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Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is an indicator of a company's growth potential, it shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings, i.e. profits after dividend payments.
Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 39.18%.
The industry rank for Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % or its related term are showing as below:
FWRD's 5-Year RORE % is ranked better than 81.32% of 835
companies
in the Transportation industry
Industry Median: 2.61
vs FWRD: 39.18
Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is important to investors because it reveals a company's efficiency and growth potential. A higher RORE indicates a higher return. A high RORE indicates that the company should reinvest profits into the business. A lower RORE suggests that the company should distribute profits to shareholders by paying out dividends, since those dollars aren't generating much additional growth for the company.
There are a several different ways to arrive at the Return on Retained Earnings. The simplest way to calculate it is by using published information on Earnings per Share (EPS) and Dividend per Share (DPS) over a selected period. Here, 5-year period is chosen.
Be Aware
Please keep in mind that the RORE is relative to the nature of the business and its competitors. If another company in the same sector is producing a lower return on retained earnings, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad investment. It may just suggest the company is older and no longer in a high growth stage. At such a stage in the business cycle, it would be expected to see a lower RORE and higher dividend payout.
Forward Air 5-Year RORE % Related Terms
Forward Air 5-Year RORE % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % 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 Integrated Freight & Logistics subindustry, Forward Air's 5-Year RORE %, along with its competitors' market caps and 5-Year RORE % 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.
Forward Air 5-Year RORE % vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % 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 5-Year RORE %, the most recent and first period EPS (Diluted) is the trailing twelve months (TTM) data ended in Mar. 2026 and 5-year before.
Forward Air (FWRD) has a 5-Year RORE % of 39.18 as of Mar. 2026. 5-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 5-year. View historical data on Forward Air and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Forward Air ranks #156 out of 835 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 18.7%.
Is Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % too high?
Forward Air's current 5-Year RORE % is 39.18. The Transportation industry median 5-Year RORE % is 2.61. Forward Air's value of 39.18 is 1401.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Forward Air ranks #156 out of 835 companies in the Transportation industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Forward Air has a GF Score™ of 56/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Forward Air's 5-Year RORE % compare to RLGT and CYRX?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Forward Air ranks #156 out of 835 companies for 5-Year RORE %. This places Forward Air in the top 19% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median 5-Year RORE % is 2.61. Forward Air's value of 39.18 is 1401.1% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 5-Year RORE % for a Transportation company?
The median 5-Year RORE % among Transportation companies is 2.61, based on 835 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a 5-Year RORE % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, 5-Year RORE % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Forward Air's current 5-Year RORE % of 39.18 is 1401.1% 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 5-Year RORE % mean?
A high 5-Year RORE % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 5-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 5-year. View historical data on Forward Air and its competitors. For the Transportation industry, the median 5-Year RORE % is 2.61 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Forward Air's current 5-Year RORE % is 39.18. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Forward Air stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Forward Air (FWRD) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $32.72, compared to a current price of $14.67 — trading 55.2% below its estimated fair value. The current 5-Year RORE % is 39.18 and 1401.1% above the Transportation industry median of 2.61. Forward Air's overall GF Score™ is 56/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 5-Year RORE % calculated?
5-Year RORE % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Forward Air (FWRD), the current 5-Year RORE % is 39.18 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 Forward Air (FWRD) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Forward Air stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $14.67 is trading 55.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of $32.72.
GuruFocus considers Forward Air to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for FWRD:
5-Year RORE %: 39.18
GF Value™: $32.72 vs. price of $14.67 (55.2% below fair value)
Industry Position: 1401.1% above the Transportation median (#156 of 835)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FWRD stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Forward Air Corp is an asset-light freight and logistics company. The company's operating segment includes Expedited Freight, Omni Logistics, and Intermodal and Corporate. The company generates maximum revenue from the Omni Logistics segment. The expedited Freight segment operates a comprehensive national network to provide expedited regional, inter-regional, and national LTL (less-than-truckload) services. It also offers customers local pick-up and delivery and other services including final mile, truckload, shipment consolidation and deconsolidation, warehousing, customs brokerage, and other handling. The Company conducts business in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
56GF Score
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5-Year RORE % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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