James Cropper PLC (CRPR) fair value: what the stock is really worth
As of Sep 24, 2026: fair value of James Cropper PLC £5.17, price £6.15, upside -15.9%, quality 67 out of 100. Calculated from audited financials with 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.
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Price vs Fair Value
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year, dashed = 300-day average. As of Sep 23, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range £1.33 – £8.62 · fair‑value band £3.88 – £6.46 · the £6.15 price screens above the £5.17 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). Dashed = 300-day average. As of Sep 23, 2026.
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James Cropper PLC manufactures and sells paper products and advanced materials. The company operates through James Cropper Paper & Packaging; James Cropper Advanced Materials; and Group Services and Eliminations segments. It engages in batteries, carbon capture, hydrogen fuel cells, wind energy, and hydrogen electrolysis related businesses.
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James Cropper PLC manufactures and sells paper products and advanced materials. The company operates through James Cropper Paper & Packaging; James Cropper Advanced Materials; and Group Services and Eliminations segments. It engages in batteries, carbon capture, hydrogen fuel cells, wind energy, and hydrogen electrolysis related businesses. The company also offers stationery, packaging, and publishing papers; print paper, art, and digital paper; and moulded fibre packaging and packaging paper. In addition, it provides composite materials for aerospace, advanced air mobility, automotive, batteries, consumer electronics, defence, marine, medical, and sporting material good sectors. Further, the company manufactures paper converter, moulded fibre products, electrochemical materials, and metal coated carbon fibres. Additionally, it is involved in sales and marketing organization activities. James Cropper PLC was founded in 1845 and is headquartered in Kendal, the United Kingdom.
Stock analysis
James Cropper PLC (CRPR) currently trades at £6.15, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is £5.17, implying the stock looks roughly 18.9% overvalued today.
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Valuation
Bull case: the DCF Models group reads highest at a median of £7.51 per share, and 11 of the 22 models we run sit above the £6.15 price.
Bear case: the Asset-Based group reads lowest at £1.71, and 11 of the 22 models stay below the price. Evidence for this calculation is medium.
Scenario range: £3.88 (bear) to £6.46 (bull), the price of £6.15 sits inside it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.
Quality & growth
The Quality Score stands at 67/100 (solid quality), in the Basic Materials sector.
Weak Growth: Revenue growth is inconsistent: the periods point in different directions, so there is no trend to rely on.
James Cropper PLC reported revenue of 103M GBX in FY2026 versus 105M GBX in FY2022, a compound −0.5%/yr. Reported net income was 2.9M GBX in FY2026, compounding +20.9%/yr from FY2022.
Key figures
Market cap 58.0M GBX · P/S ratio 0.37 · EPS (TTM) £−0.2900 · Net margin 2.8% · Return on equity −11.1% · Return on assets (EBIT) 0.5% · Operating margin 6.4% · Revenue (TTM) £101M.
Competitive moat
Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 43 out of 100 (low confidence).
What moves the price
The share trades about 6% below its 52-week high and 146% above its 52-week low, currently above its 200-day average.
For context, the median of 10 Basic Materials peers we cover trades at 26% fair-value upside, at −16%, CRPR screens richer than that median.
Fair Value models
Bear £3.88Fair Value £5.17Bull £6.46
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above is their evidence-weighted blend, not the output of a single model.Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.Evidence ⓘEvidence = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.
Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card.40/100
Revenue growth is inconsistent: the periods point in different directions, so there is no trend to rely on.
Revenue growth 1 year
+3.6%
Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
−7.4%
Revenue growth 5 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+5.5%
Start year 2021 (pandemic). Over 10 years: +1.5% a year
Revenue growth 40 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+3.4%
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What shareholders gained per year (last 5 years) ⓘWhat the business itself delivers per year: earnings growth per share plus the dividend yield. This is what you get IF the market keeps valuing the stock the same way: it contains no assumption about the market changing its mind. Computed per share, so buybacks count and a merger does not pass as growth. For a company that pays no dividend it is pure earnings growth per share. Period: earnings growth per share as CAGR over the last 5 reported fiscal years (annual statements), plus the current dividend yield. The start value is the median of the three years around the start, so a single crisis year (a pandemic or a write-down) does not distort the rate.
