Fortive Corp (FTV) Stock Analysis
Fortive Corp (FTV) Stock Analysis
Overall Grade: F (Concerning)
View interactive company profile →
Fortive Corp faces challenges in financial performance that warrant careful analysis.
Key Metrics:
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| ROIC | 5.1% | Below expectations |
| FCF Margin | 23.5% | Strong cash generation |
| Debt/Equity | 0.5x | Conservative leverage |
Investment Thesis: Healthy free cash flow margin of 23.5% provides financial flexibility for growth and shareholder returns.
What is Fortive Corp's Profitability and ROIC?
Fortive Corp's return on invested capital of 5.1% is below the typical cost of capital. Gross margin of 63.5% with operating margin at 17.3% reflects the company's strong market position.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value | Rating | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) | 5.1% | Warning | Below cost of capital |
| Return on Equity (ROE) | 6.5% | Warning | Moderate equity returns |
| Gross Margin | 63.5% | Excellent | Strong pricing power |
| Operating Margin | 17.3% | Good | Efficient operations |
How Strong is Fortive Corp's Cash Flow Quality?
Fortive Corp generated $978.1M in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months, representing a 23.5% margin. Cash earnings quality is strong, with operating cash flow exceeding net income by 1.9x.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value | Rating | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Cash Flow Margin | 23.5% | Excellent | Excellent cash conversion |
| Free Cash Flow (TTM) | $978.1M | Good | Positive cash generation |
| OCF/Net Income | 1.9x | Excellent | High earnings quality |
| FCF Consistency (8Q) | N/A | Warning | Variable cash flow |
What is Fortive Corp's Financial Health?
Fortive Corp's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.5x indicates conservative leverage.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value | Rating | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debt to Equity | 0.5x | Good | Conservative capital structure |
| Net Cash Position | $-2.8B | Warning | Net debt position |
Is Fortive Corp Stock Overvalued or Undervalued?
Fortive Corp trades at a P/E of 31.5x, representing a premium to the sector median of N/A. Free cash flow yield of 5.3% offers attractive cash returns.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value | Rating | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio | 31.5x | Adequate | Premium valuation |
| EV/Sales | 5.1x | Adequate | Growth premium priced in |
| FCF Yield | 5.3% | Good | Attractive cash return |
| Dividend Yield | 0.5% | Adequate | Growth focus over income |
Sector Rankings
| Metric | Value | Percentile | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) | 5.1% | Top 50% | 1.2x above |
| Free Cash Flow Margin | 23.5% | Top 5% | - |
| Gross Margin | 63.5% | Top 25% | 2.0x above |
| Operating Margin | 17.3% | Top 25% | 2.9x above |
| Return on Equity (ROE) | 6.5% | Bottom 50% | 0.8x below |
| P/E Ratio | 31.5x | N/A | - |
Rating Thresholds
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)
Measures how efficiently a company uses its debt and equity capital to generate profits. ROIC above 15% typically indicates a competitive moat.
| Rating | Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | > 20% | Exceptional capital efficiency, strong competitive moat |
| Good | 12% - 20% | Above-average returns, sustainable competitive position |
| Adequate | 8% - 12% | Around cost of capital, moderate competitive position |
| Warning | 4% - 8% | Below cost of capital, value may be eroding |
| Red flag | < 4% | Significant capital destruction, fundamental issues |
Current: 5.1% (Warning - Top 50% of sector (median: 4.3%))
Free Cash Flow Margin
The percentage of revenue converted to free cash flow. Higher margins indicate stronger cash generation and business quality.
| Rating | Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | > 20% | Strong cash generation, high-quality business |
| Good | 10% - 20% | Healthy cash conversion |
| Adequate | 5% - 10% | Moderate cash generation |
| Warning | 0% - 5% | Thin cash margins, capital intensive |
| Red flag | < 0% | Cash burn, potential liquidity concerns |
Current: 23.5% (Excellent - Top 5% of sector (median: 0.0%))
Gross Margin
Revenue minus cost of goods sold as a percentage. Higher gross margins indicate pricing power and competitive advantage.
