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AME
AMETEK, Inc. · Industrials - Electronic Instruments & Electromechanical Devices
$237.42
+7.29% this month
VERSUS
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COMPARE
FTV
Fortive Corporation · Industrials - Intelligent Operating Technology
$61.03
+4.86% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
AME
4
FTV
1
Comparison scoreboard
AME LEADS 4/5AI Score
AME ✓52.3
FTV 31.8
1Y Return
AME ✓+35.24%
FTV -12.31%
Fwd P/E
AME 25.78
FTV ✓18.68
Target Up.
AME ✓+14.11%
FTV +5.79%
Op. Margin
AME ✓26.30%
FTV 17.93%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
AME vs FTV Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
AME (AMETEK) and FTV (Fortive) are both high-quality industrial technology compounders with consistent margins and active acquisition strategies — AMETEK through electronic instruments and electromechanical devices across 80+ business units with a 30-year compounding track record, and Fortive through Fluke, Tektronix, and facility management software with increasing recurring revenue content seeking a valuation re-rating toward SaaS multiples.
AME vs FTV is the proven 30-year electronic instrument compounder with world-class margins and Danaher-comparable acquisition execution (AMETEK's 80-unit empire, 25-30% EBITDA margins, and consistent niche instrument acquisition playbook — reliable but fully-valued compounding machine) versus the Danaher spin-off transforming from hardware instruments toward intelligent operations software (Fortive's Fluke brand dominance, Tektronix heritage, and software segment build-up through Accruent and eMaint — seeking a higher multiple re-rating as SaaS content grows) — proven compounder versus transformation-toward-software opportunity.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
AME holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. AME has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+35.24% vs -12.31%), though FTV trades at the lower forward P/E (18.68x vs 25.78x). AME leads on both revenue growth (11.30%) and operating margin (26.30%), suggesting a stronger fundamental setup on both dimensions. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for AME (+14.11%) than for FTV (+5.79%).
Normalized 1Y performance
AME
FTV
Recent returns
AME
FTV
Analyst price targets & sentiment
AME
Price target range
analyst mean$259.16
current price$237.42
+14.1% upside to analyst mean
FTV · 18 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.1/5.0)
Price target range
analyst high$116.00
analyst mean$63.63
current price$61.03
+5.8% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
AME may suit investors who:
- →Want a proven industrial compounder with 30+ years of consistent EBITDA margin expansion and EPS growth through acquisition and operational excellence
- →Value AMETEK's defense and aerospace segment as providing durable less-cyclical revenue through commercial industrial cycles
- →Are willing to pay a premium valuation (25-30x earnings) for a business with a track record of consistent execution through economic cycles
FTV may suit investors who:
- →Believe Fortive's increasing software recurring revenue from Accruent, eMaint, and facility management tools will drive a valuation re-rating toward higher software multiples
- →Value the Fluke brand as one of industrial technology's most durable competitive moats — field technicians who learn on Fluke meters don't switch; brand loyalty creates compounding pricing power
- →See Fortive's portfolio evolution (divesting lower-growth businesses, acquiring higher-multiple software businesses) as a disciplined capital allocation strategy improving overall portfolio quality
Performance & AI score
| Metric | AME | FTV |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 52.3 | 31.8 |
| AI rank | #334 | #2136 |
| Latest close | $237.42 | $61.03 |
| 1M return | +7.29% | +4.86% |
| 6M return | +18.77% | +10.48% |
| 1Y return | +35.24% | -12.31% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | AME | FTV |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $13.36K (+33.6%) started 2025-06-18 | $8.74K (-12.6%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $18.66K (+86.6%) started 2021-06-21 | $9.06K (-9.4%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $57.11K (+471.1%) started 2016-06-20 | $16.14K (+61.4%) started 2016-07-05 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | AME | FTV |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $52.06B | $18.33B |
| Trailing P/E | 34.36 | 35.38 |
| Forward P/E | 25.78 | 18.68 |
| Price/Sales | N/A | 4.02 |
| EV/Revenue | 7.11 | 5.09 |
| Analyst target | $259.16 | $63.63 |
| Target upside | +14.11% | +5.79% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | AME | FTV |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 11.30% | 7.70% |
| Earnings growth | 14.50% | -12.40% |
| EPS growth | +14.50% | -12.40% |
| FCF margin | +18.23% | +22.52% |
| Operating margin | 26.30% | 17.93% |
| Profit margin | 20.11% | 12.84% |
| ROIC proxy | 14.63% | 6.81% |
| Return on equity | 14.63% | 6.81% |
| Dividend yield | 0.60% | 0.40% |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.99 |
| Debt/equity | 22.49 | 58.81 |
| Current ratio | 1.14 | 0.71 |
| Quick ratio | 0.61 | 0.53 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
AME max drawdown13.70%
FTV max drawdown34.99%
AME max wkly drop7.21%
FTV max wkly drop25.98%
5Y risk snapshot
AME max drawdown27.06%
FTV max drawdown45.83%
AME max wkly drop11.91%
FTV max wkly drop25.98%
10Y risk snapshot
AME max drawdown42.72%
FTV max drawdown52.65%
AME max wkly drop24.02%
FTV max wkly drop25.98%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | AME | FTV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +33.56% | -12.60% |
| CAGR | +33.62% | -12.62% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.22 | -0.27 | |
