Insteel IndustriesIIIN +0.46%68 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.97% as of Mar. 2026, which is 56% below its 10-year median of 20.33. GuruFocus rates IIIN with a GF Score™ of 68/100 and a GF Value™ of $37.85 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 3,060 Industrial Products companies, Insteel Industries ranks better than 64.74% on this metric.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits). He defines ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % as EBIT divided by the total of Property, Plant and Equipment and net working capital. Insteel Industries's annualized ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 8.97%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Insteel Industries's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
IIIN'
s ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.98 Med: 20.33 Max: 60.87
Current: 19.48
During the past 13 years, Insteel Industries's highest ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 60.87%. The lowest was 3.98%. And the median was 20.33%.
IIIN's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked better than 64.74% of 3060
companies
in the Industrial Products industry
Industry Median: 11.7
vs IIIN: 19.48
Insteel Industries's 5-Year average Growth Rate of ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was -9.70% per year.
The way Joel Greenblatt defines Return on Capital is a more accurate measure of how efficiently the company generates returns onthe capital actually invested in the business. EBIT is used instead of net income because the tax and interest payment may be affected by factors other than the core business operation. Intangible assets are not included in the calculation because they don't need to be replaced.
Insteel Industries ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Related Terms
Insteel Industries ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Insteel Industries's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % 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.
IIIN vs TG, MEC, AP: ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Comparison
For the Metal Fabrication subindustry, Insteel Industries's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % 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.
Insteel Industries ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Industrial Products Industry
For the Industrial Products industry and Industrials sector, Insteel Industries's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Insteel Industries's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % falls into.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits) . He defines Return on Capital as follows:
EBIT stands for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes.
Fixed Assets are also known as non-current assets. They include the Property, Plant and Equipment that the firm needs in its operation.
GuruFocus calculates net working capital as: (Accounts Receivable + Total Inventories + Other Current Assets) - (Accounts Payable & Accrued Expense + Deferred Revenue + Other Current Liabilities). We're trying to account for OPERATING assets and liabilities (part of daily business) when calculating working capital. Cash and marketable securities are considered NON-OPERATING assets and are not included in calculation. We will also back out all interest bearing debt, short term debt and the portion of long term debt that is due in the current period from the current liabilities. This debt will be considered when computing cost of capital and it would be inappropriate to count it twice.
Note:
The EBIT data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBIT 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.
What does a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 8.97% mean?
Insteel Industries (IIIN) has a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 8.97% as of Mar. 2026. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Insteel Industries and its competitors. This is 56% below median its historical median of 20.33. Over the past decade, Insteel Industries' ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 3.98 to 60.87. According to the industry distribution chart, Insteel Industries ranks #1079 out of 3060 companies in the Industrial Products industry, placing it in the top 35.3%.
Is Insteel Industries' ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
Insteel Industries' current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 8.97% is 56% below median its 10-year median of 20.33. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.98 to a high of 60.87. The Industrial Products industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.70. Insteel Industries' value of 8.97% is 23.3% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Insteel Industries ranks #1079 out of 3060 companies in the Industrial Products industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Insteel Industries has a GF Score™ of 68/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Insteel Industries' ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to TG and MEC?
According to the Industrial Products industry distribution chart, Insteel Industries ranks #1079 out of 3060 companies for ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %. This puts Insteel Industries in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.70. Insteel Industries' value of 8.97% is 23.3% below this benchmark. Historically, Insteel Industries' own ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 3.98 to 60.87 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 20.33 vs. the industry median of 11.70, Insteel Industries 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for an Industrial Products company?
The median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % among Industrial Products companies is 11.70, based on 3,060 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Insteel Industries's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 8.97% is 23.3% 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % mean?
A high ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Insteel Industries and its competitors. For the Industrial Products industry, the median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 11.70 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Insteel Industries's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.97%, which is 56% below median its own 10-year median of 20.33. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Insteel Industries stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Insteel Industries (IIIN) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $37.85, compared to a current price of $30.34 — trading 19.8% below its estimated fair value. The current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.97%, which is 56% below median its 10-year median of 20.33 and 23.3% below the Industrial Products industry median of 11.70. Insteel Industries' overall GF Score™ is 68/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % calculated?
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Insteel Industries (IIIN), the current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.97% 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 Insteel Industries (IIIN) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Insteel Industries stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $30.34 is trading 19.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of $37.85.
GuruFocus considers Insteel Industries to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for IIIN:
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %: 8.97% (56% below median its 10-year median of 20.33)
GF Value™: $37.85 vs. price of $30.34 (19.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 23.3% below the Industrial Products median (#1079 of 3060)
No single metric tells the full story. See the IIIN stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Insteel Industries Inc produces and sells prestressed concrete strand (PC strand) and welded wire reinforcement (WWR). PC strand, a high-strength seven-wire cable, is used to strengthen precast concrete in structures like bridges, parking decks, and buildings, enabling longer spans and slimmer designs. WWR includes engineered structural mesh for primary reinforcement, concrete pipe reinforcement for drainage and sewage systems, and standard WWR for crack control in residential and light commercial construction. The company serves markets in the United States and internationally, with the majority of revenue generated in the United States.
68GF Score
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