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MetroMTRAF 76 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 24.37% as of Mar. 2026, which is 22% below its 10-year median of 31.20. GuruFocus rates MTRAF with a GF Score™ of 76/100 and a GF Value™ of $66.74 (Fairly Valued). Among 311 Retail - Defensive companies, Metro ranks better than 78.14% 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. Metro's annualized ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 24.37%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Metro's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
MTRAF'
s ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 25.57 Med: 31.2 Max: 100.77
Current: 25.57
During the past 13 years, Metro's highest ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 100.77%. The lowest was 25.57%. And the median was 31.20%.
MTRAF's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked better than 78.14% of 311
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 13.46
vs MTRAF: 25.57
Metro's 5-Year average Growth Rate of ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was -4.00% per year.
Metro (OTCPK:MTRAF) 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.
The historical data trend for Metro'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.
MTRAF vs KR, SFM, ACI: ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Comparison
For the Grocery Stores subindustry, Metro'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.
Metro ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Metro's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Metro'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 24.37% mean?
Metro (MTRAF) has a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 24.37% 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 Metro and its competitors. This is 22% below median its historical median of 31.20. Over the past decade, Metro's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 25.57 to 100.77. According to the industry distribution chart, Metro ranks #68 out of 311 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 21.9%.
Is Metro's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
Metro's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 24.37% is 22% below median its 10-year median of 31.20. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 25.57 to a high of 100.77. The Retail - Defensive industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.46. Metro's value of 24.37% is 81.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Metro ranks #68 out of 311 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Metro has a GF Score™ of 76/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Metro's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to KR and SFM?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Metro ranks #68 out of 311 companies for ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %. This places Metro in the top 22% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.46. Metro's value of 24.37% is 81.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Metro's own ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 25.57 to 100.77 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 31.20 vs. the industry median of 13.46, Metro 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 Retail - Defensive company?
The median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % among Retail - Defensive companies is 13.46, based on 311 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. Metro's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 24.37% is 81.1% 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 Metro and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 13.46 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Metro's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 24.37%, which is 22% below median its own 10-year median of 31.20. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Metro stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Metro (MTRAF) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $66.74, compared to a current price of $67.28 — trading 0.8% above its estimated fair value. The current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 24.37%, which is 22% below median its 10-year median of 31.20 and 81.1% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 13.46. Metro's overall GF Score™ is 76/100. 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 Metro (MTRAF), the current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 24.37% 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 Metro (MTRAF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Metro stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $67.28 is trading 0.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $66.74.
GuruFocus considers Metro to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for MTRAF:
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %: 24.37% (22% below median its 10-year median of 31.20)
GF Value™: $66.74 vs. price of $67.28 (0.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 81.1% above the Retail - Defensive median (#68 of 311)
No single metric tells the full story. See the MTRAF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Metro is the third-largest grocery retailer in Canada (behind Loblaws and Sobeys) and also owns the top pharmacy chain in Quebec, Jean Coutu, following the 2018 acquisition. Its grocery banners include supermarket chain Metro, discounters Super C and Food Basics, and ethnic food grocer Adonis, while its pharmacies primarily operate under the Jean Coutu and Brunet trademarks. Metro operates both as a food retailer and a franchisor, licensing its trademarks and supplying merchandise to registered pharmacists. The firm also acts as a wholesaler and distributor to serve smaller, neighborhood grocery stores. Unlike peers Loblaws and Sobeys that operate chain stores across Canada, Metro's operations are concentrated in Quebec and Ontario, with no presence in western Canada.
76GF Score
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