ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. L.B. Foster Co's annualized return on invested capital (ROIC %) for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 3.18%.
As of today (2026-06-25), L.B. Foster Co's WACC % is 11.99%. L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % is 4.87% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
L.B. Foster Co earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.
L.B. Foster Co (NAS:FSTR) ROIC % Explanation
ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROIC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, L.B. Foster Co's WACC % is 11.99%. L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % is 4.87% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
L.B. Foster Co earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROIC % is calculated with only 12 months of 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.
L.B. Foster Co ROIC % Related Terms
L.B. Foster Co ROIC % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % 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 Railroads subindustry, L.B. Foster Co's ROIC %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROIC % 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.
L.B. Foster Co ROIC % vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % falls into.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* 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.
L.B. Foster Co (FSTR) has a ROIC % of 3.18% as of Mar. 2026. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on L.B. Foster Co and its competitors.
Is L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % too high?
L.B. Foster Co's current ROIC % is 3.18%. The Transportation industry median ROIC % is 4.69. L.B. Foster Co's value of 3.18% is 32.2% below this industry median. Overall, L.B. Foster Co has a GF Score™ of 66/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % compare to RAIL and SWVL?
L.B. Foster Co's ROIC % of 3.18% can be compared against companies in the Transportation industry. The industry median ROIC % is 4.69. L.B. Foster Co's value of 3.18% is 32.2% below this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROIC % for a Transportation company?
The median ROIC % among Transportation companies is 4.69, based on 994 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROIC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROIC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. L.B. Foster Co's current ROIC % of 3.18% is 32.2% 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 ROIC % mean?
A high ROIC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on L.B. Foster Co and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median ROIC % is 4.69 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. L.B. Foster Co's current ROIC % is 3.18%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is L.B. Foster Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, L.B. Foster Co (FSTR) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $25.01, compared to a current price of $44.26 — trading 76.9% above its estimated fair value. The current ROIC % is 3.18% and 32.2% below the Transportation industry median of 4.69. L.B. Foster Co's overall GF Score™ is 66/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROIC % calculated?
ROIC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For L.B. Foster Co (FSTR), the current ROIC % is 3.18% 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 L.B. Foster Co (FSTR) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, L.B. Foster Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $44.26 is trading 76.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $25.01.
GuruFocus considers L.B. Foster Co to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for FSTR:
ROIC %: 3.18%
GF Value™: $25.01 vs. price of $44.26 (76.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 32.2% below the Transportation median
No single metric tells the full story. See the FSTR stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
L.B. Foster Co is a technology solutions provider of products and services for the rail and infrastructure markets. The company has two reporting segments: Rail, Technologies, and Services (Rail); and Infrastructure Solutions (Infrastructure). Maximum revenue is generated from the Rail segment, which is comprised of several manufacturing and distribution businesses that provide products and services for freight and passenger railroads and industrial companies throughout the world. The Infrastructure segment offers engineered precast concrete solutions, as well as fabricated bridge, protective pipe coating, and pipe threading offerings across North America. Geographically, the company generates maximum revenue from the United States, followed by Canada, the UK, and other markets.
66GF Score
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