| Max drawdown | 13.70% | 34.99% | |
| Max daily drop | 3.89% | 27.19% | |
| Max wkly drop | 7.21% | 25.98% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +81.96% | -10.83% |
| CAGR | +12.74% | -2.27% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.46 | -0.10 | |
| Max drawdown | 27.06% | 45.83% | |
| Max daily drop | 8.27% | 27.19% | |
| Max wkly drop | 11.91% | 25.98% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +437.45% | +55.57% |
| CAGR | +18.32% | +4.54% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.63 | 0.14 | |
| Max drawdown | 42.72% | 52.65% | |
| Max daily drop | 16.17% | 27.19% | |
| Max wkly drop | 24.02% | 25.98% |
Business comparison
| Category | AME | FTV |
|---|---|---|
| Company | AMETEK, Inc. | Fortive Corporation |
| Sector | Industrials | Technology |
| Industry | N/A | Scientific & Technical Instruments |
| Core business | AMETEK is a global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with two segments: Electronic Instruments Group (EIG) makes precision instruments for aerospace/defense (flight deck instruments, sensors), process industries (analytical instruments, gas analyzers, flow measurement), power management (power quality instruments, thermal management systems for data centers), and medical devices; Electromechanical Group (EMG) makes blowers, technical motors, specialty metals and alloys, and precision motion components for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. AMETEK operates approximately 80 business units globally with a decentralized management model and has made 60+ acquisitions over the past decade. | Fortive is an industrial technology company providing hardware, software, and services that make field operations safer and more efficient. Fortive spun out of Danaher Corporation in 2016. Segments: Intelligent Operating Solutions (IOS) — Fluke Corporation (electronic test and measurement tools for field technicians), Industrial Scientific (gas detection for worker safety), Accruent (facility and asset management software), and eMaint (computerized maintenance management software); Precision Technologies — Tektronix (oscilloscopes and electronics test equipment), Pacific Scientific EMC (electromagnetic compatibility testing). Fortive has been expanding software and recurring revenue content through targeted acquisitions. |
| Investor focus | Investors track AMETEK's organic revenue growth, EBITDA margins (consistently 25-30%), acquisition integration and returns, and the EIG/EMG segment mix (EIG commands higher multiples as test and measurement; EMG is lower-multiple electromechanical). | Investors track Fortive's software recurring revenue growth (Accruent, eMaint), organic growth in Fluke and Tektronix, EBITDA margins, and the strategic portfolio evolution (Fortive spun off Vontier in 2020 for vehicle-related businesses). |
AME strengths
- →World-class operating model with consistently high margins — AMETEK sustains 25-30% EBITDA margins through pricing discipline, lean manufacturing, and business unit accountability; among the highest sustained industrial manufacturing margins in the sector
- →Acquisition model builds a proprietary compound growth engine — 60+ acquisitions over 20+ years; the playbook: buy a niche instrument maker at 9-12x EBITDA, implement AMETEK operating standards, grow margins and revenue; model has consistently generated attractive compounding EPS growth
- →Defense and aerospace exposure provides durable, less-cyclical demand — approximately 20-25% of AMETEK revenue comes from defense/aerospace; this segment provides visibility and stability through commercial industrial cycles
FTV strengths
- →Fluke Corporation is one of the world's best-known industrial tool brands — Fluke handheld meters are the de facto standard for field technicians globally; the brand commands premium pricing and near-monopoly loyalty in its product categories among electricians, HVAC technicians, and plant maintenance workers
- →Danaher Business System (DBS) heritage provides a world-class operating framework — Fortive inherited and adapted DBS's kaizen-based continuous improvement methodology, creating a common language for operational excellence and acquisition integration
- →Software expansion into facility and asset management creates higher-multiple recurring revenue — SaaS facility management software generates predictable recurring revenue at higher margins and multiples than hardware; Fortive's software revenue has grown to approximately 15%+ of total revenue
Risks to watch — AME
- →Premium valuation requires consistent execution — AMETEK trades at 25-30x forward earnings; any organic growth or margin disappointment receives a disproportionate stock correction
- →Acquisition integration at scale becomes harder as the company grows — executing 4-6 acquisitions per year across 80+ existing units demands consistent management depth; execution failures become more likely as the machine scales
- →Process industry end markets can be cyclical — oil and gas, chemical, and pulp/paper end markets for AMETEK process instruments experience capital spending cycles
Risks to watch — FTV
- →Tektronix faces competition from Keysight Technologies and lower-cost Asian competitors — market share pressure is ongoing in oscilloscopes where Keysight competes aggressively in higher-end models
- →Software acquisition integration at Fortive is complex — software businesses have different management culture and talent retention needs than hardware instrument businesses; retaining talent at acquired software companies within a hardware-dominated corporate culture is challenging
- →Portfolio still includes some slower-growth industrial businesses — despite divestitures, Fortive retains mature industrial businesses growing more slowly than the software segments
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