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Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
KadantKAI +0.16%87 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -0.30 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates KAI with a GF Score™ of 87/100 and a GF Value™ of $340.10 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,858 Industrial Products companies, Kadant ranks better than 62.7% on this metric.
Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. A positive ratio may indicate share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio may reflect no repurchases or potential share issuance. Kadant's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was -0.30%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Kadant's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
KAI'
s 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.7 Med: -0.3 Max: 5.3
Current: -0.3
During the past 13 years, Kadant's highest 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 5.30%. The lowest was -4.70%. And the median was -0.30%.
KAI's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is ranked better than 62.7% of 1858
companies
in the Industrial Products industry
Industry Median: -1.1
vs KAI: -0.30
Kadant (NYSE:KAI) 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A negative number means the company might be issuing new shares. A positive number indicates that the company is buying back shares.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
Kadant 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
KAI vs SXI, SMR, MWA: 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Specialty Industrial Machinery subindustry, Kadant's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio 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.
Kadant 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Industrial Products Industry
For the Industrial Products industry and Industrials sector, Kadant's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Kadant's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
This is the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. The annualized percentage change is calculated with expontential compound based on the latest four years of annual data on Shares Outstanding (EOP).
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the average dividends per share growth rate.
What does a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of -0.30 mean?
Kadant (KAI) has a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of -0.30 as of Mar. 2026. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Kadant and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Kadant ranks #693 out of 1858 companies in the Industrial Products industry, placing it in the top 37.3%.
Is Kadant's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
Kadant's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -0.30. Based on the distribution chart, Kadant ranks #693 out of 1858 companies in the Industrial Products industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Kadant has a GF Score™ of 87/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kadant's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to SXI and SMR?
According to the Industrial Products industry distribution chart, Kadant ranks #693 out of 1858 companies for 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This puts Kadant in the upper half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio for an Industrial Products company?
A good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio depends on the Industrial Products industry context. However, 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Kadant and its competitors. Kadant's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -0.30. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kadant stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kadant (KAI) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $340.10, compared to a current price of $306.89 — trading 9.8% below its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -0.30. Kadant's overall GF Score™ is 87/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Kadant (KAI), the current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -0.30 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 Kadant (KAI) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kadant stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $306.89 is trading 9.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of $340.10.
GuruFocus considers Kadant to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for KAI:
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio: -0.30
GF Value™: $340.10 vs. price of $306.89 (9.8% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the KAI stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Kadant Inc. supplies process and engineering equipment for papermaking, recycling, lumber manufacturing, and related industries. The company's three reportable segments are the Flow Control segment which consists of the fluid-handling and doctoring, cleaning, & filtration product lines; the Industrial Processing segment which consists of the wood processing and stock-preparation product lines; and Material handling systems, which provides conveyor-belt equipment for industries such as mining, food processing, and packaging. The company has a geographic presence in the U.S., China, Asia, Germany, Canada, and Others.
87GF Score
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3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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