Biotechnology
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Stock Comparison
FTRE vs MEDP
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
FTRE vs MEDP — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Diagnostics & Research |
| Market Cap | $1.47B | $12.24B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.71B | $2.68B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-447M | $460M |
| Gross Margin | 12.1% | 29.1% |
| Operating Margin | -1.1% | 21.0% |
| Forward P/E | 23.0x | 25.2x |
| Total Debt | $68M | $250M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $175M | $497M |
FTRE vs MEDP — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Jun 23 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortrea Holdings In… (FTRE) | 100 | 45.8 | -54.2% |
| Medpace Holdings, I… (MEDP) | 100 | 178.5 | +78.5% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: FTRE vs MEDP
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
FTRE is the clearest fit if your priority is sleep-well-at-night.
- Lower volatility, beta 2.35, Low D/E 12.1%, current ratio 0.98x
- Lower P/E (23.0x vs 25.2x)
- +176.6% vs MEDP's +42.9%
MEDP carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 1.26
- Rev growth 20.0%, EPS growth 21.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 20.1%
- 14.4% 10Y total return vs FTRE's -51.3%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 20.0% revenue growth vs FTRE's 1.0% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (23.0x vs 25.2x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 17.2% margin vs FTRE's -16.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.26 vs FTRE's 2.35 | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +176.6% vs MEDP's +42.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 24.8% ROA vs FTRE's -16.3%, ROIC 154.9% vs -1.6% |
FTRE vs MEDP — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FTRE vs MEDP — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
MEDP leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
FTRE and MEDP operate at a comparable scale, with $2.7B and $2.7B in trailing revenue. MEDP is the more profitable business, keeping 17.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FTRE's -16.5%. On growth, MEDP holds the edge at +26.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.7B | $2.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $48M | $577M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$447M | $460M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $215M | $745M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +12.1% | +29.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -1.1% | +21.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -16.5% | +17.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.0% | +27.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.3% | +26.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +95.9% | +16.6% |
Valuation Metrics
FTRE leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, MEDP's 21.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than FTRE's 28.8x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $12.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.4B | $12.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.44x | 28.06x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 23.00x | 25.24x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.88x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 28.82x | 21.31x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.54x | 4.84x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.52x | 27.57x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 16.68x | 17.96x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MEDP leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
MEDP delivers a 120.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $121 in annual profit, vs $-79 for FTRE. FTRE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.12x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MEDP's 0.55x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MEDP scores 6/9 vs FTRE's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -79.1% | +120.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -16.3% | +24.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -1.6% | +154.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.4% | +65.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.12x | 0.55x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$107M | -$247M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $175M | $497M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $68M | $250M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -7.33x | — |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
MEDP leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in MEDP five years ago would be worth $25,938 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,866 for FTRE. Over the past 12 months, FTRE leads with a +176.6% total return vs MEDP's +42.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MEDP at 27.0% vs FTRE's -21.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -7.4% | -24.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +176.6% | +42.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -51.3% | +104.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -51.3% | +159.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -51.3% | +1442.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -21.3% | +27.0% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — FTRE and MEDP each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
MEDP is the less volatile stock with a 1.26 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than FTRE's 2.35 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. FTRE currently trades 83.4% from its 52-week high vs MEDP's 68.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.35x | 1.26x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $18.67 | $628.92 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.97 | $284.48 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.4% | +68.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 82.8 | 40.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.4M | 371K |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates FTRE as "Hold" and MEDP as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 20.9% upside for FTRE (target: $19) vs 16.4% for MEDP (target: $499).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $18.83 | $498.86 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 19 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +7.5% |
MEDP leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). FTRE leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
FTRE vs MEDP: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is FTRE or MEDP a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Medpace Holdings, Inc.
(MEDP) is the stronger pick with 20. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 0% for Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE). Medpace Holdings, Inc. (MEDP) offers the better valuation at 28. 1x trailing P/E (25. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE) a "Hold" — based on 12 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 — FTRE or MEDP?
On forward P/E, Fortrea Holdings Inc.
is actually cheaper at 23. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — FTRE or MEDP?
Over the past 5 years, Medpace Holdings, Inc.
(MEDP) delivered a total return of +159. 4%, compared to -51. 3% for Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MEDP returned +1443% versus FTRE's -51. 3%. 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 — FTRE or MEDP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Medpace Holdings, Inc.
(MEDP) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 26β versus Fortrea Holdings Inc. 's 2. 35β — meaning FTRE is approximately 87% more volatile than MEDP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 55% for Medpace Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — FTRE or MEDP?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Medpace Holdings, Inc.
(MEDP) is pulling ahead at 20. 0% versus 1. 0% for Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Medpace Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 21. 0% year-over-year, compared to -194. 6% for Fortrea Holdings Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, MEDP leads at 20. 1% 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 — FTRE or MEDP?
Medpace Holdings, Inc.
(MEDP) is the more profitable company, earning 17. 8% net margin versus -36. 2% for Fortrea Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 17. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MEDP leads at 21. 1% versus -1. 1% for FTRE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MEDP leads at 30. 1%, 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 FTRE or MEDP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Fortrea Holdings Inc.
(FTRE) trades at 23. 0x forward P/E versus 25. 2x for Medpace Holdings, Inc. — 2. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FTRE: 20. 9% to $18. 83.
08Which pays a better dividend — FTRE or MEDP?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
09Is FTRE or MEDP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Medpace Holdings, Inc.
(MEDP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 26), +1443% 10Y return). Fortrea Holdings Inc. (FTRE) carries a higher beta of 2. 35 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MEDP: +1443%, FTRE: -51. 3%), 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 FTRE and MEDP?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: FTRE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MEDP is a mid-cap high-growth stock. 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.