FER vs. NDSN: Ferrovial vs. Nordson Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but FER is classified in Construction & Engineering while NDSN is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Profile Item	FER	NDSN
Name	Ferrovial N.V.	Nordson Corporation
Country/Region	Netherlands	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Construction & Engineering	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Construction & Engineering	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	42.19 billion USD	17.26 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	Nasdaq
Listing Date	August 13, 2012	March 18, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FER

NDSN

GSPC

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
Total Return (1Y)	-1.10%	40.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	26.01%	14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	17.20%	5.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FER

NDSN

GSPC

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.38%	23.53%
Beta (5Y)	0.36	0.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-33.67%	-39.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.95M	381.48K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

FER and NDSN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.20	1.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.30	2.43

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ferrovial (FER) at 11.62% and Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

11.62%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
FER: 11.62%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
NDSN: 17.76%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 18.63% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ferrovial (FER) at 6.15%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

6.15%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
FER: 6.15%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

18.63%

Max: 27.47%
NDSN: 18.63%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 27.40% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ferrovial (FER) at 10.45%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

10.45%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
FER: 10.45%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

27.40%

Max: 36.60%
NDSN: 27.40%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
ROE (TTM)	11.62%	17.76%
ROA (TTM)	2.62%	8.47%
Net Margin (TTM)	6.15%	18.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)	10.45%	27.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)	87.14%	55.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ferrovial (FER) at 5.24% and Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Ferrovial (FER) at -72.26% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	5.24%	3.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.43%	2.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-72.26%	4.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	70.54%	-1.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Ferrovial (FER) at 1.20 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for FER.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

1.20

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
FER: 1.20
Min: 0.36

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.82

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
NDSN: 1.82
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ferrovial (FER) at 1.44 uses more debt funding than most peers.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

1.44

Max: 2.33
FER: 1.44
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
NDSN: 0.56
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.20	1.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.44	0.56
Net Debt / EBITDA	4.39	1.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ferrovial (FER) at 0.94% and Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

0.94%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
FER: 0.94%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.06%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
NDSN: 1.06%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both pay out more than their industries’ typical bands, and FER more so: Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% sits above the band, while Ferrovial (FER) at 71.24% exceeds every peer in its group.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

71.24%

FER: 71.24%
Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

33.20%

Max: 67.39%
NDSN: 33.20%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.94%	1.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	71.24%	33.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ferrovial (FER) at 32.26 and Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

32.26

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
FER: 32.26
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

31.36

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
NDSN: 31.36
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Ferrovial (FER) at 4.28 and Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

4.28

Max: 7.54
FER: 4.28
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.79

Max: 7.54
NDSN: 5.79
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ferrovial (FER) at 6.59 and Nordson (NDSN) at 5.28 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

FER

Capital Goods industry group

6.59

Max: 9.66
FER: 6.59
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.28

Max: 9.66
NDSN: 5.28
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Ferrovial (FER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ferrovial (FER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	FER	NDSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	32.26	31.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	4.28	5.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	6.59	5.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.11%	3.56%