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FTV vs. LECO: Fortive vs. Lincoln Electric Stock Comparison

How do Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO) 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

Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO) 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 Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
Profile ItemFTVLECO
NameFortive CorporationLincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization19.46 billion USD14.91 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJuly 5, 2016April 7, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FTV
LECO
GSPC
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO), 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 Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
Total Return (1Y)31.85%27.30%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.44%17.31%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.01%16.33%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FTV
LECO
GSPC
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO), 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 Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.76%31.13%
Beta (5Y)1.011.17
Max Drawdown (5Y)-32.10%-34.29%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.44M409.99K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FTV and LECO 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 Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.990.74
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.511.11

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 38.75% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Fortive (FTV) at 10.55% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for LECO.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

10.55%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
FTV
10.55%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

38.75%

Max
40.55%
LECO
38.75%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Fortive (FTV) at 14.83% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 12.40% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

14.83%

Max
27.47%
FTV
14.83%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

12.40%

Max
27.47%
LECO
12.40%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Fortive (FTV) at 21.30% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 18.29%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

21.30%

Max
36.60%
FTV
21.30%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

18.29%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
LECO
18.29%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
ROE (TTM)10.55%38.75%
ROA (TTM)4.61%13.32%
Net Margin (TTM)14.83%12.40%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.30%18.29%
Gross Margin (TTM)63.47%35.54%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Fortive (FTV) at 1.92% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 5.60% 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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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Fortive (FTV) at -26.69% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 14.36% 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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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.92%5.60%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.62%4.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)-26.69%14.36%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.26%5.05%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 1.91 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Fortive (FTV) at 1.23 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for FTV.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

1.23

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
FTV
1.23
Min
0.36

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

1.91

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
LECO
1.91
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 0.60 and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 0.78 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

0.60

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
FTV
0.60
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

0.78

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
LECO
0.78
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.231.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.600.78
Net Debt / EBITDA2.451.00

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 1.16% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Fortive (FTV) at 0.38% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, LECO the richer one.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

0.38%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
FTV
0.38%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

1.16%

Max
2.66%
LECO
1.16%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Fortive (FTV) at 11.85% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 30.30% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

11.85%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
FTV
11.85%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

30.30%

Max
67.39%
LECO
30.30%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.38%1.16%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)11.85%30.30%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 30.98 and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 26.40 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

30.98

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
FTV
30.98
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

26.40

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
LECO
26.40
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 3.21 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Fortive (FTV) at 4.43 sits in the pricier quartile — FTV costs more per dollar of sales.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

4.43

Max
7.54
FTV
4.43
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

3.21

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
LECO
3.21
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Fortive (FTV) at 3.28 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 9.59 carries an above-peer premium to book — LECO is pricier on assets.

FTV

Capital Goods industry group

3.28

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
FTV
3.28
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

9.59

Max
9.66
LECO
9.59
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricFTVLECO
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.9826.40
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.433.21
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.289.59
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.05%2.68%