Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 32.9x · EV/EBITDA 7.3x · ROE 2.2%. (1997–2026 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $1.1B | $1.3B | $1.4B | $1.3B | $1.3B | $1.4B | $1.5B | $1.1B | $1.5B | $1.2B | $1.7B |
| Enterprise Value | $1.9B | $2.2B | $2.3B | $2.3B | $2.1B | $2.1B | $1.9B | $1.5B | $1.6B | $1.4B | $1.8B |
| P/E Ratio → | 32.93 | 40.54 | 14.83 | 10.82 | 10.64 | 16.73 | 16.71 | 15.46 | 14.02 | 11.71 | 80.40 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.36 | 0.45 | 0.48 | 0.47 | 0.51 | 0.69 | 0.74 | 0.58 | 0.66 | 0.61 | 0.81 |
| P/B Ratio | 0.74 | 0.91 | 0.94 | 0.88 | 0.92 | 1.05 | 1.08 | 0.86 | 1.06 | 0.89 | 1.27 |
| P/FCF | 13.29 | 16.54 | 5.33 | — | — | — | 9.48 | — | 11.61 | 25.14 | 7.83 |
| P/OCF | 8.27 | 10.28 | 4.31 | — | — | 32.25 | 6.63 | 101.86 | 8.87 | 14.86 | 6.72 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.75 | 0.76 | 0.84 | 0.82 | 1.00 | 0.96 | 0.78 | 0.71 | 0.70 | 0.88 |
| EV / EBITDA | 7.34 | 8.33 | 7.41 | 8.22 | 8.83 | 9.90 | 9.93 | 9.01 | 7.99 | 6.87 | 8.52 |
| EV / EBIT | 9.20 | 12.48 | 9.34 | 10.00 | 11.00 | 12.39 | 12.69 | 11.15 | 9.39 | 7.78 | 9.84 |
| EV / FCF | — | 27.47 | 8.52 | — | — | — | 12.40 | — | 12.60 | 28.81 | 8.50 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 17.5% | 17.5% | 18.6% | 19.5% | 17.8% | 19.4% | 19.5% | 18.7% | 18.3% | 18.3% | 19.1% |
| Operating Margin | 7.2% | 7.2% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 7.0% | 7.6% | 7.5% | 6.6% | 7.2% | 8.4% | 8.6% |
| Net Profit Margin | 1.1% | 1.1% | 3.2% | 4.4% | 4.8% | 4.1% | 4.4% | 3.8% | 4.7% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 2.2% | 2.2% | 6.4% | 8.2% | 8.8% | 6.3% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 7.5% | 7.8% | 7.6% |
| ROA | 1.1% | 1.1% | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 4.8% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| ROIC | 6.8% | 6.8% | 7.6% | 7.1% | 6.4% | 6.3% | 6.4% | 6.0% | 7.9% | 8.5% | 8.8% |
| ROCE | 9.5% | 9.5% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 8.5% | 7.8% | 7.6% | 6.8% | 8.5% | 9.1% | 9.3% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.74 | 0.72 | 0.59 | 0.54 | 0.48 | 0.37 | 0.31 | 0.30 | 0.32 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 3.55 | 3.55 | 3.63 | 3.80 | 3.56 | 3.48 | 3.36 | 2.93 | 2.13 | 2.01 | 2.00 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.60 | 0.56 | 0.68 | 0.55 | 0.48 | 0.33 | 0.29 | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.11 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 3.31 | 3.31 | 2.78 | 3.60 | 3.29 | 3.10 | 2.34 | 2.28 | 0.63 | 0.87 | 0.67 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 10.93 | 3.19 | — | — | — | 2.92 | — | 0.99 | 3.67 | 0.67 |
| Interest Coverage | 2.39 | 2.39 | 2.77 | 3.48 | 3.88 | 6.13 | 6.04 | 6.71 | 9.64 | 11.67 | 11.39 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 3.49 | 3.49 | 2.87 | 2.96 | 4.08 | 3.37 | 5.31 | 5.53 | 6.26 | 5.94 | 5.83 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.34 | 1.34 | 1.32 | 0.98 | 1.73 | 1.41 | 2.62 | 2.52 | 3.50 | 3.14 | 3.46 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.35 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.67 | 0.40 | 1.17 | 0.87 | 1.06 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 1.06 | 0.99 | 0.94 | 0.97 | 0.81 | 0.85 | 0.90 | 1.04 | 0.94 | 0.98 |
| Inventory Turnover | 1.99 | 1.99 | 2.06 | 1.58 | 2.04 | 1.67 | 2.03 | 1.93 | 2.60 | 2.22 | 2.64 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 71.91 | 78.39 | 70.47 | 58.84 | 67.67 | 67.74 | 67.30 | 65.40 | 68.04 | 77.83 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 6.1% | 5.9% | 5.3% | 5.1% | 6.8% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 3.0% |
| Payout Ratio | 249.1% | 249.1% | 83.8% | 65.6% | 62.4% | 88.3% | 86.0% | 105.1% | 67.1% | 51.8% | 46.9% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 3.0% | 2.5% | 6.7% | 9.2% | 9.4% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.5% | 7.1% | 8.5% | 1.2% |
| FCF Yield | 7.5% | 6.0% | 18.8% | — | — | — | 10.5% | — | 8.6% | 4.0% | 12.8% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 3.0% | 0.1% | 1.7% | 10.6% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 6.4% | 6.1% | 5.5% | 5.1% | 9.8% | 4.9% | 6.2% | 13.6% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $25M | $25M | $25M | $25M | $25M | $25M | $25M | $25M | $26M | $24M |
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying UVV stock.