| Rating | Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | > 50% | Strong pricing power and competitive moat |
| Good | 30% - 50% | Healthy margins, differentiated product |
| Adequate | 20% - 30% | Moderate margins, competitive industry |
| Warning | 10% - 20% | Thin margins, commodity-like business |
| Red flag | < 10% | Very thin margins, structural challenges |
Current: 63.5% (Excellent - Top 25% of sector (median: 31.2%))
Debt to Equity Ratio
Total debt divided by shareholders' equity. Lower ratios indicate more conservative financing and reduced financial risk.
| Rating | Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | < 0.3x | Conservative leverage, strong balance sheet |
| Good | 0.3x - 0.7x | Moderate leverage, healthy financial position |
| Adequate | 0.7x - 1.5x | Elevated leverage, monitor closely |
| Warning | 1.5x - 3.0x | High leverage, increased financial risk |
| Red flag | > 3.0x | Excessive leverage, potential distress risk |
Current: 49.7% (Good)
P/E Ratio (Price-to-Earnings)
Stock price divided by earnings per share. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation, while higher P/E suggests growth expectations.
| Rating | Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | < 15x | Attractively valued, potential opportunity |
| Good | 15x - 25x | Fair value for quality company |
| Adequate | 25x - 35x | Growth premium, justify with earnings growth |
| Warning | 35x - 50x | High expectations priced in |
| Red flag | > 50x or negative | Speculative valuation or losses |
Current: 31.5x (Adequate)
Free Cash Flow Yield
Free cash flow per share divided by stock price. Higher FCF yield indicates better cash return relative to valuation.
| Rating | Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | > 8% | High cash return, potential value opportunity |
| Good | 5% - 8% | Solid cash yield |
| Adequate | 3% - 5% | Moderate cash return |
| Warning | 1% - 3% | Low cash yield, growth expectations |
| Red flag | < 1% | Minimal cash return to shareholders |
Current: 5.3% (Good)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Fortive Corp's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)?
Fortive Corp (FTV) has a trailing twelve-month Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 5.1%. This compares above the sector median of 4.3%. An ROIC below 8% suggests the company may be destroying shareholder value.
Q: What is Fortive Corp's Free Cash Flow Margin?
Fortive Corp (FTV) has a free cash flow margin of 23.5%, generating $978.1 million in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months. A FCF margin above 20% indicates excellent cash conversion and a high-quality business model.
Q: Is Fortive Corp stock overvalued or undervalued?
Fortive Corp (FTV) trades at a P/E ratio of 31.5x, which is above the sector median of N/A. The EV/Sales multiple is 5.1x. Free cash flow yield is 5.3%, which is in line with market averages.
Q: Does Fortive Corp pay a dividend?
Fortive Corp (FTV) currently pays a dividend yield of 0.5%. Including share buybacks, the total shareholder yield is 9.3%. The relatively low yield suggests the company prioritizes growth reinvestment over income distribution.
Q: What is Fortive Corp's revenue and earnings growth?
Fortive Corp (FTV) grew revenue by 1.9% year-over-year. Earnings per share decreased by 26.7% compared to the prior year. Modest growth indicates a mature business with stable demand.
Q: Is Fortive Corp buying back stock?
Fortive Corp (FTV) repurchased $1.6 billion of stock over the trailing twelve months. This represents a buyback yield of 8.8%.
Q: How does Fortive Corp compare to competitors in Other?
Compared to other companies in Other, Fortive Corp (FTV) shows: ROIC of 5.1% is above the sector median of 4.3% (Top 48%). FCF margin of 23.5% exceeds the sector median of 0.0% (Top 0% of sector). Gross margin at 63.5% is 32.3 percentage points higher than sector peers. These rankings are based on MetricDuck's analysis of all Other companies with available SEC filings.
Q: What warning signs should I watch for with Fortive Corp?
Fortive Corp (FTV) shows no major financial warning signs based on current metrics. However, investors should always monitor: 1) Margin compression trends, 2) Cash flow consistency, 3) Debt levels relative to cash generation, and 4) Changes in competitive positioning.
Data Source: Data sourced from 10-Q filed 2025-10-29. TTM metrics as of Q4 2025.
Methodology: Financial metrics calculated from SEC 10-K and 10-Q filings using standardized formulas. Sector comparisons use peer group based on SIC code.
This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.