Macfarlane GroupLSE:MACF +2.12%61 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.32% as of Dec. 2025, which is 64% below its 10-year median of 36.97. GuruFocus rates LSE:MACF with a GF Score™ of 61/100 and a GF Value™ of £1.18 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 399 Packaging & Containers companies, Macfarlane Group ranks better than 71.43% 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. Macfarlane Group's annualized ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was 13.32%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Macfarlane Group's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:MACF'
s ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 15.69 Med: 36.97 Max: 54.22
Current: 15.69
During the past 13 years, Macfarlane Group's highest ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 54.22%. The lowest was 15.69%. And the median was 36.97%.
LSE:MACF's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked better than 71.43% of 399
companies
in the Packaging & Containers industry
Industry Median: 8.95
vs LSE:MACF: 15.69
Macfarlane Group's 5-Year average Growth Rate of ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was -7.80% per year.
Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Explanation
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.
Macfarlane Group ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Related Terms
Macfarlane Group ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Macfarlane Group'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.
LSE:MACF vs SW, PKG, IP: ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Comparison
For the Packaging & Containers subindustry, Macfarlane Group'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.
Macfarlane Group ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Packaging & Containers Industry
For the Packaging & Containers industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Macfarlane Group's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Macfarlane Group's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % falls into.
Macfarlane Group ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Calculation
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 two times the semi-annual (Dec. 2025) 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 13.32% mean?
Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) has a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 13.32% as of Dec. 2025. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Macfarlane Group and its competitors. This is 64% below median its historical median of 36.97. Over the past decade, Macfarlane Group's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 15.69 to 54.22. According to the industry distribution chart, Macfarlane Group ranks #114 out of 399 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, placing it in the top 28.6%.
Is Macfarlane Group's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
Macfarlane Group's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 13.32% is 64% below median its 10-year median of 36.97. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 15.69 to a high of 54.22. The Packaging & Containers industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.95. Macfarlane Group's value of 13.32% is 48.8% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Macfarlane Group ranks #114 out of 399 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Macfarlane Group has a GF Score™ of 61/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Macfarlane Group's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to SW and PKG?
According to the Packaging & Containers industry distribution chart, Macfarlane Group ranks #114 out of 399 companies for ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %. This puts Macfarlane Group in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.95. Macfarlane Group's value of 13.32% is 48.8% above this benchmark. Historically, Macfarlane Group's own ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 15.69 to 54.22 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 36.97 vs. the industry median of 8.95, Macfarlane Group 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 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for a Packaging & Containers company?
The median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % among Packaging & Containers companies is 8.95, based on 399 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. Macfarlane Group's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 13.32% is 48.8% 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 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 Macfarlane Group and its competitors. For the Packaging & Containers industry, the median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.95 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Macfarlane Group's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.32%, which is 64% below median its own 10-year median of 36.97. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Macfarlane Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is £1.18, compared to a current price of £0.68 — trading 42.8% below its estimated fair value. The current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.32%, which is 64% below median its 10-year median of 36.97 and 48.8% above the Packaging & Containers industry median of 8.95. Macfarlane Group's overall GF Score™ is 61/100 with 6 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 Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF), the current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.32% as of Dec. 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 Macfarlane Group (LSE:MACF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Macfarlane Group stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of £0.68 is trading 42.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of £1.18.
GuruFocus considers Macfarlane Group to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for LSE:MACF:
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %: 13.32% (64% below median its 10-year median of 36.97)
GF Value™: £1.18 vs. price of £0.68 (42.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 48.8% above the Packaging & Containers median (#114 of 399)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LSE:MACF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Macfarlane Group PLC is a United Kingdom-based company that provides services for the packaging sector. It operates in two segments Packaging Distribution segment, which includes the distribution of packaging materials & supply of storage & warehousing services, & Manufacturing Operations comprises the manufacturing & supplying of self-adhesive labels to fast-moving consumer goods. The business operates Regional Distribution Centers, supplying customers with a range of packaging materials & services. It operates across a wide range of sectors such as Aerospace, Defense, Electronics, Medical General, Industrial food, health & beauty, household products, & beverages sectors. It derives key revenue from the Distribution segment. Geographically, it derives the majority revenue from the UK.
61GF Score
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