Ametek Inc's stock plummeted 5.94% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, following the release of its fourth-quarter earnings report. The sharp decline comes despite the company reporting better-than-expected results for the quarter.

The manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices reported adjusted earnings of $2.01 per share for Q4, beating the FactSet consensus estimate of $1.94. Net sales reached $2 billion, also exceeding analyst expectations of $1.95 billion and representing a 13% increase from the prior year.

However, investors appeared focused on the company's forward guidance. Ametek provided Q1 adjusted earnings guidance in the range of $1.85 to $1.90 per share, with the midpoint falling below the analyst expectation of $1.90. For the full year 2026, the company expects adjusted earnings of $7.87 to $8.07 per share, which also trails the analyst consensus of $8.02. This guidance disappointment appears to be driving the pre-market selloff despite the strong quarterly performance.