Federal Signal Corporation (FSS) Financial Ratios
30 years of historical data (1996–2025) · Industrials · Industrial - Pollution & Treatment Controls
EV/EBITDA
↑
18.59
+13% vs avg
5yr avg: 16.39
30Y Low8.4·High31.8
P/FCF
↓
33.47
↓-40% vs avg
5yr avg: 56.20
30Y Low4.1·High151.3
P/B Ratio
↑
5.55
↑+32% vs avg
5yr avg: 4.21
30Y Low0.9·High4.8
ROE
↑
19.2%
↓+14% vs avg
5yr avg: 16.8%
30Y Low-64%·High64%
Debt/EBITDA
↓
1.36
+1% vs avg
5yr avg: 1.35
30Y Low0.4·High11.0
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
FSS Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Federal Signal Corporation trades at 31.1x earnings, 16% above its 5-year average of 26.7x, sitting at the 96th percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Industrials sector median P/E of 25.9x, the stock trades at a premium of 20%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 33.5x P/FCF, 40% below the 5-year average of 56.2x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $7.6B | $6.7B | $5.7B | $4.7B | $2.8B | $2.7B | $2.0B | $2.0B | $1.2B | $1.2B | $955M |
| Enterprise Value | $8.1B | $7.2B | $5.9B | $5.0B | $3.2B | $3.0B | $2.2B | $2.2B | $1.4B | $1.5B | $969M |
| P/E Ratio → | 31.08 | 27.08 | 26.40 | 29.98 | 23.59 | 26.59 | 21.26 | 18.32 | 12.92 | 19.70 | 21.99 |
| P/S Ratio | 3.49 | 3.06 | 3.06 | 2.74 | 1.98 | 2.21 | 1.81 | 1.63 | 1.12 | 1.35 | 1.35 |
| P/B Ratio | 5.55 | 4.83 | 4.81 | 4.71 | 3.30 | 3.42 | 2.91 | 3.10 | 2.30 | 2.65 | 2.42 |
| P/FCF | 33.47 | 29.41 | 29.89 | 28.76 | 151.27 | 41.66 | 19.22 | 29.34 | 15.47 | 18.73 | 51.36 |
| P/OCF | 29.85 | 26.22 | 24.65 | 24.28 | 39.61 | 26.35 | 15.03 | 19.27 | 13.12 | 16.67 | 38.68 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
FSS EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Federal Signal Corporation's enterprise value stands at 18.6x EBITDA, 13% above its 5-year average of 16.4x. The Industrials sector median is 13.9x, placing the stock at a 34% premium on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 3.31 | 3.15 | 2.89 | 2.22 | 2.44 | 1.94 | 1.81 | 1.28 | 1.62 | 1.37 |
| EV / EBITDA | 18.59 | 16.48 | 16.91 | 17.48 | 14.78 | 16.32 | 12.48 | 11.69 | 8.81 | 14.03 | 12.12 |
| EV / EBIT | 22.79 | 21.29 | 21.21 | 22.36 | 19.76 | 24.21 | 16.87 | 15.05 | 11.50 | 21.28 | 16.50 |
| EV / FCF | — | 31.74 | 30.74 | 30.34 | 169.41 | 45.90 | 20.64 | 32.57 | 17.67 | 22.43 | 52.08 |
FSS Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Federal Signal Corporation earns an operating margin of 16.4%, above the Industrials sector average of 4.9%. Operating margins have expanded from 13.0% to 16.4% over the past 3 years, signaling improving operational efficiency. ROE of 19.2% indicates solid capital efficiency, compared to the sector median of 8.2%. ROIC of 16.4% represents solid returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 6.3%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 28.1% | 28.1% | 28.6% | 26.1% | 24.0% | 23.8% | 26.0% | 26.4% | 25.9% | 24.6% | 25.9% |
| Operating Margin | 16.4% | 16.4% | 15.1% | 13.0% | 11.2% | 10.8% | 11.6% | 12.0% | 11.2% | 8.2% | 8.6% |
| Net Profit Margin | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 8.6% | 6.9% | 6.2% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 19.2% | 19.2% | 19.8% | 16.9% | 14.6% | 13.5% | 14.3% | 18.5% | 19.0% | 14.5% | 11.0% |
| ROA | 11.9% | 11.9% | 12.8% | 10.0% | 8.3% | 7.8% | 8.1% | 9.9% | 9.3% | 7.5% | 6.7% |
| ROIC | 16.4% | 16.4% | 16.2% | 13.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% | 11.5% | 14.1% | 13.0% | 10.0% | 11.7% |
| ROCE | 19.6% | 19.6% | 19.1% | 16.2% | 12.7% | 11.6% | 12.7% | 15.7% | 14.0% | 10.3% | 11.0% |
FSS Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Federal Signal Corporation carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 1.4x, which is manageable (57% below the sector average of 3.2x). Net debt stands at $531M ($595M total debt minus $64M cash). Interest coverage of 24.0x signals virtually no risk of debt distress — earnings comfortably cover interest obligations.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.43 | 0.43 | 0.21 | 0.32 | 0.45 | 0.40 | 0.33 | 0.39 | 0.40 | 0.61 | 0.16 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.36 | 1.36 | 0.73 | 1.13 | 1.80 | 1.73 | 1.33 | 1.33 | 1.33 | 2.68 | 0.80 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.38 | 0.14 | 0.26 | 0.40 | 0.35 | 0.22 | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.53 | 0.03 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.21 | 1.21 | 0.47 | 0.91 | 1.58 | 1.51 | 0.86 | 1.16 | 1.09 | 2.32 | 0.17 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 2.34 | 0.85 | 1.58 | 18.13 | 4.24 | 1.43 | 3.23 | 2.19 | 3.71 | 0.72 |
