Seek Returns

FTV vs. XYL: Fortive vs. Xylem Stock Comparison

How do Fortive (FTV) 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

Fortive (FTV) 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 Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
Profile ItemFTVXYL
NameFortive 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 Capitalization19.46 billion USD22.44 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 5, 2016October 13, 2011
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FTV
XYL
GSPC
Loading price history…
Fortive (FTV) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
Total Return (1Y)31.85%-33.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.44%2.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.01%-4.47%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FTV
XYL
GSPC
Loading price history…
Fortive (FTV) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.76%30.74%
Beta (5Y)1.010.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-32.10%-44.89%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.44M2.60M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
FTV 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 Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.99-1.22
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.51-1.48

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 10.55% 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.

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%

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%
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Fortive (FTV) at 14.83% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Xylem (XYL) at 11.94%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

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%
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): 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 Xylem (XYL) at 15.95%, 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%

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%
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
ROE (TTM)10.55%9.76%
ROA (TTM)4.61%5.07%
Net Margin (TTM)14.83%11.94%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.30%15.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)63.47%39.32%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Fortive (FTV) at 1.92% 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.

Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Fortive (FTV) at -26.69% 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.

Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.92%5.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.62%17.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)-26.69%7.40%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.26%25.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 1.23 and Xylem (XYL) at 1.39 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

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
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 0.60 and Xylem (XYL) at 0.29 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

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
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) 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 Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.231.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.600.29
Net Debt / EBITDA2.451.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Xylem (XYL) at 1.69% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Fortive (FTV) at 0.38% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, XYL 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%

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%
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): 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 Xylem (XYL) at 37.47% 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%

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%
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.38%1.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)11.85%37.47%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Fortive (FTV) at 30.98 and Xylem (XYL) at 21.69 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

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
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Xylem (XYL) at 2.48 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

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
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) 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 Fortive (FTV) at 3.28 and Xylem (XYL) at 2.19 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

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
Loading chart…
Fortive (FTV) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fortive (FTV) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricFTVXYL
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.9821.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.432.48
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.282.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.05%5.39%