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FTV vs. ROK: Fortive vs. Rockwell Automation Stock Comparison

How do Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK) 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but FTV is classified in Machinery while ROK is classified in Electrical Equipment.

Company profile comparison for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
Profile ItemFTVROK
NameFortive CorporationRockwell Automation Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryElectrical Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsElectrical Components & Equipment
Market Capitalization19.46 billion USD41.82 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 5, 2016December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FTV
ROK
GSPC
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK), 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
Total Return (1Y)31.85%6.19%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.44%16.94%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.01%4.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FTV
ROK
GSPC
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK), 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.76%34.28%
Beta (5Y)1.011.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-32.10%-45.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.44M799.28K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FTV and ROK 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.990.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.510.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 38.73% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Fortive (FTV) at 10.55% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ROK.

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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

38.73%

Max
40.55%
ROK
38.73%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 15.68% 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

15.68%

Max
27.47%
ROK
15.68%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 14.75%, 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

14.75%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
ROK
14.75%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
ROE (TTM)10.55%38.73%
ROA (TTM)4.61%9.32%
Net Margin (TTM)14.83%15.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.30%14.75%
Gross Margin (TTM)63.47%48.95%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Fortive (FTV) reports revenue growth of 1.92%, ranked against its industry; Rockwell Automation (ROK) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 63.49% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Fortive (FTV) at -26.69% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for ROK.

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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.92%--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.62%--
EPS Growth (YoY)-26.69%63.49%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.26%1.62%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 2.11 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

2.11

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
ROK
2.11
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 0.60 and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 1.00 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

1.00

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
ROK
1.00
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.232.11
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.601.00
Net Debt / EBITDA2.451.58

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
ROK
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 51.03% 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

51.03%

Max
67.39%
ROK
51.03%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.38%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)11.85%51.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 30.98 and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 29.97 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

29.97

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
ROK
29.97
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 4.43 and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 4.65 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

4.65

Max
7.54
ROK
4.65
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Fortive (FTV) at 3.28 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 11.76 prices above its benchmark range — ROK looks rich relative to book.

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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

11.76

ROK
11.76
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Fortive (FTV) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricFTVROK
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.9829.97
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.434.65
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.2811.76
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.05%-1.13%