Fortive Corporation FTV reported fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.17, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.5%. The bottom line increased 19.4% year over year.

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Revenues rose 2.3% year over year to $1.62 billion. However, the top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.5%. Core revenues rose 1.8% year over year.

The year-over-year improvement in the top line was driven by continued momentum in Intelligent Operating Solutions (IOS) and Advanced Healthcare Solutions (AHS), along with stabilizing trends in the Precision Technologies (PT) segment.

Fortive Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Fortive Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Fortive Corporation Quote

On Sept. 4, 2024, Fortive announced plans to separate its Precision Technologies business into an independent publicly traded company, Ralliant. This will create two companies: Fortive, focused on IOS and AHS, delivering productivity and safety with strong recurring growth, and Ralliant, a global technology company specializing in precision instruments and highly engineered products for breakthrough innovation. Management stated that the separation of the PT segment is progressing well and is expected to be a tax-free spin-off for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It is expected to close early in the third quarter of 2025.

The company used its second-half free cash flow to repurchase about 10 million shares or 80% of its free cash flow. Fortive remains committed to using free cash flow for additional share repurchases as it progresses with the anticipated spin-off.

Top Line in Detail

Fortive operates under the following three organized segments:

Intelligent Operating Solutions: The segment generated revenues of $710.8 million (contributing 43.9% to total revenues), up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis.

Precision Technologies: Segmental revenues totaled $567.7 million (35%), down 0.4% year over year.

Advanced Healthcare Solutions: This segment registered revenues of $341.8 million (21.1%), up 3.2% year over year.

Operating Details

In the reported quarter, gross profit increased 3.1% to $977.2 million on a year-over-year basis.

Adjusted operating margin was 28.7%, extending 1% on a year-over-year basis.

Segment-wise, the adjusted operating margins of Intelligent Operating Solutions and Advanced Healthcare Solutions were 36.1% and 27.2%, expanding 190 basis points (bps) and 40 bps, respectively, year over year.

Precision Technologies’ adjusted operating margin of 26% fell 220 bps.

Balance Sheet & Cash Flow

As of Dec. 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents were $813.3 million compared with $811.3 million as of Sept. 27.

As of Dec. 31, 2024, accounts receivables were $945.4 million compared with $912.2 million as of Sept. 27.

FTV generated an operating cash flow of $502.2 million for the fourth quarter compared with $459 million in the previous quarter. Non-GAAP free cash flow was $465.2 million compared with $431.2 million in the prior quarter.

Fortive’s Outlook

Management provided guidance for the first quarter and 2025. For the full year, the company anticipates revenues between $6.23 billion and $6.35 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $6.46 billion. Fortive anticipates core revenue growth of 1.5% to 3.5%. Adjusted diluted EPS is expected to be $4 to $4.12, up 3% to 6% year over year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $4.10.

Adjusted operating profit is projected to rise 2% to 5%. Adjusted free cash flow is expected to be about $1.5 billion, excluding $185 million in separation-related costs, with a nearly 100% conversion rate on adjusted net income.

For the first quarter, core revenues are expected to be flat. IOS and AHS will start slower due to Fluke’s strong fourth-quarter 2024 finish and fewer days in the first quarter of 2025, affecting consumables and service utilization. PT is projected to decline by mid-single digits. Adjusted EPS is expected to be between 83 cents and 86 cents. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at 91 cents. Adjusted operating profit is anticipated to be flat year over year.

Zacks Rank

Currently, Fortive has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Shares of the company have declined 4.9% in the past year against the Zacks Electronics - Testing Equipment industry's growth of 5.2%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Recent Performance of Other Companies in Broader Tech Space

Plexus Corp PLXS reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.73, up 40.7% year over year. The figure outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.59 per share.

In the past year, shares of PLXS have gained 41.3%.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc STX reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 non-GAAP earnings of $2.03 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.98%. The company reported non-GAAP earnings of 12 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.

In the past year, STX shares have gained 7.9%.

Simulations Plus, Inc. SLP reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings of 17 cents per share, which declined 5.6% year over year. The figure, however, missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 18 cents per share.

Shares of SLP have declined 15% in the past year.

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