# L.B. Foster Company (FSTR) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. NASDAQ, United States. Sector: Industrials / Road & Rail. Price $38.02, market value $400 million.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 35.9×** (5-yr avg 63.9×, 3-yr avg 71.7×). L.B. Foster Company trades at 35.9× trailing earnings, well below its own five-year average of 63.9×: cheap by its own standards. The Industrials median in the September 2026 study was 25.7×. Forward P/E is 18.8×, lower than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to grow.
- **Price / sales: 0.7×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 0.7×, a low multiple typical of thin-margin businesses or out-of-favour stocks.
- **Price / book: 2.2×**. The shares trade at 2.2× book value; book value is a meaningful part of the valuation.
- **EV / EBITDA: 12.2×**. Enterprise value is 12.2× operating earnings before depreciation, the multiple that ignores how the company is financed.
- **Free-cash-flow yield: 11.8%** (5-yr avg 1.0%). Free cash flow equals 11.8% of the market value, above its five-year average of 1.0%, so the shares are cheaper on cash than they have usually been. Above 5% is generally attractive.
- **Earnings yield: 2.8%**. The inverse of the P/E: 2.8% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Gross margin: 21.4%**. L.B. Foster Company keeps 21.4% of revenue after the direct cost of what it sells, a thin margin typical of retail, distribution and commodity businesses.
- **Operating margin: 4.4%**. 4.4% of revenue is left after running the business, which leaves little cushion in a downturn.
- **Net margin: 1.4%**. 1.4% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 4.3%**. 4.3% on shareholders' equity is weak; the business earns little on the capital its owners have in it.
- **Return on invested capital: 9.0%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 9.0%.
- **Return on assets: 3.4%**. Each dollar of assets produces 3.4% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): 1.7%** (3-yr 2.8%/yr, 5-yr 1.7%/yr). Revenue grew 1.7% over the last year, against 1.7% a year compounded over five years.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): -82.3%** (5-yr -0.6%/yr). Earnings per share fell 82.3%, slower than revenue, so margins compressed.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 0.24**. Debt is 0.24 times equity: a conservative balance sheet.
- **Net debt / EBITDA: 1.1×**. It would take 1.1 years of operating earnings to repay net borrowings, within the comfortable range.
- **Current ratio: 1.87** (quick 1.87). Current assets cover the next year's liabilities 1.87 times.
- **Piotroski F-score: 7/9**. 7 of 9 fundamental checks pass: strong and improving financials.

## Dividends
- **Dividend: none**. L.B. Foster Company does not currently pay a dividend.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): 39.9%** (YTD 41.1%, 3-mo -8.4%). The shares are up 39.9% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -17.0%** (59.7% above the low). Trading 17% below its 52-week high.
- **200-day average: above**. The price sits above its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of an uptrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 45**. An RSI of 45 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): 1.05** (volatility 38%). Beta of 1.05 against the S&P 500: the shares move roughly with the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=FSTR · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/fstr

Not investment advice.