2 electronics testing stocks to buy from a prospering industry

The Zacks Electronics – Testing Equipment industry has been benefiting from the rapid build-out of AI infrastructure, which is increasing demand for semiconductor manufacturing and validation equipment. Testing solutions are becoming increasingly critical for wafer fabrication, chip inspection, embedded computing validation and hardware verification. The build-out of hyperscale data centers and power infrastructure is increasing demand for electrical testing, power validation and hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Factories and logistics facilities are investing in greater automation, increasing demand for machine vision, barcode reading and automated inspection systems. The launch of AI-powered testing and inspection platforms that improve speed, accuracy and productivity has noteworthy development. Industry players like AMETEK AME and Fortive FTV are benefiting from this trend. However, supply chain constraints and component inflation are headwinds for industry players.

Industry Description

The Zacks Electronics – Testing Equipment industry comprises companies offering advanced instruments, electronic testing equipment solutions, thermal management systems, electrical connectors, motors and various test solutions. The major end markets served by this industry are consumer, automobile, industrial, aerospace and defense, healthcare, semiconductors and communications, to name a few. Industry participants have been making technological advancements to gain traction among semiconductors, vehicles, machinery, smartphones and medical device manufacturers, who are constantly increasing their spending on electronic components.

4 Trends Shaping the Future of Electronics - Testing Equipment Industry

Solid Adoption of Motion Control & Test Systems is Positive: The rising utilization of precision motion-control solutions and automatic test systems in motion-control devices and testing products, particularly in the aerospace, automation, medical and military markets, is an upside. Commercial motor and autonomous vehicles will likely continue to hike the demand for vehicle-tracking systems, fleet-management solutions and other private fleet applications, which are part of the industry’s key offerings. 

Secular Growth, Niche Strength and Sustainability-Driven Demand Aids Growth: Secular growth is driven by exposure to long-term themes like automation, healthcare, aerospace, semiconductors and energy transition. Industry players operate in niche, mission-critical segments where products are essential to performance and safety. This supports strong pricing power, customer attachment and consistently high margins compared to broader industrial peers. Sustainability and energy transition trends are creating new demand for products that improve efficiency, reduce emissions and support renewable energy adoption, providing an additional long-term growth driver. 

Recurring Revenues Boost Free Cash Flow Generation Ability: A meaningful portion of revenue comes from recurring streams such as aftermarket services, calibration, maintenance and spares. This improves earnings visibility and reduces volatility across cycles. Asset-light business models require relatively low capital expenditure, resulting in high free cash flow conversion. This supports shareholder returns, reinvestment and acquisition strategies.

Macroeconomic Headwinds Pose Concerns: Due to the challenging macroeconomic scenario, enterprises are reluctant to sign multi-year deals worldwide. The industry is seeing supply chain volatility, along with the negative impact of tariffs. These trends do not bode well for the industry participants.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Prospects

The Zacks Electronics – Testing Equipment industry is housed within the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #28 at present, which places it in the top 11% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bullish near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.

The industry’s position in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of a positive earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are optimistic about this group’s earnings growth potential. The industry’s earnings estimates for 2026 have moved north by 10.8% since July 31, 2025.

Given the bullish scenario, there are a number of stocks currently worth watching. But before we present those stocks, let us look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and the valuation picture.

Industry Outperforms S&P 500 & Sector

The Zacks Electronics – Testing Equipment industry has outperformed the S&P 500 and the broader sector over the past year. The industry has climbed 31.6% over this period against the S&P 500’s appreciation of 21.2% and the broader sector’s return of 27.4%.

One-Year Price Performance

 

Industry's Current Valuation

Based on the forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio (P/E), a commonly used multiple for valuing the Electronics – Testing Equipment stocks, the industry is currently trading at 25.49X, higher than the S&P 500’s 20.74X and the sector’s 25.56X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 30.91X and as low as 19.23X, with a median of 23.83X, as the chart below shows.

Forward 12-Month P/E Ratio

 

2 Testing Equipment Stocks to Buy

AMETEK: This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company is benefiting from strong order growth, record backlog and acquisitions. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

AMETEK’s order momentum increased in the first quarter of 2026. Total orders were $2.2 billion, up 23% year over year, lifting backlog to a record $3.87 billion. AMETEK continues to supplement organic growth with bolt-on acquisitions in niche markets that extend the portfolio. In April 2026, AMETEK entered into a definitive agreement to acquire First Aviation Services, a defense and aviation MRO provider with about $80 million of annual sales that will join EMG, adding further defense aftermarket exposure. The company acquired LKC Technologies in January 2026 for $209.6 million of cash, adding ophthalmic diagnostics capabilities within EIG. 

AMETEK expects 2026 sales to increase high single digits. The company expects earnings between $7.94 and $8.14 per share, suggesting 7-10% year-over-year growth. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings has increased by a penny to $8.14 per share over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 9.56%. Shares of AMETEK have climbed 14.6% year to date.

Price & Consensus: AME

 

Fortive: This Zacks Rank #2 company is benefiting from steady demand across Intelligent Operating Solutions and Advanced Healthcare Solutions. Fortive's “Fortive Accelerated” strategy is gaining traction. The company reported more than 5% core revenue growth in the first quarter of 2026, with growth accelerating across both operating segments. The company highlighted continued momentum in innovation, commercial execution and recurring customer value initiatives, while reaffirming confidence in its 2026-2027 financial framework.

Fortive is benefiting from the AI infrastructure buildout through its Fluke business. The company is seeing strong customer adoption of its CertiFiber Max data center testing solution, which is also driving sales of complementary products such as power quality, battery testing and calibration equipment.

Fortive expects 2026 adjusted earnings between $2.90 and $3 per share, indicating 9% year-over-year growth at the midpoint. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings has been revised a penny upward in the past 30 days to $2.97 per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 9.59%. Shares of Fortive have climbed 10.5% year to date.

Price & Consensus: FTV

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).