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FTV vs. RKLB: Fortive vs. Rocket Lab Stock Comparison

How do Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB) 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but FTV is classified in Machinery while RKLB is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
Profile ItemFTVRKLB
NameFortive CorporationRocket Lab Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryAerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsAerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization19.46 billion USD33.93 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJuly 5, 2016November 24, 2020
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FTV
RKLB
GSPC
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB), 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
Total Return (1Y)31.85%12.96%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.44%138.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.01%31.49%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FTV
RKLB
GSPC
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB), 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Rocket Lab (RKLB) carries a highly aggressive beta of 3.14, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Fortive (FTV) is closer to market-like at 1.01 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.76%95.71%
Beta (5Y)1.013.14
Max Drawdown (5Y)-32.10%-78.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.44M19.51M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FTV and RKLB 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.990.09
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.510.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative ROE of -7.92%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Fortive (FTV) reports 10.55%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-7.92%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
RKLB
-7.92%
Min
-17.12%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative net margin of -21.51%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Fortive (FTV) reports 14.83%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-21.51%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
RKLB
-21.51%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative operating margin of -24.57%, usually indicating that operating costs exceeded revenue at the operating-income line. Meanwhile Fortive (FTV) reports 21.30%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-24.57%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
RKLB
-24.57%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
ROE (TTM)10.55%-7.92%
ROA (TTM)4.61%-4.62%
Net Margin (TTM)14.83%-21.51%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.30%-24.57%
Gross Margin (TTM)63.47%37.26%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 37.96% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Fortive (FTV) at 1.92% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for RKLB.

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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Fortive (FTV) reports EPS growth of -26.69%, ranked against its industry; Rocket Lab (RKLB) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.92%37.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.62%41.82%
EPS Growth (YoY)-26.69%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.26%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 5.48 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Fortive (FTV) at 1.23 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

5.48

RKLB
5.48
Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 0.04 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Fortive (FTV) at 0.60 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.04

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
RKLB
0.04
Min
0.00
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.235.48
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.600.04
Net Debt / EBITDA2.45--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Fortive (FTV) reports a yield of 0.38%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Fortive (FTV) reports a payout of 11.85%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.38%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)11.85%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Fortive (FTV) trades at 30.98 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Rocket Lab (RKLB) has no P/E ratio this period.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

--

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
RKLB
--
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): RKLB does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; FTV is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Fortive (FTV) at 4.43 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 44.12 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

44.12

RKLB
44.12
Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 9.09 carries an above-peer premium to book — RKLB 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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

9.09

Max
9.66
RKLB
9.09
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricFTVRKLB
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.98--
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.4344.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.289.09
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.05%-0.74%