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AMETEK vs IDEX: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

AMETEK holds the cleaner structural position, with profitability as the main driver and stability adding further support. IDEX does not offset that deficit through any equally strong structural edge elsewhere. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Most of the lead runs through profitability, while stability helps make the separation broader. AMETEK, Inc. leads by 15 points on the overall comparison score.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Industrial Machinery

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. AME and IEX share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how AMETEK and IDEX each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
AME
AMETEK, Inc.
62
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
IEX
IDEX Corporation
47
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: AME vs IEX Profitability 63 19 Stability 68 47 Valuation 50 58 Growth 76 74 AME IEX
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +44
#2 Stability +21
#3 Valuation +8
#4 Growth +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for AME and IEX Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer AMEIEX Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup splits cleanly: structure favours AMETEK, Inc., while the price setup favours IDEX Corporation.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where AME and IEX each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY AME Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 33 pct gap IEX Neutral · above norm 0th 50th 100th 97th 64th
Today IEX sits in the upper-middle of its own 5-year history (64th percentile), while AME sits higher in its own history (97th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, IEX is at a historically more favourable entry position than AME. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
AMETEK, Inc. sits in the stronger part of the group on profitability, while IDEX Corporation is closer to mid-pack.
Stability
Both profiles are strong on stability, but AMETEK, Inc. leads clearly.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
AME
63
IEX
19
Gap+44in favour of AME

The profitability lead is mainly driven by a 6.4-point operating margin advantage.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for IDEX, with a forward P/E that is 3.4 turns lower there.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver, and stability also supports AMETEK, Inc.'s broader structural position.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the AME vs IEX comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar profitability-driven comparisons

Explore how AME and IEX each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.