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CSL vs. ITW: Carlisle vs. Illinois Tool Works Stock Comparison

How do Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CSL is classified in Building Products while ITW is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Profile ItemCSLITW
NameCarlisle Companies IncorporatedIllinois Tool Works Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryBuilding ProductsMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryBuilding ProductsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization14.52 billion USD79.85 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973March 13, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSL
ITW
GSPC
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
Total Return (1Y)24.99%20.29%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.85%10.62%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.02%6.67%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSL
ITW
GSPC
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)38.46%22.16%
Beta (5Y)0.760.91
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.72%-28.05%
Avg. Volume (3M)509.16K1.27M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CSL and ITW are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.540.72
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.871.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 42.34% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 101.65% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

42.34%

CSL
42.34%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

101.65%

ITW
101.65%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Carlisle (CSL) at 13.78% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 19.39% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

13.78%

Max
27.47%
CSL
13.78%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

19.39%

Max
27.47%
ITW
19.39%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 20.21% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 28.05% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

20.21%

Max
36.60%
CSL
20.21%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

28.05%

Max
36.60%
ITW
28.05%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
ROE (TTM)42.34%101.65%
ROA (TTM)10.20%17.13%
Net Margin (TTM)13.78%19.39%
Operating Margin (TTM)20.21%28.05%
Gross Margin (TTM)34.66%44.32%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 0.33% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 0.92% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at -10.42% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Carlisle (CSL) at -38.46% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
Revenue Growth (YoY)0.33%0.92%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.70%0.23%
EPS Growth (YoY)-38.46%-10.42%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.84%2.40%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Carlisle (CSL) at 2.41 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 1.29 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ITW.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.41

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
CSL
2.41
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

1.29

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
ITW
1.29
Min
0.36
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but ITW is more stretched: Carlisle (CSL) at 2.01 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.98 is above its industry benchmark range.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.01

Max
2.33
CSL
2.01
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

2.98

ITW
2.98
Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.411.29
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.012.98
Net Debt / EBITDA1.931.76

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 1.20% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.29% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

1.20%

Max
2.66%
CSL
1.20%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

2.29%

Max
2.66%
ITW
2.29%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 25.50% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 58.43% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

25.50%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
CSL
25.50%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

58.43%

Max
67.39%
ITW
58.43%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%2.29%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)25.50%58.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 21.06 and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.06 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

21.06

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
CSL
21.06
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

25.06

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
ITW
25.06
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 2.79 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 4.80 sits in the pricier quartile — ITW costs more per dollar of sales.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.79

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
CSL
2.79
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

4.80

Max
7.54
ITW
4.80
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Carlisle (CSL) at 10.11 and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.42 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

10.11

CSL
10.11
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

25.42

ITW
25.42
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Carlisle (CSL) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
MetricCSLITW
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.0625.06
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.794.80
P/B Ratio (MRQ)10.1125.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.01%2.89%