REFR (Research Frontiers) Total Payout Yield %: -9.05 (As of Aug. 18, 2026)

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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.

REFR Research Frontiers Inc REFR
28 GF Score
Price $0.43
GF Value $0.81
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield %?

Research Frontiers REFR -0.67% 28 Total Payout Yield % is -9.05 as of Aug. 18, 2026. GuruFocus rates REFR with a GF Score™ of 28/100 and a GF Value™ of $0.81 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review.

Total Payout Yield % is the percent a company has paid to its shareholders through net repurchases of shares and dividends based on its Market Cap. It is a measure of shareholder return.

Research Frontiers's current Total Payout Yield % is -9.05%.


Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield % Explanation

Similar to Dividend Yield, Total Payout Yield % is a measurement of shareholder return. Dividends is not the only way that companies are able to distribute their excess cash back to the shareholders. The other way to distribute the cash is a stock repurchase. The stock repurchase buys back the company's own shares from the marketplace. This results in a reduced number of oustanding shares, making each share worth a greater percentage of the corporation.


Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield % Related Terms


Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Research Frontiers's Total Payout Yield % 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.

Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield % Chart

Research Frontiers Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Total Payout Yield %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.00 -5.45 0.00 -0.52 0.00

Research Frontiers Quarterly Data
Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26 Jun26
Total Payout Yield % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.00 0.00 0.00 -17.15 0.00

REFR vs WETH, NEON, MTEK: Total Payout Yield % Comparison

For the Electronic Components subindustry, Research Frontiers's Total Payout Yield %, along with its competitors' market caps and Total Payout Yield % 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.


Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield % vs Hardware Industry

For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Research Frontiers's Total Payout Yield % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Research Frontiers's Total Payout Yield % falls into.


REFR
28GF Score
Research Frontiers Inc REFR
Total Payout Yield % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Research Frontiers Total Payout Yield % Calculation

Total Payout Yield % is a measure of shareholder return.

Research Frontiers's Total Payout Yield % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

Total Payout Yield %=- (Repurchase of Stock + Issuance of Stock + Cash Flow for Dividends) / Market Cap
=- (0 + 0 + 0) / 44.07888
=0.00%

Research Frontiers's annualized Total Payout Yield % for the quarter that ended in Jun. 2026 is calculated as

Total Payout Yield %=- (Repurchase of Stock + Issuance of Stock + Cash Flow for Dividends) * Annualized Factor / Market Cap
=- (0 + 0 + 0) * 4 / 18.13136
=0.00%

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Total Payout Yield % →
What does a Total Payout Yield % of -9.05 mean?
Research Frontiers (REFR) has a Total Payout Yield % of -9.05 as of Aug. 18, 2026. Total Payout Yield is the percent a company has paid to its shareholders through net repurchase of shares and dividends based on its Market Cap. View historical data on Research Frontiers and its competitors.
Is Research Frontiers' Total Payout Yield % too high?
Research Frontiers' current Total Payout Yield % is -9.05. Overall, Research Frontiers has a GF Score™ of 28/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Research Frontiers' Total Payout Yield % compare to WETH and NEON?
Research Frontiers' Total Payout Yield % of -9.05 can be compared against companies in the Hardware industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Total Payout Yield % for a Hardware company?
A good Total Payout Yield % depends on the Hardware industry context. However, Total Payout Yield % 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 Total Payout Yield % mean?
A high Total Payout Yield % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Total Payout Yield is the percent a company has paid to its shareholders through net repurchase of shares and dividends based on its Market Cap. View historical data on Research Frontiers and its competitors. Research Frontiers's current Total Payout Yield % is -9.05. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Research Frontiers stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Research Frontiers (REFR) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $0.81, compared to a current price of $0.43 — trading 46.6% below its estimated fair value. The current Total Payout Yield % is -9.05. Research Frontiers' overall GF Score™ is 28/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Total Payout Yield % calculated?
Total Payout Yield % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Research Frontiers (REFR), the current Total Payout Yield % is -9.05 as of Aug. 18, 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 Research Frontiers (REFR) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Research Frontiers stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $0.43 is trading 46.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $0.81. GuruFocus considers Research Frontiers to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for REFR:

  • Total Payout Yield %: -9.05
  • GF Value™: $0.81 vs. price of $0.43 (46.6% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 28/100 with 5 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the REFR stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Research Frontiers Business Description

Address 240 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY, USA, 11797-2033
Research Frontiers Inc is engaged in the development and marketing of technology and devices to control the flow of light. The company develops and licenses its patented suspended particle device light-control technology to other companies that manufacture and market the SPD-Smart chemical emulsion, the light-control film made from the chemical emulsion, the light-control panels made by laminating the film, electronics to power end-products incorporating the film, or lamination services for, and the end-products. The company's revenue source comes from the licensing of technology.
28GF Score

Get the complete analysis for REFR

Total Payout Yield % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$0.43
Price
$0.81
GF Value