IFF vs. IEX
IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.) and IEX (IDEX Corporation) are both stocks. IFF operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while IEX operates in Specialty Industrial Machinery (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, IFF returned -4.12%/yr vs 11.05%/yr for IEX. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IFF vs. IEX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IFF achieves a 9.32% return, which is significantly lower than IEX's 20.08% return. Over the past 10 years, IFF has underperformed IEX with an annualized return of -4.12%, while IEX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.05% annualized return.
IFF
- 1D
- -1.37%
- 1M
- 3.43%
- YTD
- 9.32%
- 6M
- 8.15%
- 1Y
- -0.91%
- 3Y*
- -0.35%
- 5Y*
- -10.11%
- 10Y*
- -4.12%
IEX
- 1D
- 2.19%
- 1M
- -0.95%
- YTD
- 20.08%
- 6M
- 22.02%
- 1Y
- 20.22%
- 3Y*
- 1.97%
- 5Y*
- 0.26%
- 10Y*
- 11.05%
IFF vs. IEX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IFF International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. | 9.32% | -18.43% | 6.26% | -19.47% | -28.35% | 41.55% | -15.64% | -3.91% | -12.02% | 29.52% |
IEX IDEX Corporation | 20.08% | -13.69% | -2.35% | -3.80% | -2.22% | 19.82% | 17.22% | 37.94% | -3.16% | 48.53% |
Correlation
The correlation between IFF and IEX is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 24, 1991 | 0.37 |
Fundamentals
IFF:
$4.35
IEX:
$6.77
IFF:
16.83
IEX:
31.35
IFF:
1.31
IEX:
4.51
IFF:
$10.79B
IEX:
$3.53B
IFF:
$3.79B
IEX:
$1.57B
IFF:
$1.77B
IEX:
$885.40M
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Return for Risk
IFF vs. IEX — Risk / Return Rank
IFF
IEX
IFF vs. IEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) and IDEX Corporation (IEX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| IFF | IEX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.03 | 0.79 | -0.82 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.22 | 1.24 | -1.02 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 1.16 | -0.14 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.08 | 1.26 | -1.34 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.15 | 2.45 | -2.60 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IFF | IEX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.03 | 0.79 | -0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.32 | 0.01 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.14 | 0.46 | -0.59 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.12 | 0.14 | -0.03 |
Drawdowns
IFF vs. IEX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IFF drawdown since its inception was -87.25%, which is greater than IEX's maximum drawdown of -81.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IFF and IEX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IFF | IEX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.25% | -81.60% | -5.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.03% | -15.17% | -8.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -42.63% | -34.60% | -8.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -57.42% | -34.60% | -22.82% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -57.42% | -35.52% | -21.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -46.85% | -10.91% | -35.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -37.28% | -11.44% | -25.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.51% | 7.78% | +5.73% |
Volatility
IFF vs. IEX - Volatility Comparison
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) has a higher volatility of 19.59% compared to IDEX Corporation (IEX) at 5.63%. This indicates that IFF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IFF | IEX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 19.59% | 5.63% | +13.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.61% | 16.90% | +10.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.73% | 25.74% | +7.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 31.69% | 24.01% | +7.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.36% | 24.25% | +6.11% |
Dividends
IFF vs. IEX - Dividend Comparison
IFF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.18%, more than IEX's 1.35% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEX IDEX Corporation | 1.35% | 1.58% | 1.29% | 1.16% | 1.02% | 0.90% | 1.00% | 1.12% | 1.31% | 1.10% | 1.49% | 1.62% |
IFF International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. | 2.18% | 2.37% | 1.89% | 4.00% | 3.05% | 2.07% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
IFF vs. IEX - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and IDEX Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
IFF vs. IEX - Profitability Comparison
IFF - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.02B and revenue of 2.74B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.1%.
IEX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, IDEX Corporation reported a gross profit of 398.10M and revenue of 886.90M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 44.9%.
IFF - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. reported an operating income of 273.00M and revenue of 2.74B, resulting in an operating margin of 10.0%.
IEX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, IDEX Corporation reported an operating income of 172.40M and revenue of 886.90M, resulting in an operating margin of 19.4%.
IFF - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. reported a net income of 169.00M and revenue of 2.74B, resulting in a net margin of 6.2%.
IEX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, IDEX Corporation reported a net income of 120.00M and revenue of 886.90M, resulting in a net margin of 13.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IFF and IEX have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IFF has higher volatility (19.59%) compared to IEX (5.63%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IFF dropped -87.25% vs IEX's -81.60%.
IEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.79 vs -0.03), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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