FMC vs XLK Stock Comparison

Compare FMC and XLK across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.

Market data as of Sep 11, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 10 points
FMC
Basic Materials
vs
XLK
Equity
FMC
FMC Corporation
Price
$11.40
Day move
-5.63%
AIQ Score
49/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Basic Materials
XLK
State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF
Leads
Price
$188
Day move
+1.32%
AIQ Score
59/100
Best edge
Quality
Sector
Equity

What is the main difference between FMC and XLK?

XLK leads the current stock comparison as State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF, with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

FMC Corporation vs State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF

Data as of Sep 11, 2026· market close· FMC (stock) vs XLK (ETF)· Coverage 66/66 fields· 42/42 directly comparable· Moderate confidence
AIQ VerdictCompetitiveAIQ Comparison Conviction 6/10

XLK leads

XLK leads by 10 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience, but the lead has narrowed from 19 points over 30 sessions.

Competitive: 3 of 4 evidence groups support XLK, its lead is narrowing, and its signal state is cleanly positive.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 4Comparison trend: Weakening
FMC

FMC Corporation

AIQ Score
49/100
AIQ Edge Score
5/10
XLK

State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF

Leads
AIQ Score
59/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors XLK over FMC, 59 versus 49 as of Sep 11, 2026. XLK's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience, while FMC holds the stronger value profile. XLK also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLK today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader's advantage has been narrowing. XLK lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 19 to 10 points over 30 sessions.

Compare FMC Corporation and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Price-return comparison using available daily close history.

FMC
-87.7%
XLK
+136.4%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000

FMC $1,226 · XLK $23,643

Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.

Compare FMC and XLK against another ticker

Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.

Basic: 2 symbols·Explorer: 3 symbols·Pro and Premium: 5 symbols·Your limit: 2

AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

FMC advantage
0
XLK advantage
  • Quality16 vs 74
    XLK +58
  • Value75 vs 36
    FMC +39
  • Risk Resilience35 vs 62
    XLK +27
  • Momentum66 vs 65
    Even

3 of 4 evidence groups favor XLK. XLK’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience; FMC keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.

FMC-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -2

No new signals fired.

XLK-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -5

No new signals fired.

XLK's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — FMC and XLK both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.

FMC (FMC Corporation): the counter-case, on value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 61.3% against 20.6%.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

XLK

XLK on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

Even

Growth figures are not covered for both names.

Value

FMC

FMC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 39 points.

Momentum

Even

The two are level on Momentum.

Lower downside

XLK

XLK on Risk Resilience, by 27 points.

Analyst upside

Even

Analyst targets are level or not covered for both names.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureFMCXLKNote
Implied upside to target+31.6%Level
Target dispersion+66.7%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusHoldContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering8Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLK. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreXLK49 vs 59
FundamentalsNot coveredNot covered
ValuationFMCValue 75 vs 36
TechnicalsXLKPrice vs 50-day 2.2% vs 2.7%; vs 200-day -10.5% vs 15%
Risk ResilienceXLKRisk Resilience 35 vs 62
Analyst expectationsNot coveredNot covered

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of FMC and XLK and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Competitive

The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.

  • The AIQ gap is moderate at 10 points.
  • The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on XLK.

How the comparison changed

119 daily snapshots · May 4 Sep 10

XLK lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 19 to 10 points over 30 sessions.

May 4FMC leads above the line · XLK leads belowSep 10
Today
XLK +10
49 vs 59
7 sessions ago
XLK +5
51 vs 56
30 sessions ago
XLK +19
40 vs 59
90 sessions ago
Level
43 vs 43

The lead changed hands 6 times in this window, most recently on Aug 25 when XLK moved ahead of FMC.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

FMCConflicted

1 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted

  • Death Cross Active bearish, trend, long horizon (21.01%)
  • Bollinger Band Squeeze neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode neutral, volatility, short horizon (5.20%)
XLK

4 bullish / 0 bearish

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (13.41%)
  • EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish bullish, trend, medium horizon
  • Uptrend Structure Active bullish, trend, long horizon

FMC is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

FMCConfirmed weakness

Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -5.63%, AIQ -1 points).

XLKDivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +1.32%, AIQ -1 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1FMC closes the Quality gap — currently 58 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLK's edge.
  2. 2FMC's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
  3. 3XLK's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
  4. 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 9 points over 30 sessions, and a further 10-point move would eliminate XLK's advantage entirely.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

Split
MetricFMCXLK
Revenue growth (YoY)14.3%
EPS growth (YoY)34.2%
Gross margin35.3%
Operating margin-71.6%
Return on equity (TTM)-118.6%
Debt to equity2.62

Performance

XLK leads 4 of 6 windows
MetricFMCXLK
1 week (5 sessions)-9.4%0.9%
1 month (20 sessions)18%-1.9%
3 months (63 sessions)11.9%4.9%
6 months (126 sessions)-15.2%31.9%
Year to date-12.9%28.7%
1 year (252 sessions)-68.1%39.9%

Technicals

XLK has the stronger structure
MetricFMCXLK
RSI (14)62.154.1
ADX (14)27.110.4
Price vs 50-day2.2%2.7%
Price vs 200-day-10.5%15%
Volatility (1M, annualized)61.3%20.6%

Risk

XLK is the more resilient
MetricFMCXLK
Beta1.541.75
Sharpe ratio-1.11.25
Sortino ratio-1.141.94
Max drawdown-73.9%-16.1%
Current drawdown-68.5%-6.5%
Annualized volatility74.8%26.4%
Value at risk (95%)-6%-2.6%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, FMC or XLK?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, XLK is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 59 against FMC's 49. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. FMC is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is FMC or XLK the better buy right now?

XLK carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.

Why does the AIQ Score favor XLK over FMC?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. XLK leads Quality by 58 points; FMC leads Value by 39 points; XLK leads Risk Resilience by 27 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, FMC or XLK?

Analyst price targets imply +31.6% upside for FMC and not covered for XLK. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, FMC or XLK?

FMC is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. FMC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 39 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, FMC or XLK?

Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, FMC or XLK?

The two are level on Momentum. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, FMC or XLK?

XLK is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. XLK on Risk Resilience, by 27 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is FMC more profitable than XLK?

Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.

Is XLK's lead over FMC getting stronger or weaker?

XLK lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 19 to 10 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 6 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-25, when XLK moved ahead of FMC.

What would change the FMC vs XLK verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: FMC closes the Quality gap — currently 58 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLK's edge; FMC's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; XLK's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 9 points over 30 sessions, and a further 10-point move would eliminate XLK's advantage entirely.

What do the current signals say about FMC and XLK?

FMC: 1 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. XLK: 4 bullish / 0 bearish. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on FMC is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On XLK it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.