Key Highlights

  • Fortive shares gained 8.48% over one month to $60.40 as screened on October 23.
  • The stock rose 4.19% over the past week and 0.58% on the day.
  • Second-quarter sales rose 7.9% to $1,096.8 million, with adjusted EPS up 28.5% to $0.74.
  • 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $2.95 to $3.05.
  • The third-quarter earnings call is scheduled for October 28.

Fortive Stock: Why Did Shares Gain 8.48% in a Month?

Fortive (NYSE:FTV) shares rose 8.48% over one month to $60.40 as screened on Friday, October 23, 2026, including 4.19% over the past week and 0.58% on the day. Calculated from the screen, the month started near $55.68.

No company announcement in the past month explains the gain. The only company item was the September 30 notice that Fortive will hold its third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, October 28, so the stock appears to be rising into its report, ahead of the first results since the July guidance raise.

The Electronic Technology group fell 8.25% over the same month, so Fortive outperformed it by about 16.7 percentage points, calculated. The sector is up 42.00% year to date but down 2.44% over three months.

Fortive Second Quarter: What Did the Last Report Show?

Fortive, a company that builds essential technologies for safety and productivity, based in Everett, Washington, has more than 10,000 employees in about 50 countries and reports two segments, Intelligent Operating Solutions and Advanced Healthcare Solutions. For the quarter ended July 3, reported July 29, sales rose 7.9% to $1,096.8 million, with core growth of 6.7%.

Adjusted diluted EPS rose 28.5% to $0.74 from $0.58, while GAAP diluted EPS was $0.51, about 31% lower than the adjusted figure, calculated. Reported sales growth of 7.9% was 1.2 points above core growth, calculated. Core growth was 7.4% at Intelligent Operating Solutions and 5.3% at Advanced Healthcare Solutions, a gap of 2.1 points, calculated.

Full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $2.95 to $3.05.

Fortive Cash and Buybacks: How Much Is Being Returned?

Free cash flow was $270.6 million in the second quarter, about 24.7% of sales, calculated, and $1,044.3 million over the trailing twelve months. Fortive repurchased about $200 million of stock in the quarter, about 3 million shares or roughly 1% of diluted shares.

Over the last four quarters it has repurchased about $2 billion, about 38 million shares or roughly 11% of shares outstanding. The first half also included $58.1 million of cash paid for acquisitions.

At the $60.40 screen price and the midpoint of 2026 guidance of $3.00, the shares trade at about 20.1 times adjusted earnings, calculated. The separation of Ralliant, completed June 28, 2025, reshaped the company to its current two segments.

Fortive Next Steps: What Will the October 28 Call Test?

The call, at noon ET on October 28, will show whether the $2.95 to $3.05 range holds, whether core growth stays near the second-quarter pace, and whether buybacks continue at the same rate.

Investors will also watch free cash flow, the pace of repurchases against the roughly 11% of shares retired over four quarters, and any further acquisition spending. A guidance change either way would reset the roughly 20 times earnings multiple calculated above.