is focused on therapeutic and biomedical product development with multiple long-term therapeutic opportunities. The company develops different cell types from its stem cells that may result in therapeutic products. The clinical applications of the company include neural stem cells for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other central nervous system disorders; Liver cells, which are used to treat a variety of congenital and acquired liver diseases; and retinal cells and three-dimensional eye structures. The company operates in three segments, the therapeutic market, the biomedical market, and the anti-aging market. The Biomedical products business segment accounts for the majority of revenue.
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