Columbia Sportswear CoCOLM +0.73%82 ROE % is 8.34% as of Mar. 2026, which is 36% below its 10-year median of 12.97. GuruFocus rates COLM with a GF Score™ of 82/100 and a GF Value™ of $85.03 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,025 Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories companies, Columbia Sportswear Co ranks better than 73.76% on this metric.
Columbia Sportswear Co (NAS:COLM) ROE % Explanation
ROE % measures the rate of return on the ownership interest (shareholder's equity) of the common stock owners. It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from every unit of shareholders' equity (also known as net assets or assets minus liabilities). ROE % shows how well a company uses investment funds to generate earnings growth. ROE %s between 15% and 20% are considered desirable.
The factors that affect a company's ROE % can be illustrated with the three-step DuPont Analysis:
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. The same rule applies to Pre-Tax Income and Operating Income.
* In the five-step DuPont Analysis, Operating Income is only available for non-financial companies. Thus, for Insurance companies, we use EBIT as a substitution of Operating Income. For Banks, both Operating Income and EBIT is unavailable. Thus we combined Interest Burden and Operating Margin % into Pretax Margin %, and the DuPont Analysis is divided into four components instead.
* 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
Net Income is used.
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the equity multiplier when investing in high ROE % companies. Like ROA %, ROE % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
Asset light businesses require very few assets to generate very high earnings. Their ROE %s can be extremely high.
* 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 Apparel Manufacturing subindustry, Columbia Sportswear Co's ROE %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROE % 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.
Columbia Sportswear Co ROE % vs Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories Industry
For the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Columbia Sportswear Co's ROE % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Columbia Sportswear Co's ROE % 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 ROE %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total shareholder equity 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.
ROE % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Columbia Sportswear Co (COLM) has a ROE % of 8.34% as of Mar. 2026. Return on equity is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total equity. View historical data on Columbia Sportswear Co and its competitors. This is 36% below median its historical median of 12.97. Over the past decade, Columbia Sportswear Co's ROE % has ranged from 5.87 to 18.76. According to the industry distribution chart, Columbia Sportswear Co ranks #269 out of 1025 companies in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, placing it in the top 26.2%.
Is Columbia Sportswear Co's ROE % too high?
Columbia Sportswear Co's current ROE % of 8.34% is 36% below median its 10-year median of 12.97. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.87 to a high of 18.76. The Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry median ROE % is 4.13. Columbia Sportswear Co's value of 8.34% is 101.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Columbia Sportswear Co ranks #269 out of 1025 companies in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Columbia Sportswear Co has a GF Score™ of 82/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Columbia Sportswear Co's ROE % compare to ZGN and KTB?
According to the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry distribution chart, Columbia Sportswear Co ranks #269 out of 1025 companies for ROE %. This puts Columbia Sportswear Co in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROE % is 4.13. Columbia Sportswear Co's value of 8.34% is 101.9% above this benchmark. Historically, Columbia Sportswear Co's own ROE % has ranged from 5.87 to 18.76 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 12.97 vs. the industry median of 4.13, Columbia Sportswear Co 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 ROE % for a Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories company?
The median ROE % among Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories companies is 4.13, based on 1,025 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROE % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROE % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Columbia Sportswear Co's current ROE % of 8.34% is 101.9% 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 ROE % mean?
A high ROE % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on equity is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total equity. View historical data on Columbia Sportswear Co and its competitors. For the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, the median ROE % is 4.13 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Columbia Sportswear Co's current ROE % is 8.34%, which is 36% below median its own 10-year median of 12.97. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Columbia Sportswear Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Columbia Sportswear Co (COLM) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $85.03, compared to a current price of $65.00 — trading 23.6% below its estimated fair value. The current ROE % is 8.34%, which is 36% below median its 10-year median of 12.97 and 101.9% above the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry median of 4.13. Columbia Sportswear Co's overall GF Score™ is 82/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROE % calculated?
ROE % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Columbia Sportswear Co (COLM), the current ROE % is 8.34% 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 Columbia Sportswear Co (COLM) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Columbia Sportswear Co stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $65.00 is trading 23.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $85.03.
GuruFocus considers Columbia Sportswear Co to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for COLM:
ROE %: 8.34% (36% below median its 10-year median of 12.97)
GF Value™: $85.03 vs. price of $65.00 (23.6% below fair value)
Industry Position: 101.9% above the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories median (#269 of 1025)
No single metric tells the full story. See the COLM stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Columbia Sportswear Co makes outdoor and active-lifestyle apparel, footwear, equipment, and accessories that it sells under four primary brands: Columbia, Sorel, Mountain Hardwear, and prAna. The majority of sales are in the United States, but the company also has remarkable sales in its three other geographic segments: Latin American and Asia-Pacific; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and Canada. The majority of sales are through wholesale channels, including sporting goods and department stores, but the company also operates its own branded stores in each of its geographic segments. It sources products from around the world and uses contract manufacturers outside the United States, predominantly in Asia to manufacture its various products.
82GF Score
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