+13.4%
Earnings growth per share plus dividend.
Earnings per share, growth per year+13.4%
Dividend (yield on the price)0.0%
Pace: 5 vs 10 years ⓘTwo data points, not a trend model: earnings growth per share over the last 5 fiscal years against the last 10. Labelled "steady" when both rates are within 3 percentage points of each other, otherwise picking up or flattening. Shown only when ten years of history exist.13% vs 0%, picking up
Profit margin 2021 to 2026 ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.1% → 4%
Start year 2021 (pandemic)
Growth Forecast
Little optimism in the price
The price assumes less growth than the company has delivered so far.
What the price assumes ⓘThis turns our valuation around: instead of asking what the share is worth, it asks what growth the current price requires. It uses the cash the company keeps after all spending (free cash flow), the same discount rate as our models, five years of growth, then slowing evenly to 2 % a year by year ten. Compared with the analysts' sales forecasts extended to the same five years (at least three analysts, for context only, it does not enter the Fair Value): within 3 percentage points counts as "in line" (amber), below that little optimism (green), above that a lot of optimism (red).
−3.1%
Yearly growth needed for the next five years to justify today's price.
What forecasts expect
n/a
No analyst forecast available.
After inflation (UK: IMF forecast 2.3% a year to 2030, 3.3% from 2016 to 2025) that is about −5.3% a year for the price.
Price, fair value, quality and upside side by side.
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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Paper & Paper Products · 122 stocks
Beats the industry median on 4/11 measures
Overall it trails its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score67 · Top 25%
Fair Value upside−20% · Below median
Profitability
Return on assets4% · Top 25%
Net margin (TTM)−3% · Bottom 25%
Operating margin (TTM)6% · Above median
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth4% · Above median
Balance sheet
Debt / equity0.66× · Highest 25%
Valuation Multiplesvs Paper & Paper Products median · lower = cheaper
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Is James Cropper PLC (CRPR) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Sep 23, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of £5.17 versus a price of £6.15, about −16% upside (overvalued).
What is the fair value of CRPR?
Our model-based fair value for James Cropper PLC is £5.17 (as of Sep 23, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: £6.15.
What is the quality score of CRPR?
James Cropper PLC has a Quality Score of 67/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.
What is the price target for James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of £5.17 (as of Sep 23, 2026) from 22 valuation models. Cautious scenario £3.88, optimistic scenario £6.46. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the James Cropper PLC stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at £5.17, about −16% upside versus a price of £6.15 (overvalued). Cautious scenario £3.88, optimistic scenario £6.46. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
James Cropper PLC reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about £101M (latest available figure, as of Sep 23, 2026).
What growth is priced into James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
For today's price to be fair in a discounted-cash-flow model, James Cropper PLC would have to grow free cash flow by -3.1 % per year for five years (discount rate 9.0 %, then slowing evenly to 2 % perpetual growth by year ten). Over the last 5 years revenue grew +5.5 % per year. As of Sep 23, 2026.
What discount rate (WACC) does the fair value of CRPR use?
Our models discount James Cropper PLC at 9.0 %: a base by market capitalisation (nano), damped by beta 0.48, country premium for United Kingdom. The same rate applies in all 26 models.
What is a reverse DCF?
A reverse DCF turns the usual calculation around. Instead of deriving a value from assumptions, it takes today's price as given and asks: what free-cash-flow growth would a company have to deliver for exactly this price to be fair? The result is not a forecast but the expectation already priced in. For James Cropper PLC that is -3.1 % per year a year over ten years, using the same discount rate (9.0 %) and the same formula as our fair value.
How much growth has James Cropper PLC (CRPR) delivered so far?
Over the past 5 years revenue at James Cropper PLC grew +5.5 % a year. The price currently implies -3.1 % per year free-cash-flow growth a year. Comparing the two shows how much confidence is in the price: if it demands more than has been delivered, the business has to accelerate for the maths to work.
How fast is the sector of James Cropper PLC (CRPR) growing?
