Kobe SteelKBSTF -7.05%74 ROA % is 1.29% as of Mar. 2026, which is 47% below its 10-year median of 2.43. GuruFocus rates KBSTF with a GF Score™ of 74/100 and a GF Value™ of $10.59 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 638 Steel companies, Kobe Steel ranks better than 62.85% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Kobe Steel's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $237 Mil.
Kobe Steel's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $18,290 Mil. Therefore, Kobe Steel's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 1.29%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Kobe Steel's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
KBSTF'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.84 Med: 2.43 Max: 4.14
Current: 3.28
During the past 13 years, Kobe Steel's highest ROA % was 4.14%. The lowest was -2.84%. And the median was 2.43%.
KBSTF's ROA % is ranked better than 62.85% of 638
companies
in the Steel industry
Industry Median: 1.93
vs KBSTF: 3.28
Kobe Steel (OTCPK:KBSTF) 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.
Kobe Steel ROA % Related Terms
Kobe Steel ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Kobe Steel'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 Steel subindustry, Kobe Steel'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.
Kobe Steel ROA % vs Steel Industry
For the Steel industry and Basic Materials sector, Kobe Steel's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Kobe Steel'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.
Kobe Steel (KBSTF) has a ROA % of 1.29% 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 Kobe Steel and its competitors. This is 47% below median its historical median of 2.43. According to the industry distribution chart, Kobe Steel ranks #237 out of 638 companies in the Steel industry, placing it in the top 37.1%.
Is Kobe Steel's ROA % too high?
Kobe Steel's current ROA % of 1.29% is 47% below median its 10-year median of 2.43. The Steel industry median ROA % is 1.93. Kobe Steel's value of 1.29% is 33.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Kobe Steel ranks #237 out of 638 companies in the Steel industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Kobe Steel has a GF Score™ of 74/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kobe Steel's ROA % compare to NUE and STLD?
According to the Steel industry distribution chart, Kobe Steel ranks #237 out of 638 companies for ROA %. This puts Kobe Steel in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 1.93. Kobe Steel's value of 1.29% is 33.2% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 2.43 vs. the industry median of 1.93, Kobe 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 ROA % for a Steel company?
The median ROA % among Steel companies is 1.93, based on 638 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. Kobe Steel's current ROA % of 1.29% is 33.2% 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 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 Kobe Steel and its competitors. For the Steel industry, the median ROA % is 1.93 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Kobe Steel's current ROA % is 1.29%, which is 47% below median its own 10-year median of 2.43. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kobe Steel stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kobe Steel (KBSTF) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $10.59, compared to a current price of $12.32 — trading 16.3% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 1.29%, which is 47% below median its 10-year median of 2.43 and 33.2% below the Steel industry median of 1.93. Kobe Steel's overall GF Score™ is 74/100 with 3 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 Kobe Steel (KBSTF), the current ROA % is 1.29% 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 Kobe Steel (KBSTF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kobe Steel stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $12.32 is trading 16.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of $10.59.
GuruFocus considers Kobe Steel to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for KBSTF:
ROA %: 1.29% (47% below median its 10-year median of 2.43)
GF Value™: $10.59 vs. price of $12.32 (16.3% above fair value)
Industry Position: 33.2% below the Steel median (#237 of 638)
No single metric tells the full story. See the KBSTF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Kobe Steel Ltd engages in the manufacture, production, and sale of iron and steel. The company operates through seven segments. The Construction Machinery segment offers excavators, cranes, loaders, and workboats. Electric Power supplies electricity through group companies. Engineering handles plants for steel, petrochemicals, nuclear, water, and waste treatment, along with civil engineering and transport systems. Machinery provides compressors, engines, refrigeration, heat pumps, chemical and rubber machinery, and specialty materials. Materials include steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, and forged products. Steel & Aluminum delivers rolled products, plates, wires, and special steels, while Welding covers electrodes, flux, robots, power sources, and related services.
74GF Score
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