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FLS vs. XYL: Flowserve vs. Xylem Stock Comparison

How do Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL) 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

Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL) are both classified in the Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components sub-industry within the broader Machinery industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
Profile ItemFLSXYL
NameFlowserve CorporationXylem Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization10.19 billion USD22.44 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980October 13, 2011
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FLS
XYL
GSPC
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL), 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 Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
Total Return (1Y)24.11%-33.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)33.68%2.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)22.48%-4.47%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FLS
XYL
GSPC
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL), 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 Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.18%30.74%
Beta (5Y)1.240.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-38.76%-44.89%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.61M2.60M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FLS and XYL 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 Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.47-1.22
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.70-1.48

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 11.61% and Xylem (XYL) at 9.76% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

11.61%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
FLS
11.61%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

9.76%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
XYL
9.76%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 5.42% and Xylem (XYL) at 11.94% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

5.42%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
FLS
5.42%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

11.94%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
XYL
11.94%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 13.45% and Xylem (XYL) at 15.95% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

13.45%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
FLS
13.45%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

15.95%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
XYL
15.95%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
ROE (TTM)11.61%9.76%
ROA (TTM)6.36%5.07%
Net Margin (TTM)5.42%11.94%
Operating Margin (TTM)13.45%15.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)35.30%39.32%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 3.76% and Xylem (XYL) at 5.52% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 23.36% and Xylem (XYL) at 7.40% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.76%5.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.37%17.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)23.36%7.40%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)22.39%25.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Flowserve (FLS) at 2.10 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Xylem (XYL) at 1.39 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for XYL.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

2.10

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
FLS
2.10
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

1.39

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
XYL
1.39
Min
0.36
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 0.95 and Xylem (XYL) at 0.29 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

0.95

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
FLS
0.95
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

0.29

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
XYL
0.29
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.101.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.950.29
Net Debt / EBITDA2.081.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Xylem (XYL) at 1.69% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Flowserve (FLS) at 1.11% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, XYL the richer one.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

1.11%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
FLS
1.11%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

1.69%

Max
2.66%
XYL
1.69%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Flowserve (FLS) at 43.50% and Xylem (XYL) at 37.47% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

43.50%

Max
67.39%
FLS
43.50%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

37.47%

Max
67.39%
XYL
37.47%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.11%1.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.50%37.47%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Xylem (XYL) at 21.69 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Flowserve (FLS) at 40.19 sits in the richer quartile — FLS needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

40.19

Max
59.38
FLS
40.19
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

21.69

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
XYL
21.69
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Flowserve (FLS) at 2.17 and Xylem (XYL) at 2.48 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

2.17

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
FLS
2.17
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

2.48

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
XYL
2.48
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Flowserve (FLS) at 4.40 and Xylem (XYL) at 2.19 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

FLS

Capital Goods industry group

4.40

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
FLS
4.40
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

2.19

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
XYL
2.19
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Flowserve (FLS) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Flowserve (FLS) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFLSXYL
P/E Ratio (TTM)40.1921.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.172.48
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.402.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.62%5.39%