Relationships between embedded-atom method parameters and the energies of fcc-hcp stability and intrinsic and extrinsic fcc stacking-faults were studied for Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, and Pt. It was found that the relative magnitudes of these energies for different metals are determined primarily by the physical input data and are almost independent of the cutoff distance and the functions used in the model. These energies increase with increasing vacancy formation energy, decrease with increasing atomic volume and shear modulus, and are almost independent of variations in the cohesive energy and the bulk modulus. However, the shape of the energy versus cutoff distance curve is almost the same for all six metals and is determined primarily by the cutoff distance and the functions used in the model. The shape for a given model is almost independent of the physical input parameters used for fitting to specific metals, can yield either positive or negative values (determined primarily by the cutoff distance), and is similar for all three energies.