Industrial - Machinery
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Stock Comparison
IR vs IEX
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Industrial - Machinery
IR vs IEX — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Industrial - Machinery | Industrial - Machinery |
| Market Cap | $30.80B | $16.22B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $7.78B | $3.53B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $587M | $508M |
| Gross Margin | 38.2% | 44.4% |
| Operating Margin | 18.1% | 20.8% |
| Forward P/E | 22.4x | 25.9x |
| Total Debt | $4.78B | $1.82B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.25B | $580M |
IR vs IEX — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR) | 100 | 278.9 | +178.9% |
| IDEX Corporation (IEX) | 100 | 136.9 | +36.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: IR vs IEX
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
IR is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 305.0% 10Y total return vs IEX's 190.9%
- Lower P/E (22.4x vs 25.9x)
IEX carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 23 yrs, beta 0.95, yield 1.3%
- Rev growth 5.8%, EPS growth -3.5%, 3Y rev CAGR 2.8%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.95, Low D/E 45.2%, current ratio 2.86x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 5.8% revenue growth vs IR's 5.7% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (22.4x vs 25.9x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 14.4% margin vs IR's 7.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.95 vs IR's 1.48, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 1.3% yield, 23-year raise streak, vs IR's 0.1% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +23.1% vs IR's +3.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 7.3% ROA vs IR's 3.2%, ROIC 10.4% vs 7.8% |
IR vs IEX — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
IR vs IEX — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
IEX leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
IR is the larger business by revenue, generating $7.8B annually — 2.2x IEX's $3.5B. IEX is the more profitable business, keeping 14.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to IR's 7.5%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7.8B | $3.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.9B | $945M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $587M | $508M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.2B | $611M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +38.2% | +44.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +18.1% | +20.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +7.5% | +14.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.9% | +17.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.6% | +8.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.5% | +27.8% |
Valuation Metrics
IR leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 34.0x trailing earnings, IEX trades at a 37% valuation discount to IR's 54.2x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, IR's 17.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than IEX's 18.8x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $30.8B | $16.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $34.3B | $17.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 54.24x | 34.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 22.37x | 25.92x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 6.36x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.85x | 18.85x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.03x | 4.69x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.11x | 4.08x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 25.24x | 26.30x |
Profitability & Efficiency
IEX leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
IEX delivers a 12.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $6 for IR. IEX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.45x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to IR's 0.47x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), IEX scores 7/9 vs IR's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.8% | +12.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.2% | +7.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +7.8% | +10.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.7% | +11.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.47x | 0.45x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.5B | $1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.2B | $580M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4.8B | $1.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.53x | 11.33x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
IR leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in IR five years ago would be worth $15,952 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,202 for IEX. Over the past 12 months, IEX leads with a +23.1% total return vs IR's +3.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors IR at 10.2% vs IEX's 2.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -1.4% | +22.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +3.7% | +23.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +33.8% | +7.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +59.5% | +2.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +305.0% | +190.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +10.2% | +2.4% |
Risk & Volatility
IEX leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
IEX is the less volatile stock with a 0.95 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than IR's 1.48 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. IEX currently trades 97.5% from its 52-week high vs IR's 77.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.48x | 0.95x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $100.96 | $223.84 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $72.45 | $157.25 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +77.9% | +97.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 36.1 | 65.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.2M | 711K |
Analyst Outlook
IEX leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates IR as "Buy" and IEX as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 26.5% upside for IR (target: $100) vs 11.0% for IEX (target: $242). For income investors, IEX offers the higher dividend yield at 1.29% vs IR's 0.10%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $99.50 | $242.14 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.1% | +1.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 23 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.08 | $2.82 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +3.3% | +1.5% |
IEX leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). IR leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns).
IR vs IEX: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IR or IEX a better buy right now?
For growth investors, IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the stronger pick with 5.
8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 7% for Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR). IDEX Corporation (IEX) offers the better valuation at 34. 0x trailing P/E (25. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR) a "Buy" — based on 15 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — IR or IEX?
On trailing P/E, IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the cheapest at 34.
0x versus Ingersoll Rand Inc. at 54. 2x. On forward P/E, Ingersoll Rand Inc. is actually cheaper at 22. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — IR or IEX?
Over the past 5 years, Ingersoll Rand Inc.
(IR) delivered a total return of +59. 5%, compared to +2. 0% for IDEX Corporation (IEX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IR returned +305. 0% versus IEX's +190. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — IR or IEX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
95β versus Ingersoll Rand Inc. 's 1. 48β — meaning IR is approximately 56% more volatile than IEX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, IDEX Corporation (IEX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 45% versus 47% for Ingersoll Rand Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — IR or IEX?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), IDEX Corporation (IEX) is pulling ahead at 5.
8% versus 5. 7% for Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: IDEX Corporation grew EPS -3. 5% year-over-year, compared to -29. 6% for Ingersoll Rand Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, IR leads at 8. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — IR or IEX?
IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the more profitable company, earning 14.
0% net margin versus 7. 6% for Ingersoll Rand Inc. — meaning it keeps 14. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IEX leads at 20. 8% versus 18. 5% for IR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IEX leads at 44. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is IR or IEX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Ingersoll Rand Inc.
(IR) trades at 22. 4x forward P/E versus 25. 9x for IDEX Corporation — 3. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IR: 26. 5% to $99. 50.
08Which pays a better dividend — IR or IEX?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
IDEX Corporation (IEX) offers the highest yield at 1. 3%, versus 0. 1% for Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR).
09Is IR or IEX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
95), 1. 3% yield, +190. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (IEX: +190. 9%, IR: +305. 0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between IR and IEX?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
IEX pays a dividend while IR does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.