Universal Corporation's current P/E ratio is 32.9x. The historical average is 20.0x. This places it at the 87th percentile of its historical range.
Universal Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 7.3x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 7.6x.
Universal Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 2.2%. The historical average is 11.4%.
Based on historical data, Universal Corporation is trading at a P/E of 32.9x. This is at the 87th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Universal Corporation's current dividend yield is 7.54% with a payout ratio of 249.1%.
Universal Corporation has 17.5% gross margin and 7.2% operating margin.
Universal Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 3.5x, indicating high leverage. A ratio between 2-4x is manageable but warrants monitoring.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Erratic profitability and cash flow
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Value Trap Signaled by Extreme P/E Divergence
Universal's forward P/E of 10.92 stands in stark contrast to its trailing P/E of 35.02, a massive divergence that, according to current valuation multiples, suggests the market expects a severe earnings collapse rather than a recovery, while peers like Philip Morris trade at a premium for stability.
The current valuation appears to price in a significant earnings deterioration, not a turnaround. The trailing P/E is inflated by historically low recent earnings, while the forward P/E, though low in absolute terms, is a multiple applied to an uncertain and potentially shrinking earnings base. Compared to sector giants like Altria (16.29 P/E) and Philip Morris (26.38 P/E), Universal's multiples do not reflect a growth or value premium but rather a discount for its volatile, lower-margin business model and operational challenges.
Volatile Margins Signal Eroding Earning Power
Gross margins have swung wildly from 20.7% to 15.9% over the last ten quarters, with the most recent quarter's operating margin of 0.4% indicating that even minimal profitability is now precarious, a stark contrast to the stable, high-margin earnings of its tobacco product peers.
The decomposition shows that Universal's profitability is highly sensitive to revenue volume, as seen in the severe operating leverage in reverse. The collapse in net margin to -1.0% in 2027Q1, after a peak of 6.4%, suggests that the core business lacks the pricing power and scale to maintain earnings through industry headwinds. Adjusting for the volatility, the underlying earning power appears to be mid-single-digit operating margins at best, which is structurally insufficient to support consistent returns.
Capital Returns Decaying Toward Zero
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) has deteriorated from a peak of 3.1% in 2025Q3 to just 0.1% in 2027Q1, and the trend over the last ten quarters shows a clear decay, indicating the business is struggling to generate any meaningful return on its asset base.
This trend implies that the capital invested in the business is becoming less productive, not more. The primary driver is the erosion of operating margins, not a change in asset efficiency, as seen in the relatively stable asset turnover. For investors, a ROIC consistently below the cost of capital indicates value destruction, and the trajectory suggests this is not a temporary dip but a more concerning structural shift for the company's core tobacco processing operations.
Extremely Long Cash Conversion Cycle
The Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) has ballooned to 347 days in the most recent quarter, driven by a Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO) of 267 days, which, according to the ratio data, indicates a severe and worsening working capital inefficiency that ties up cash and increases financing risk.
A CCC this long, especially in a declining industry, suggests potential issues with inventory obsolescence or demand forecasting. The DSO of 98 days also indicates significant delays in collecting from customers, potentially reflecting its position within the tobacco supply chain. This inefficiency is a major contributor to the company's erratic and negative free cash flow, as large amounts of capital are perpetually locked in the operating cycle.
Rising Leverage with Deteriorating Coverage
Interest coverage has collapsed to a dangerously low 0.10x in 2027Q1, based on reported ratios, meaning the company's operating earnings barely cover its interest obligations, while debt-to-equity has risen to 0.86x, signaling a balance sheet under increasing strain.
The D/E ratio trending upward from 0.64 to 0.86 in a single quarter, combined with interest coverage falling from 4.64x to 0.10x over two years, represents a rapid deterioration in creditworthiness. This suggests that debt service is becoming significantly less comfortable and may eventually constrain operational flexibility or necessitate asset sales. The trend warrants close monitoring for covenant compliance or refinancing risk.
The Trailing P/E's Deceptive Signal
The most commonly misapplied ratio for Universal is the trailing P/E of 35.02, which obscures the severe earnings decline and makes the stock appear more expensive than it is on a forward basis, masking the value trap dynamics of a business in secular decline.
Investors using a simple trailing P/E screen would incorrectly conclude the stock is expensive relative to the market and its peers. The correct approach is to anchor to the forward P/E of 10.92 and EV/EBITDA of 7.60, but even these must be contextualized against the company's collapsing returns on capital and volatile cash flows. The alternative is to focus on price-to-book (P/B: 0.78), which reflects the market's view that the company's asset base is not generating sufficient returns, but even this must be discounted given the apparent need for future goodwill impairments.