ROPER TECHNOLOGIES INC vs THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC., two Scientific Instruments stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Roper is a holding company that swapped instruments for niche software years ago and kept the sector tag; Thermo Fisher is the genuine article, the largest life-science toolmaker alive. The disguise pays: Roper's 27.2% operating margin and 69.4% gross margin beat Thermo's 16.9% and its consumables model, and Roper converts 7.4% of its price into free cash, more than double Thermo's 3.5%. The market prices the pair inside seven multiple turns, 21.1 and 28.2 times, with the discount on the better economics. Roper's low returns on equity, 9.1%, are goodwill arithmetic from serial acquisition, not weak operations. Two compounders, one mislabeled, and the label is currently worth minus seven turns.
Comparison updated 2026-07-10.
| Metric | ROP | TMO |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $338.37 | $512.74 |
| Market cap | $35.4B | $191.3B |
| Sector | Scientific Instruments | Scientific Instruments |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | -0.5% | +21.6% |
| P/E | 21.1 | 28.2 |
| P/B | 1.88 | 3.68 |
| P/S | 4.36 | 4.23 |
| EV/EBITDA | 19.9 | 26.1 |
| Revenue growth | +12.1% | +5.3% |
| Gross margin | 69.4% | — |
| Operating margin | 27.2% | 16.9% |
| Net margin | 21.1% | 15.2% |
| Return on equity | 9.1% | 13.2% |
| Return on assets | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| Return on invested capital | 6.2% | 6.4% |
| FCF yield | 7.4% | 3.5% |
| Dividend yield | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Debt / equity | 0.56 | 0.89 |
| Current ratio | 0.53 | 1.53 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 2.30 | 7.28 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 5 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.