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Mainfreight Limited

MFT.NZ
51
Integrated Freight & Logistics · Industrials
Exchange
New Zealand Exchange
Winston Score
51
Winston is curious
Mixed quality — meaningful strengths and weaknesses.
Data as of Aug 23, 2026 · filings through Mar 31, 2026
How the score breaks down
Quality
Mixed
Growth
Weak
Cash Flow
Strong
Stability
Strong
Valuation
Strong
Dividends
Mixed

Winston Score History

The full picture

Mainfreight is a New Zealand-based freight and logistics company that moves goods for businesses across the globe. It offers road transport, warehousing, and international air and ocean freight services, serving manufacturers, retailers, and other businesses that need to ship products. Founded in Auckland in 1978, it has grown into one of the largest logistics operators in the Southern Hemisphere.

The company earns money by charging fees for moving and storing goods, with revenue tied closely to trade volumes and economic activity. Mainfreight operates across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, the Americas, and Asia, giving it a broad geographic footprint that few regional competitors can match. Its strong company culture and decentralized management style are often cited as key competitive advantages that help retain staff and customers. The main risk is that a slowdown in global trade or manufacturing activity can quickly reduce freight volumes and pressure margins.

Growth Profile

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

+3.5% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Slow revenue growth

EPS Growth

-1.3% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Earnings declining

Insider Activity

19.9%ownership

Insiders own a meaningful stake in the company

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

NZ$162M cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↑ Burn rate improving

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Growth context

Mainfreight Limited is growing revenue at 3% year-over-year. The Winston Score measures business quality today — these growth metrics show what could matter tomorrow.

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

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Quality

Profit per sale
Gross Margin
16.8%
Thin — 16.8% gross margin
Profit after running costs
Operating Margin
9.0%
Modest — 9.0% operating margin
Return on the money invested
ROCE
16.4%
Strong — 16.4% return on capital

ROIC between 15% and 25%. Every dollar invested in the business earns 15 to 25 cents back per year.

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Growth

Sales growth
Sales YoY
+2.8%
Nearly flat sales (+2.8% YoY)
Profit growth
EPS YoY
-8.4%
Earnings shrinking (-8.4% YoY)

Slight earnings drop. Typical near a cyclical low.

How steady the profit is
EPS Consistency
2/8 quarters
Earnings rarely grow — volatile business

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Cash Flow

Profit that turns into cash
Cash Conversion
235%
Turns 235% of profit into real cash
Spare cash per sale
FCF Margin
7.7%
Modest free cash flow (7.7%)

FCF margin between 0% and 10%. Some cash from sales, but not a lot.

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Stability

What it owes vs what it owns
Debt / Equity
0.17
Conservative — low debt load (0.17)
Covers its interest
Interest Cover
7.01x
Adequate interest coverage (7.0x)

Interest coverage between 3 and 8. Profits cover interest several times over.

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Valuation

Price vs profit
P/E Ratio (TTM)
27.3x
no trend
Growth-priced — P/E 27.3

P/E above the market average. People are paying up for expected growth.

Cheaper or dearer next year
P/E vs Forward
+8.5
GROWING
Earnings expected to grow meaningfully — cheaper on forward P/E (27.3 → 18.8)

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Dividends

Dividend
Dividend Yield
2.51%
no trend
Moderate income — 2.51% yield

Standard yield zone for stable dividend payers. A meaningful piece of total return.

Dividend record
Dividend Growth
+0.8%
no trend
Dividend flat

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