| Interest Coverage | 24.01 | 24.01 | 22.11 | 11.30 | 15.65 | 27.13 | 22.86 | 18.54 | 13.00 | 9.36 | 30.89 |
FSS Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
Federal Signal Corporation's current ratio of 3.02x is well above the 1.0 safety threshold, indicating strong short-term liquidity with ample room to cover current liabilities. The quick ratio of 1.35x is notably lower than the current ratio, indicating a significant portion of current assets is tied up in inventory. The current ratio has improved from 2.91x to 3.02x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 3.02 | 3.02 | 2.66 | 2.91 | 2.94 | 2.53 | 2.73 | 2.25 | 2.07 | 2.59 | 3.06 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.35 | 1.35 | 1.29 | 1.36 | 1.32 | 1.18 | 1.49 | 1.11 | 1.08 | 1.42 | 1.64 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.38 | 0.31 | 0.26 | 0.24 | 0.55 | 0.20 | 0.24 | 0.32 | 0.60 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.91 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 0.94 | 0.89 | 0.94 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 0.91 | 1.10 |
| Inventory Turnover | 3.32 | 3.32 | 4.01 | 4.19 | 3.72 | 4.04 | 4.53 | 4.91 | 5.13 | 4.94 | 4.37 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 48.91 | 38.51 | 39.45 | 44.21 | 40.92 | 40.99 | 40.11 | 41.68 | 48.02 | 41.92 |
FSS Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Federal Signal Corporation returns 1.0% to shareholders annually — split between a 0.4% dividend yield and 0.5% buyback yield. The payout ratio of 13.8% is conservative, leaving significant room for dividend growth or reinvestment. The earnings yield of 3.2% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.8% |
| Payout Ratio | 13.8% | 13.8% | 13.5% | 15.1% | 18.1% | 21.9% | 20.2% | 17.8% | 19.9% | 27.3% | 38.6% |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 3.2% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.3% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 4.7% | 5.5% | 7.7% | 5.1% | 4.5% |
| FCF Yield | 3.0% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 0.7% | 2.4% | 5.2% | 3.4% | 6.5% | 5.3% | 1.9% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 4.2% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 6.0% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $62M | $62M | $62M | $61M | $62M | $62M | $62M | $61M | $60M | $61M |
Peer Comparison
Compare FSS with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 FSSYou | $8B | 31.1 | 18.6 | 33.5 | 28.1% | 16.4% | 19.2% | 16.4% | 1.4 |
 ASTE | $1B | 31.9 | 14.5 | 57.1 | 26.5% | 4.6% | 5.9% | 6.2% | 3.1 |
 HLIO | $2B | 48.1 | 18.2 | 22.3 | 32.3% | 7.9% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 0.9 |
 FELE | $4B | 31.1 | 14.0 | 23.0 | 35.5% | 12.7% | 11.3% | 14.7% | 0.8 |
 MIDD | $7B | -26.5 | 12.5 | 11.9 | 39.1% | 18.4% | -8.7% | 8.7% | 3.2 |
 OSK | $10B | 15.6 | 9.0 | 16.0 | 16.9% | 9.1% | 14.9% | 14.1% | 0.9 |
 ELPC | $2B | 4.4 | 4.8 | 9.4 | 21.3% | 17.6% | 10.8% | 8.5% | 3.4 |
 ALRM | $2B | 18.5 | 13.3 | 16.5 | 63.1% | 13.4% | 16.0% | 12.2% | 6.2 |
 DGII | $2B | 54.5 | 26.3 | 21.0 | 62.9% | 13.1% | 6.7% | 5.7% | 2.0 |
 CAT | $431B | 49.2 | 34.5 | 42.0 | 32.3% | 16.6% | 43.5% | 15.9% | 3.2 |
 VMC | $38B | 36.4 | 18.7 | 33.8 | 27.3% | 20.1% | 13.0% | 8.8% | 2.3 |
| Industrials Median | — | 25.9 | 13.9 | 20.6 | 32.8% | 4.9% | 8.2% | 6.3% | 3.2 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Start ComparisonFSS — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying FSS stock.
What is Federal Signal Corporation's P/E ratio?
Federal Signal Corporation's current P/E ratio is 31.1x. The historical average is 20.1x. This places it at the 96th percentile of its historical range.
What is Federal Signal Corporation's EV/EBITDA?
Federal Signal Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 18.6x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 13.4x.
What is Federal Signal Corporation's ROE?
Federal Signal Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 19.2%. The historical average is 10.0%.
Is FSS stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Federal Signal Corporation is trading at a P/E of 31.1x. This is at the 96th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What is Federal Signal Corporation's dividend yield?
Federal Signal Corporation's current dividend yield is 0.44% with a payout ratio of 13.8%.
What are Federal Signal Corporation's profit margins?
Federal Signal Corporation has 28.1% gross margin and 16.4% operating margin. Operating margin between 10-20% is typical for established companies.
How much debt does Federal Signal Corporation have?
Federal Signal Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.4x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.