Crane NXT vs Novanta
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KIRA’s take AI analyst
I put Crane NXT and Novanta side by side, using each one’s latest annual report. Here is what stands out:
- Crane NXT is the larger business, with $1.7B of revenue in fiscal 2025 against $981M for Novanta, about 1.7 times as much.
- Crane NXT grew revenue faster (11.4%, against 3.3%).
- Crane NXT kept more of each dollar of sales as operating profit (14.9% operating margin, against 9.6%).
- Crane NXT turned more of its sales into free cash flow (12.0% FCF margin, against 4.9%).
- Crane NXT earned a higher return on the capital invested in it (10.4%, against 6.5%).
- Investors pay more for each dollar of Novanta’s earnings: a P/E of 89.7x against 23.6x for Crane NXT.
Who comes out ahead
Of the 10 measures where higher (or lower) is clearly better, how many each company leads.
Crane NXT
CXT
7/10
Revenue growthOperating marginNet marginFCF marginReturn on capitalReturn on equityShare count change
Novanta
NOVT
3/10
Gross marginPiotroski F-scoreNet debt / EBITDA
Side by side
Best in the row
| Latest fiscal year | CXT FY25 | NOVT FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ||
| Market cap | $3.3B | $5.8B |
| Revenue | $1.7B | $981M |
| Free cash flow | $198M | $48.4M |
| Net income | $145M | $53.8M |
| Growth | ||
| Revenue growth | 11.4% | 3.3% |
| 5-year growth | — | 10.7% |
| Share count change | 0.4% | 1.6% |
| Profitability | ||
| Gross margin | 42.5% | 44.4% |
| Operating margin | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Net margin | 8.8% | 5.5% |
| FCF margin | 12.0% | 4.9% |
| Return on capital | 10.4% | 6.5% |
| Return on equity | 12.5% | 5.2% |
| Balance sheet | ||
| Net debt | $906M | −$127M |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.6x | −0.8x |
| Dividends and buybacks | $39.0M | $39.3M |
| Valuation & quality | ||
| P/E | 23.6x | 89.7x |
| Piotroski F-score | 4 | 5 |
Ten years
Revenue
Operating margin
Free cash flow
Return on capital
Each company's latest fiscal year; fiscal years end in different months. The best value in each row is highlighted where higher (or lower) is clearly better. Not investment advice.