Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) fair value: what the stock is really worth
As of Nov 6, 2026: fair value (intrinsic value) of Insteel Industries Inc stock $26.23, price $26.74, that is 1.9% below the price, quality 65 out of 100. Rating: fairly valued. Calculated from audited financials with 25 of our 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.
69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceableSee the method →
Price vs Fair Value
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year. As of Nov 7, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range $22.88 – $45.11 · fair‑value band $17.68 – $34.72 · the $26.74 price screens above the $26.23 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). As of Nov 7, 2026.
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Insteel Industries Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. The company offers prestressed concrete strand (PC strand) and welded wire reinforcement (WWR) products.
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Its PC strand, a seven-wire strand that is used to impart compression forces into precast concrete elements and structures providing reinforcement for bridges, parking decks, buildings, and other concrete structures.
The company's WWR engineered reinforcing product is used in nonresidential and residential construction.
It produces a range of WWR products, such as engineered structural mesh, an engineered made-to-order product that is used as the primary reinforcement for concrete elements or structures serving as a reinforcing solution for hot-rolled rebar; concrete pipe reinforcement, an engineered made-to-order product, which is used as the primary reinforcement in concrete pipe, box culverts, and precast manholes for drainage and sewage systems, water treatment facilities, and other related applications; and standard welded wire reinforcement, a secondary reinforcing product for crack control applications in residential and light nonresidential construction, including driveways, sidewalks, and various slab-on-grade applications.
It sells its products through sales representatives to the manufacturers of concrete products, rebar fabricators, distributors, and contractors. Insteel Industries Inc. was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
Stock analysis
Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) currently trades at $26.74, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $26.23, so the stock looks roughly fairly valued today (gap 1.9%).
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Valuation
Bull case: the Multiples group reads highest at a median of $32.70 per share, and 8 of the 25 models we run sit above the $26.74 price.
Bear case: the Asset-Based group reads lowest at $9.58, and 17 of the 25 models stay below the price. Data coverage for this calculation is high.
Scenario range: $17.68 (bear) to $34.72 (bull), the price of $26.74 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 65/100 (solid quality), in the Industrials sector.
Mixed Growth: Revenue is growing, but margins or cash flow do not fully confirm the trend.
Insteel Industries Inc reported revenue of $740M in FY2026 versus $827M in FY2022, a compound −2.8%/yr. Reported net income was $29.5M in FY2026, compounding −30.3%/yr from FY2022.
Key figures
Market cap $521M Small · P/E ratio 17.6 · P/S ratio 0.71 · EPS (TTM) $1.52 · Dividend yield 0.4% · Net margin 4.0% · Return on equity 7.9% · Return on assets (EBIT) 13.3% (5-year average).
Competitive moat
Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 40 out of 100 (medium confidence).
What moves the price
The share trades about 30% below its 52-week high and 9% above its 52-week low, currently below its 200-day average.
For context, the median of 10 Industrials peers we cover trades at −38% fair-value upside, at −2%, IIIN screens cheaper than that median.
Fair Value models
Bear$17.68Fair Value $26.23Bull$34.72
Price $26.74 · Downside -1.9%
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above starts from their evidence-weighted blend, not from a single model. In cyclical trough or peak years, after dilution or a stock split it is adjusted afterwards, so it can sit above or below the models. Based on fiscal year 2026 figures (about 1 months old). Earnings retained since then ($0.1485 per share) are deliberately not added.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. If a model's bull case is above four times its base value, the table shows that limit with a > sign (like the overall Bull above): beyond it no assumption holds.Coverage ⓘCoverage = 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.
In the last 6 months, one officer or director sold shares worth $49,708 and none bought.
SaleRichard WagnerSenior Vice President and COO2× since Feb 26, 2026: 3,319 shares, avg. $34.03$112,956Aug 27, 2026
Plus 6 other filings such as grants, option exercises or tax withholding. They are not market purchases or sales.
Sales are often planned (taxes, diversification, 10b5-1 plans). Purchases with their own money are seen as the stronger sign. For information only: not part of the quality score or Fair Value.
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.63/100
Revenue is growing, but margins or cash flow do not fully confirm the trend.
Revenue growth 1 year
+14.2%
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.
+4.4%
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.
+4.6%
Start year 2021 (pandemic). Over 10 years: +5.9% a year
Revenue growth 41 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%
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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.
−14.6%
Earnings growth per share plus dividend.
