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Verdict
Quantitative factor alignment verified for current market regime.
Quant Score
Rank
#1688
Positioning
Market Dominance
Manufacturing
Electronic Equipment
$600M
Cheryl P. Beranek
Clearfield, Inc. manufactures, markets, and sells standard and custom passive connectivity products. The company offers FieldSmart, a series of panels, cabinets, wall boxes, and other enclosures. It also provides WaveSmart, which are optical components integrated for signal coupling, splitting, termination, multiplexing, demultiplexing and attenuation.
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X-AXIS: EV/EBITDA (LOWER = CHEAPER) | Y-AXIS: ROE (HIGHER = ELITE) | RED CIRCLE = CLFD ANALYSIS TARGET
| Stock | Rating | Score▼ | Quality | Value | Momentum | P/E | EV/EBITDA | ROE | ROA | Gross Mgn | Op Mgn | Net Mgn | Rev Growth | Div Yield | D/E | Mkt Cap | AUDIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$UL UNILEVER PLC | 78 | 96 | 98 | 59 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$ASML ASML HOLDING NV | 77 | 89 | 86 | 83 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$ESLT ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD | 76 | 81 | 87 | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$MT ArcelorMittal | 75 | 71 | 98 | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$AMAT APPLIED MATERIALS INC /DE | 75 | 85 | 87 | 84 | 20.9x | 13.6x | 32.9% | 20.5% | 48.8% | 30.6% | 24.4% | 7.7% | 0.9% | 32.0x | $148.6B | VS | |
$SIMO Silicon Motion Technology CORP | 75 | 84 | 86 | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$CODA Coda Octopus Group, Inc. | 74 | 83 | 90 | 79 | 16.3x | 11.9x | 7.4% | 7.5% | 68.3% | 19.5% | 18.2% | 29.0% | 0.0% | 0.0x | $84M | VS | |
$GSK GSK plc | 74 | 84 | 90 | 70 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$EFXT Enerflex Ltd. | 74 | 80 | 91 | 83 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$BUD Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV | 74 | 84 | 97 | 63 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$CLFD Clearfield, Inc. | 52 | 68 | 63 | 42 | 1077.6x | 47.0x | 0.2% | 0.1% | 29.2% | -3.2% | -0.3% | -29.6% | 0.0% | 7.0x | $600M | ||
| SECTOR BENCH | - | - | - | - | - | 22.3x | 11.5x | -1.9% | 0.9% | 44.1% | 2.5% | 1.0% | 6.7% | 0.0% | 0.2x | - | REF |
Clearfield, Inc. (CLFD) receives a "Hold" rating with a composite score of 52.0/100. It ranks #1688 out of 7,333 stocks in our coverage universe and carries a 3-star rating. Ratings are driven by a 6-factor quantitative model measuring quality, value, momentum, investment, stability, and short interest.
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In-line with peers — no strong momentum signal
Trading at a discount to fundamentals — favorable entry valuation
High profitability & efficiency — strong quality floor supports entry
Low volatility — smoother ride and historically better risk-adjusted returns
Aggressive spending — empire-building risk, dilutive growth
Mid-range overall rating
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Relative valuation derived from Manufacturing sector benchmarks. Model weights: EV/EBITDA (40%), P/B (35%), P/S (25%). Re-calculated daily.
Projection based on user-defined inputs. Re-calculated daily against current market data.
Reverse DCF Framework — Mauboussin Methodology
Institutional-grade Reverse DCF analysis. This model identifies the growth hurdles embedded in current market prices. When implied growth is significantly lower than historical or projected rates, a margin of safety may exist. Re-audited daily.
No analyst ratings for CLFD.
View All RatingsROE proxy 0.2% (sector -1.9%)
GM 29% vs sector 44%, OM -3% vs sector 3%
Capital turnover N/A
Rev growth -30%, 11yr history
Interest coverage N/A
Composite assessment of profitability, capital efficiency, and financial strength. Top-tier entities demonstrate sustainable cash flow generation and elite competitive moats.
Profit generated per dollar of shareholder equity
Efficiency of asset utilization
Pricing power and cost efficiency
Core business profitability
Bottom-line profitability
The Quality factor evaluates the persistence and magnitude of realized cash flows. Companies with scores >70 exhibit superior pricing power and structural financial resilience through diverse economic regimes.
Our uncertainty rating tracks the predictability of future cash flows and potential for permanent capital loss. Moderate visibility with standard industry cyclicality.
We rate Clearfield, Inc. (CLFD) as a Hold with a composite score of 52.0/100 at a current price of $32.40. The stock presents a mixed quantitative picture — neither compelling enough to warrant new accumulation nor weak enough to justify selling.
Clearfield, Inc. holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Manufacturing sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 52.0/100 places it at rank #1688 in our full universe.
No Moat
High
Poor
Undervalued
Stable competitive position in a defensive sector.
Elevated P/E ratio of 1077.6x leaves little room for execution misses.
Vulnerability to macroeconomic shocks and interest rate volatility.
Clearfield, Inc. represents a hold based on multi-factor quantitative performance.
