Veralto Corporation research snapshot
VLTO AI stock analysis currently reads Veralto Corporation as a durable water quality and product quality business with recurring consumables, software, services, and mission-critical industrial workflows. The August 2, 2026 setup is constructive after Q2 2026 sales rose 7.6% to $1.474 billion and management raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $4.35 to $4.43, but the stock still requires valuation discipline because VLTO trades near 23.7x TTM EPS and about 20.8x forward EPS. The VLTO AI stock forecast therefore uses scenario ranges rather than a precise price prediction, and it treats core sales growth, Water Quality demand, PQI digital workflow adoption, acquisitions such as Alfaa UV, free cash flow conversion, leverage, and execution under the Veralto Enterprise System as the key variables.
Current price
$94.17 delayed intraday reference
Market cap
$23.0 billion verified market cap
AI score
69 / 100
Rating
High-quality water and product quality compounder with improving momentum and a still-demanding premium valuation
Trend status
Constructive but constrained, above the 50-day moving average, testing the 200-day moving average, and below the 52-week high
Data cutoff (updated monthly)
August 4, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Veralto sells water analytics, water treatment, marking and coding, packaging workflow, color, and quality tools used in regulated and operationally critical environments, with recurring consumables and services. | High |
| Moat | Brands such as Hach, Trojan Technologies, ChemTreat, Videojet, Esko, X-Rite, and Pantone create trust, workflow familiarity, consumables pull-through, and switching friction. | Medium-high |
| Management | Jennifer Honeycutt brings long Danaher operating experience, and 2026 actions show active capital allocation through In-Situ, GlobalVision, Alfaa UV, buybacks, dividends, and a raised full-year outlook. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | Q2 2026 sales rose 7.6% to $1.474 billion with adjusted EPS up 19% to $1.11. Management raised FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $4.35 to $4.43 and core sales growth to 4.0% to 4.5%. | High |
| Valuation | At $94.17, audited calculations show about 23.7x TTM EPS, 7.4x book, 21.9x FCF per share, a 20.8x forward multiple, and a 0.55% dividend yield. | High |
| Technical trend | VLTO trades above the 50-day moving average and near the 200-day moving average, with RSI near 55 and price still below the $110.11 52-week high. | Medium |
| Risk level | Key risks are premium multiple compression, higher leverage after the May 2026 notes offering, slower core sales, acquisition integration, FX pressure, China and industrial softness, and municipal budget timing. | Medium-high |
| AI confidence | Descriptive confidence is high because most numbers are company-backed and cross-checked. Return confidence is lower because valuation and multiple durability drive much of the outcome. | High data confidence |
| Investment certainty | VLTO looks like a high-quality operator with improving momentum, but the current price needs steady growth, strong free cash flow conversion, and disciplined acquisitions to justify the premium. | Medium |
VLTO AI stock forecast
The VLTO AI stock forecast is scenario-based because Veralto earnings depend on core sales growth, Water Quality demand, PQI digital workflow adoption, pricing, FX, acquisitions, productivity, and the market multiple. Using the $94.17 price reference, the raised FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $4.35 to $4.43, and the audited three-year model, the mechanical range points to about $67 in a bear case, $101 in a base case, and $125 in a bullish case before dividends.
$118 to $132 before dividends
More likely if second-half core sales reach the roughly 5% to 6% range management expects, PQI digital workflow adoption accelerates as guided, Water Quality compounds, acquisitions such as Alfaa UV integrate cleanly, free cash flow conversion stays above 100%, and the market sustains a premium quality-industrial multiple.
$94 to $108 before dividends
More likely if 2026 adjusted EPS lands near the raised $4.35 to $4.43 guidance, core sales growth stays positive in the mid-single-digit range, margin expansion is modest, and the market values VLTO near a low-20s earnings multiple.
$60 to $74 before dividends
More likely if municipal and industrial spending weakens, PQI momentum fades, acquisition returns disappoint, debt rises faster than EBITDA after the $725 million notes offering, or investors reprice VLTO closer to average industrial multiples.
VLTO AI technical analysis
VLTO AI technical analysis is constructive but constrained as of the August 2, 2026 data cutoff. Veralto investor relations showed a $94.17 delayed quote on July 31, 2026 and a 52-week range of $80.03 to $110.11. StockAnalysis listed a 50-day moving average near $88.51, a 200-day moving average near $93.81, RSI near 55.52, and 20-day average volume near 1.8 million shares.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $94.17 delayed quote | Veralto investor relations showed this July 31, 2026 delayed quote during market hours. |
| Immediate support | $92 to $94 | This area brackets the 200-day moving average near $93.81 and the recent day low near $92.37. |
| Trend support | $88 to $90 | This range brackets the 50-day moving average near $88.51 and marks the recovery zone for the current uptrend. |
| Long-term support | $80 to $84 | This range sits near the 52-week low of $80.03 and would mark a deeper valuation reset. |
| Near resistance | $95 to $98 | This area covers the recent day high near $95.60 and the zone that stalled the July recovery. |
| Upper resistance | $105 to $110 | This area approaches the prior 52-week high of $110.11 and requires stronger growth evidence. |
| Moving averages | 50-day near $88.51, 200-day near $93.81 | The stock trades above the 50-day and near the 200-day, so the trend is constructive but not confirmed until price clears the 200-day with follow-through. |
| Momentum | RSI near 55.52 | Momentum is neutral rather than overbought, leaving room for the recovery to extend. |
| Volume | 20-day average near 1.8 million shares | Volume confirmation matters around Q3 earnings and any acquisition or guidance updates. |
| Volatility | Watch late October 2026 earnings | The next estimated earnings date, core sales guidance, FX, and Alfaa UV integration are likely volatility drivers. |
| Invalidation | Close below $88, then below $80 | A sustained break below the 50-day moving average would weaken the recovery setup. A break below the 52-week low area would challenge the larger thesis. |
VLTO AI trading strategy
The VLTO AI trading strategy below is a rules-based research framework, not personal advice. It connects chart levels with core sales growth, segment orders, operating margin, free cash flow conversion, leverage, acquisitions, and valuation discipline.
