Fortive Stock Plunges 23.18% Amid Earnings Miss

On June 30, 2025, Fortive's stock experienced a significant drop of 23.18% in pre-market trading, marking a notable decline in its share price.

Several institutional investors have recently adjusted their positions in Fortive Corporation. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its stake by 9.9% in the first quarter, acquiring an additional 3,285 shares. Other notable changes include Brighton Jones LLC's 97.1% increase, Whipplewood Advisors LLC's new position valued at $31,000, Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V.'s 1.7% increase, Proficio Capital Partners LLC's new position worth $5,847,000, and QRG Capital Management Inc.'s 2.9% increase. Collectively, hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.94% of Fortive's stock.

Fortive Corporation reported its quarterly earnings on May 1, 2025, with earnings per share (EPS) of $0.85, meeting analysts' expectations. The company's revenue for the quarter was $1.47 billion, slightly below the expected $1.49 billion. The net margin was 12.90%, and the return on equity was 13.19%. Compared to the same quarter last year, Fortive's EPS increased from $0.83, but revenue decreased by 3.3%. Analysts predict that Fortive will post earnings of $4.05 per share for the current fiscal year.

On May 27, 2025, Fortive's board authorized a stock buyback program, allowing the company to repurchase up to 15,630,000 outstanding shares. This move is often seen as a sign that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued. Additionally, Fortive declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share, paid on June 27, 2025, to stockholders of record on April 30, 2025. This represents an annualized dividend of $0.32 and a dividend yield of 0.45%.

Recent insider trading activities include SVP Peter C. Underwood selling 14,327 shares on May 12, 2025, and CEO James A. Lico selling 175,000 shares on May 15, 2025. These transactions represent a 21.68% and 28.99% decrease in their respective ownerships. Corporate insiders collectively own 0.92% of the company's stock.