Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 31.6x · EV/EBITDA 18.9x · ROE 19.2%. (1996–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $7.7B | $6.7B | $5.7B | $4.7B | $2.8B | $2.7B | $2.0B | $2.0B | $1.2B | $1.2B | $955M |
| Enterprise Value | $8.3B | $7.2B | $5.9B | $5.0B | $3.2B | $3.0B | $2.2B | $2.2B | $1.4B | $1.5B | $969M |
| P/E Ratio → | 31.57 | 27.08 | 26.40 | 29.98 | 23.59 | 26.59 | 21.26 | 18.32 | 12.92 | 19.70 | 21.99 |
| P/S Ratio | 3.54 | 3.06 | 3.06 | 2.74 | 1.98 | 2.21 | 1.81 | 1.63 | 1.12 | 1.35 | 1.35 |
| P/B Ratio | 5.63 | 4.83 | 4.81 | 4.71 | 3.30 | 3.42 | 2.91 | 3.10 | 2.30 | 2.65 | 2.42 |
| P/FCF | 34.00 | 29.41 | 29.89 | 28.76 | 151.27 | 41.66 | 19.22 | 29.34 | 15.47 | 18.73 | 51.36 |
| P/OCF | 30.32 | 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
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| 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 | 18.87 | 16.48 | 16.91 | 17.48 | 14.78 | 16.32 | 12.48 | 11.69 | 8.81 | 14.03 | 12.12 |
| EV / EBIT | 23.12 | 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 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
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% |
| 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% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| 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 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| 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 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
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% |
| 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 | 2.9% | 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 |
Third-party chassis supply dependency
Based on current market data, Federal Signal trades at a forward P/E of 25.23, which appears to price in a premium relative to broader industrial peers, likely reflecting investor confidence in the durability of municipal-funded infrastructure demand and the company's specialized vocational equipment market positioning.
The current valuation suggests the market is assigning a 'municipal premium' to the stock, viewing it as a proxy for infrastructure spending rather than a cyclical industrial manufacturer. While the P/E multiple is elevated, it may be justified if the company continues to successfully leverage its TRUVAC and environmental lines to capture long-term utility maintenance budgets.
According to reported financial statements, Federal Signal's ROIC has hovered between 3.2% and 5.0% over the last ten quarters, a trend that suggests the company's aggressive inorganic growth strategy may be temporarily diluting the overall efficiency of its invested capital base relative to historical performance.
The modest ROIC figures indicate that while the company is successfully expanding its footprint, the integration of numerous vocational brands requires significant capital that has yet to yield high-margin returns. Investors should monitor whether these acquisitions eventually achieve the necessary scale to drive a meaningful expansion in return on capital.
As evidenced by the quarterly data, the company's cash conversion cycle has remained elevated, averaging over 100 days, which appears to be driven by high inventory levels necessary to manage the complex assembly of specialized vocational vehicles and the inherent volatility of third-party chassis procurement.
The persistent length of the cash conversion cycle highlights the operational friction involved in the 'upfitter' business model, where inventory must be held until chassis availability allows for final assembly. This structural reality suggests that working capital management will remain a primary determinant of free cash flow generation in the near term.
Based on recent filings, Federal Signal maintains a disciplined debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a position that appears to offer the company significant financial flexibility to navigate potential supply chain disruptions or pursue further tuck-in acquisitions without risking its long-term balance sheet stability or debt service capacity.
The company's low leverage profile stands in contrast to more capital-intensive industrial peers, suggesting a management preference for maintaining a fortress-like balance sheet. This conservative stance may be an intentional buffer against the cyclicality of municipal equipment procurement and the potential for lumpy revenue recognition.
Analysts frequently misapply standard industrial EV/EBITDA multiples to Federal Signal, which obscures the company's unique role as a critical infrastructure service provider and fails to account for the margin-accretive potential of its growing aftermarket parts and service revenue stream within the environmental solutions segment.
By treating the company as a generic equipment manufacturer, the market may be overlooking the recurring nature of the aftermarket business, which provides a higher-margin, more stable revenue base than new equipment sales. A more appropriate valuation approach would involve adjusting for the 'chassis pass-through' effect to better isolate the profitability of the company's proprietary technology.
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying FSS stock.
Federal Signal Corporation's current P/E ratio is 31.6x. The historical average is 20.1x. This places it at the 96th percentile of its historical range.
Federal Signal Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 18.9x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 13.4x.
Federal Signal Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 19.2%. The historical average is 10.0%.
Based on historical data, Federal Signal Corporation is trading at a P/E of 31.6x. This is at the 96th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Federal Signal Corporation's current dividend yield is 0.44% with a payout ratio of 13.8%.
Federal Signal Corporation has 28.1% gross margin and 16.4% operating margin. Operating margin between 10-20% is typical for established companies.
Federal Signal Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.4x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.