Earnings per share, growth per year−15.0%
Dividend (yield on the price)0.4%
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.−15.0% vs 2.6%, slowing
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.15% → 5%
Pace: the 5-year rate starts in 2021 (pandemic)
Growth Forecast
A lot of optimism in the price
The price assumes more 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).
+9.6%
Yearly growth needed for the next five years to justify today's price.
What forecasts expect
n/a
No analyst forecast available.
After inflation (USA: IMF forecast 2.4% a year to 2030, 3.1% from 2016 to 2025) that is about +7.0% a year for the price.
News mood ⓘNews mood, the average tone of recent news (95 articles), rated against how stocks are usually covered. 🚀 Hype = unusually upbeat · 🙂 Positive = above average · 😐 Neutral = typical · 🙁 Negative = below average · 😨 Very negative = unusually downbeat. It reflects the tone of coverage, not our valuation.Hype
Recent news coverage is unusually upbeat, far more positive than stocks are typically covered.
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.Metal Fabrication · 259 stocks
Beats the industry median on 11/14 measures
Overall it ranks above its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score65 · Top 25%
Fair Value upside−1.9% · Above median
Profitability
Return on equity (12 months)7.9% · Above median
Return on assets6.2% · Top 25%
Net margin (12 months)4.0% · Above median
Operating margin (12 months)5.1% · Below median
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth (quarter YoY)17.9% · Above median
Dividend yield (12 months)0.4% · Bottom 25%
Valuation Multiplesvs Metal Fabrication median · lower = cheaper
P/E (12 months)17.6× · Cheaper than median
P/B1.37× · Cheaper than median
P/S (12 months)0.71× · Cheaper than median
Price / free cash flow (fiscal year)21.0× · Pricier than median
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Is Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Nov 7, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of $26.23 versus a price of $26.74, about 2% lower (fairly valued).
What is the fair value of IIIN?
Our model-based fair value for Insteel Industries Inc is $26.23 (as of Nov 7, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: $26.74.
What is the quality score of IIIN?
Insteel Industries Inc has a Quality Score of 65/100. 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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of $26.23 (as of Nov 7, 2026) from 25 valuation models. Cautious scenario $17.68, optimistic scenario $34.72. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the Insteel Industries Inc stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at $26.23, about 2% lower versus a price of $26.74 (fairly valued). Cautious scenario $17.68, optimistic scenario $34.72. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Insteel Industries Inc reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about $740M (latest available figure, as of Nov 7, 2026).
Does Insteel Industries Inc pay a dividend?
Insteel Industries Inc currently shows a dividend yield of 0.45% relative to its recent price (as of Nov 7, 2026).
How much is the dividend of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) and when is the ex-dividend date?
Insteel Industries Inc pays a dividend of $0.12 per share a year, a dividend yield of 0.4%. The last ex-dividend date was Sep 11, 2026. A dividend has been paid every year since 2005. The payout ratio is 7.9% of earnings. Free cash flow covers the dividend 10.69 times. Our assessment: Well covered. A low payout and the dividend is fully funded by free cash flow, a comfortable, sustainable dividend.
What growth is priced into Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
For today's price to be fair in a discounted-cash-flow model, Insteel Industries Inc would have to grow free cash flow by +9.6 % per year for five years (discount rate 9.9 %, then slowing evenly to 2 % perpetual growth by year ten). Over the last 5 years revenue grew +4.6 % per year. As of Nov 7, 2026.
What discount rate (WACC) does the fair value of IIIN use?
Our models discount Insteel Industries Inc at 9.9 %: a base by market capitalisation (small), damped by beta 0.53, country premium for USA. 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 Insteel Industries Inc that is +9.6 % per year for five years, then slowing evenly to 2 % by year ten, using the same discount rate (9.9 %) and the same formula as our fair value.
How much growth has Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) delivered so far?
Over the past 5 years revenue at Insteel Industries Inc grew +4.6 % a year. The price currently implies free-cash-flow growth of +9.6 % per 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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) growing?
The median revenue growth in the sector is +7.8 % a year. That is the yardstick for the growth priced into Insteel Industries Inc (+9.6 % per year): it shows whether the expectation is within the usual range or beyond it.
What is the free cash flow yield of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The free-cash-flow yield on the price is 4.77 %: that much free cash flow Insteel Industries Inc produces per unit of market value. When it exceeds the discount rate of our models (9.9 %), the business already earns more than its cost of capital demands, and the price needs little additional growth.