Our model assigns Clearfield, Inc. a Hold rating, with a composite score of 52.0/100 and 3 out of 5 stars. Ranked #1688 of 7,333 stocks, CLFD presents a mixed quantitative picture — neither compelling enough to initiate new positions nor weak enough to warrant selling. Investors already holding may consider maintaining their position while monitoring for changes in the factor profile.
CLFD earns a quality score of 68/100, indicating above-average business quality. The company reports a return on equity of 0.2% (sector avg: -1.9%), gross margins of 29.2% (sector avg: 44.1%), net margins of -0.3% (sector avg: 1.0%). Companies in this tier generally demonstrate consistent profitability and efficient capital deployment, though they may face some competitive pressure.
CLFD's value score of 63/100 indicates the stock is fairly valued based on its current fundamentals. Key valuation metrics include a P/E ratio of 1077.60x, an EV/EBITDA of 46.95x, a P/B ratio of 1.78x. At this level, neither a clear bargain nor overpriced, the stock's attractiveness depends more on forward growth expectations and qualitative factors.
Clearfield, Inc.'s investment score of 31/100 suggests limited reinvestment activity. Key growth metrics include revenue growth of -29.6% vs. a sector average of 6.7% and a return on assets of 0.1% (sector: 0.9%). While this can be positive for mature, cash-generative businesses returning capital to shareholders, it may also signal a lack of growth opportunities or management conservatism.
CLFD is currently showing below-average momentum at 42/100, which may indicate weakening institutional interest or negative sentiment shifts. Revenue growth stands at -29.6% year-over-year, while a beta of 1.29 reflects its sensitivity to broader market moves. Investors should note that declining momentum can precede further price weakness, though contrarian opportunities sometimes emerge at these levels.
With a stability score of 62/100, CLFD exhibits average financial resilience. Key stability metrics include a beta of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.00x (sector avg: 0.2x). While the balance sheet is not a major concern, the stock is subject to typical market volatility and may experience sharper drawdowns during risk-off episodes.
Clearfield, Inc.'s short interest score of 23/100 reveals significant bearish positioning, suggesting institutional investors are actively betting against the stock. Specific risk factors include above-average market sensitivity (beta: 1.29), elevated leverage (D/E: 7.00x), small-cap liquidity risk. At $600M (small-cap), CLFD carries meaningful risk and is best suited for investors with high risk tolerance who have thoroughly evaluated the bear thesis.
Clearfield, Inc. is a small-cap company in the Manufacturing sector, ranked #0 of 50 in its sector (100th percentile) and #1688 of 7,333 overall (77th percentile). Key comparisons include ROE of 0.2% exceeding the -1.9% sector median and operating margins of -3.2% below the 2.5% sector average. This top-quartile standing reflects exceptional competitive strength relative to Manufacturing peers.
While CLFD currently exhibits a HOLD profile, superior opportunities exist within the MANUFACTURING sector. Our model identifies several "Strong Buy" candidates with higher quality scores and more attractive valuations among direct industry competitors.
View Top Manufacturing Alpha →Quant Factor Profile
Key factor gap
Quality (68) vs Short Int. (23) — closing this gap could shift the rating.
EV/EBITDA 310% ABOVE SECTOR MEDIAN
ROE 109% BELOW SECTOR MEDIAN
Gross Margin 34% BELOW SECTOR MEDIAN
Above 50MA
37.18%
Net New Highs
+51081
Clearfield’s fair value estimate has shifted only slightly, to US$44.25 from US$43.50. This reflects a blend of cautious and optimistic takes on the latest results, guidance, and BEAD related demand. The updated view captures more restrained revenue growth assumptions and a modestly higher discount rate, while still acknowledging support from the core business, balance sheet, and capital return. Stay tuned to see how you can keep on top of these moving pieces as the Clearfield story continues...
Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD) has had a rough three months with its share price down 6.6%. We, however decided to study the...
Gregory McNiff: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Clearfield Fiscal First Quarter 2026 Conference Call. A brief question and answer session will follow the formal presentation.
As February begins, U.S. stock markets have shown a strong start with major indexes like the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 posting significant gains, reflecting positive investor sentiment amid economic developments such as a new trade deal with India. In this thriving market environment, companies that exhibit high insider ownership often signal confidence from those who know the business best, making them potentially attractive options for growth-focused investors seeking...
In the latest quarter, 4 analysts provided ratings for Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD), showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives. The following table summarizes their recent ratings, shedding light on the changing sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 4 0 0 0 0 Last 30D 1 0 0 0 0 1M Ago 3 0 0 0 0 2M Ago 0 0 0 0 0 3M Ago 0 0 0 0 0 Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $41.75, a high estimate of $47.00, and a low estimate of $36.00. This upward trend is evident, with the current average reflecting a 0.6% increase from the previous average price target of $41.50. Interpreting Analyst Ratings: A Closer Look In examining recent analyst actions, we gain insights into how financial experts perceive Clearfield. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets. Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target Ryan Koontz Needham Maintains Buy $42.00 - Ryan Koontz Needham Raises Buy $42.00 $36.00 Scott Searle Roth MKM Maintains Buy $47.00 $47.00 Ryan Koontz Needham Maintains Buy $36.00 - Key Insights: Action Taken: Analysts adapt their recommendations to changing market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their response to recent developments related to Clearfield. This information provides a snapshot of how ...Full story available on Benzinga.com