Watch for VLTO to hold the $92 to $94 area and reclaim $95 to $98 while Q3 earnings support the raised guidance and free cash flow conversion stays above 100%.
A close below $88 should reduce trend confidence, especially if management lowers core sales guidance or flags softer industrial, municipal, packaging, or FX conditions.
If VLTO pulls back toward $88 to $90 or $80 to $84 without a permanent margin or moat problem, compare the lower price with normalized EPS, FCF per share, balance-sheet capacity, and acquisition returns.
Do not treat every drawdown as attractive if the premium multiple compresses because growth slows, debt rises, or acquisition integration weakens returns on capital.
Track Water Quality core growth, PQI digital workflow adoption, price versus volume, adjusted operating margin, R&D investment, cash, debt, buybacks, dividends, and bolt-on acquisition execution including Alfaa UV.
Position sizing should reflect that VLTO is a quality industrial compounder candidate, not a guaranteed defensive stock or a precise AI price prediction.
Investment research summary
Customers pay Veralto because clean water, food safety, pharmaceutical packaging, product identification, color control, and regulatory traceability are operational requirements, not optional projects. The best parts of the model mix installed bases, consumables, services, software, and trusted brands, which supports a recurring revenue profile.
The moat comes from brand trust, application know-how, installed equipment, consumables, workflow integration, regulatory familiarity, and scale across specialized niches. It is stronger than a generic industrial product business, but it still needs continued innovation and service quality.
The thesis fails if the Danaher operating halo proves overstated, core growth fades after the Q2 acceleration, acquisition integration including Alfaa UV absorbs management bandwidth, PQI momentum disappoints, or investors stop paying a premium for steady but not rapid growth.
Jennifer Honeycutt joined Danaher in 1999 and led relevant environmental and applied solutions businesses before Veralto became independent. The 2026 record is constructive: raised adjusted EPS guidance after Q2, bolt-on acquisitions, buybacks, dividend increases, and free cash flow conversion guidance above 100%.
Water scarcity, infrastructure quality, food and pharma safety, packaging traceability, and automated quality control are long-duration needs. These are not speculative AI trends, but durable civilization-level requirements that can support steady compounding.
The valuation still leaves limited room for disappointment. At $94.17 the stock trades at about 23.7x TTM EPS and 20.8x forward EPS, and the audited three-scenario model shows a base case near the current price and a bear case well below it, so margin of safety depends on buying at a better price or proving durable earnings growth.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current price | $94.17 delayed quote, down 0.57% on July 31, 2026 | Veralto Investor Relations stock quote | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Market cap | $23.0 billion | Veralto Investor Relations stock quote | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Shares outstanding | 243.79 million, down 0.40% year over year | StockAnalysis statistics | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Q2 2026 sales | $1.474 billion, up 7.6%, core sales up 4.2% | Veralto Q2 2026 results release | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Q2 2026 net earnings | $241 million, or $0.98 diluted EPS | Veralto Q2 2026 results release | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Q2 2026 adjusted net earnings | $274 million, or $1.11 adjusted diluted EPS | Veralto Q2 2026 results release | Aug 2, 2026 |
| FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance | $4.35 to $4.43, raised from $4.20 to $4.28 | Veralto Q2 2026 results release | Aug 2, 2026 |
| FY2026 core sales growth guidance | 4.0% to 4.5%, raised from 3.0% to 4.5% | Veralto Q2 2026 results release | Aug 2, 2026 |
| FY2025 sales and net earnings | $5.503 billion sales, $940 million net earnings | Veralto FY2025 results release | Aug 2, 2026 |
| TTM EPS and free cash flow per share | $3.97 EPS, $4.29 FCF per share | StockAnalysis statistics | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Cash and total debt | $2.12 billion cash, $3.59 billion total debt, about $1.47 billion net debt | StockAnalysis statistics | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Technical reference | 50-day MA $88.51, 200-day MA $93.81, RSI 55.52 | StockAnalysis statistics | Aug 2, 2026 |
| Analyst consensus | Buy, average target $112.76 across 19 analysts | StockAnalysis forecast | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Recent acquisitions | In-Situ, GlobalVision, and Alfaa UV announced July 21, 2026 | Veralto press releases | Aug 2, 2026 |
| CEO background | Jennifer L. Honeycutt joined Danaher in 1999 and is Veralto President and CEO | Veralto leadership profile | Aug 2, 2026 |
This VLTO AI stock analysis is an informational research tool, not investment advice, a solicitation, or a personalized recommendation. Forecast scenarios are based on available public data as of August 2, 2026 and may be wrong if earnings, valuation multiples, market conditions, acquisitions, guidance, or risk factors change.
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