What is the intrinsic value of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For Insteel Industries Inc it is $26.23 per share (as of Nov 7, 2026), against a price of $26.74. It is the blended result of 25 valuation models in 8 families (DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Dividend Discount, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit, Growth Earnings).
Is Insteel Industries Inc stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Nov 7, 2026, IIIN trades above its calculated fair value: price $26.74, fair value $26.23, a gap of about −2% (fairly valued). 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 IIIN?
No. The price is what the market pays today ($26.74); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify ($26.23). For Insteel Industries Inc the two are $0.5100 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is Insteel Industries Inc worth?
The market values Insteel Industries Inc at about $521M (market capitalisation, as of Nov 7, 2026). Per share that is $26.74; our models calculate a fair value of $26.23 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about IIIN?
Our models span a range for Insteel Industries Inc: cautious scenario $17.68, base $26.23, optimistic $34.72 per share (as of Nov 7, 2026, price $26.74). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
What is the P/E ratio of IIIN?
Insteel Industries Inc trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.6 (as of Nov 7, 2026). A P/E on its own says little: it compares the price with ONE year of profit, while our fair value of $26.23 is built from several models across several years. Median P/E at fiscal year-end, 10 fiscal years (2017 to 2026), reported earnings, 4 of the years ex one-offs: 19.0. Other multiples: PEG 1.0, P/B 1.4, P/S 0.7, EV/EBITDA 8.6.
What is the PEG ratio of IIIN?
The PEG ratio of Insteel Industries Inc is 0.97 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Nov 7, 2026). That is below 1, so growth is priced more cheaply than the earnings multiple alone suggests.
How solid is the balance sheet of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Balance-sheet figures for Insteel Industries Inc (as of Nov 7, 2026): return on equity 7.9%. They feed the Quality Score of 65/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is IIIN from its 52-week high?
Insteel Industries Inc trades at $26.74, about 30% below its 52-week high of $38.00 and 9% above the low of $24.43 (as of Nov 6, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of $26.23 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to Insteel Industries Inc?
From the same area (Industrials) we also value ATI Inc, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Mueller Industries, Inc, Bharat Forge Limited, 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 Insteel Industries Inc stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Nov 7, 2026: price $26.74, calculated fair value $26.23 (−2%), Quality Score 65/100, from 25 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 IIIN calculated?
We run Insteel Industries Inc through 25 models from 8 families: DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Dividend Discount, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit, Growth Earnings. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the fair value of $26.23 builds on their evidence-weighted average, 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. Insteel Industries Inc 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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The closing price on Nov 6, 2026 was $26.74. Our model-based fair value is $26.23, about 2% lower (fairly valued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with Insteel Industries Inc right now?
The price sits close to our fair value, market and models broadly agree here, little valuation tension. A fairly wide model range ($17.68 to $34.72) leaves room in how you read the outcome.
Where does the earnings growth of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) come from?
Earnings per share at Insteel Industries Inc grew +0.8 % a year from 2015 to 2026. Broken into its drivers: revenue per share +4.5 %, EBIT margin −5.6 %, tax rate +1.7 %, residual (interest, one-offs) +0.5 %. The four rates multiply to the earnings growth rate, they do not add up. Start and end are three-year averages so a single exceptional year does not distort the result.
Key figures of Insteel Industries Inc
How large is the market capitalisation of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The market capitalisation of Insteel Industries Inc is $521M. 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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The price-to-sales ratio of Insteel Industries Inc is 0.71 (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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Earnings per share at Insteel Industries Inc are $1.52 (price ÷ EPS = P/E 17.6). Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the dividend yield of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The dividend yield of Insteel Industries Inc is 0.4% (payout 7.9%). Yearly dividend relative to the share price. 3% pays 3 per 100 invested. Below: how much of profit is used for it.
What is the net margin of Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The net margin of Insteel Industries Inc is 4.0% (last twelve months). 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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The return on equity (ROE) of Insteel Industries Inc is 7.9% (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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of Insteel Industries Inc is 13.3% (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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
The operating margin of Insteel Industries Inc is 5.1% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Revenue at Insteel Industries Inc is growing +17.9% versus a year earlier (3y avg +4.4%). 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 Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN)?
Earnings per share at Insteel Industries Inc are growing −46.8% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much net cash does Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) hold?
Insteel Industries Inc holds more cash than debt, $37.5M net (fiscal year 2026). The company holds more cash than debt, a safety cushion.
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Broad data
Nov 7, 2026