The median revenue growth in the sector is +3.3 % a year. That is the yardstick for the growth priced into James Cropper PLC (-3.1 % per year a year): it shows whether the expectation is within the usual range or beyond it.
What is the free cash flow yield of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The free-cash-flow yield on the price is 9.98 %: that much free cash flow James Cropper PLC produces per unit of market value. When it exceeds the discount rate of our models (9.0 %), the business already earns more than its cost of capital demands, and the price needs little additional growth.
What is the intrinsic value of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For James Cropper PLC it is £5.17 per share (as of Sep 23, 2026), against a price of £6.15. It is the blended result of 22 valuation models (cash flow, earnings, asset, dividend).
Is James Cropper PLC stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Sep 23, 2026, CRPR trades above its calculated fair value: price £6.15, fair value £5.17, a gap of about −16% (overvalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.
Is fair value the same as the market price of CRPR?
No. The price is what the market pays today (£6.15); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify (£5.17). For James Cropper PLC the two are £0.9800 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is James Cropper PLC worth?
The market values James Cropper PLC at about 58.0M GBX (market capitalisation, as of Sep 23, 2026). Per share that is £6.15; our models calculate a fair value of £5.17 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about CRPR?
Our models span a range for James Cropper PLC: cautious scenario £3.88, base £5.17, optimistic £6.46 per share (as of Sep 23, 2026, price £6.15). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
How solid is the balance sheet of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
Balance-sheet figures for James Cropper PLC (as of Sep 23, 2026): return on equity −11.1%, debt of 0.66 per unit of equity. They feed the Quality Score of 67/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is CRPR from its 52-week high?
James Cropper PLC trades at £6.15, about 6% below its 52-week high of £6.55 and 146% above the low of £2.50 (as of Sep 24, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of £5.17 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to James Cropper PLC?
From the same area (Basic Materials) we also value UPM-Kymmene Oyj, Shandong Sunpaper Co, Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited, The Navigator Company, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.
Is James Cropper PLC stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Sep 23, 2026: price £6.15, calculated fair value £5.17 (−16%), Quality Score 67/100, from 22 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.
How is the fair value of CRPR calculated?
We run James Cropper PLC through 22 models from four families: discounted cash flow, earnings models, asset and balance-sheet models, and dividend models. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the result is the weighted average of £5.17, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.
Is it still worth investing in stocks now?
The global stock market currently sits 13.0 % above its aggregate fair value. James Cropper PLC itself currently trades above fair value. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.
What is the share price of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The closing price on Sep 24, 2026 was £6.15. Our model-based fair value is £5.17, about −16% upside (overvalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with James Cropper PLC right now?
Solid but not exceptional quality (67/100) and above fair value, neither a clear bargain nor a standout compounder. The price sits in the upper half of our model range, so the margin of safety is thin. Read the verdict with care: some models are missing inputs, so the estimate scatters more than usual.
Key figures of James Cropper PLC
How large is the market capitalisation of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The market capitalisation of James Cropper PLC is 58.0M GBX. The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.
What is the P/S ratio of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The price-to-sales ratio of James Cropper PLC is 0.37 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.
What are the earnings per share of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
Earnings per share at James Cropper PLC are £−0.2900. Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the net margin of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The net margin of James Cropper PLC is 2.8% (fiscal year 2026). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.
What is the return on equity of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The return on equity (ROE) of James Cropper PLC is −11.1% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.
What is the EBIT return on assets of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of James Cropper PLC is 0.5% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.
What is the operating margin of James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
The operating margin of James Cropper PLC is 6.4% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
Revenue at James Cropper PLC is growing +3.7% versus a year earlier (3y avg −7.4%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.
How fast are earnings growing at James Cropper PLC (CRPR)?
Earnings per share at James Cropper PLC are growing −50.7% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much net debt does James Cropper PLC (CRPR) carry?
The net debt of James Cropper PLC is 8.1M GBX (fiscal year 2026, ≈ 1.4 yrs of FCF). Debt minus cash on hand. The note shows how many years of free cash flow could in theory pay it off.
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