ITW vs. LII: Illinois Tool Works vs. Lennox Stock Comparison
How do Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Lennox (LII) 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
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Lennox (LII) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but ITW is classified in Machinery while LII is classified in Building Products.
| Profile Item | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Lennox International Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry Group | Capital Goods | Capital Goods |
| GICS Industry | Machinery | Building Products |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components | Building Products |
| Market Capitalization | 79.85 billion USD | 11.70 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 13, 1973 | July 29, 1999 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 20.29% | -27.83% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 10.62% | -2.32% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 6.67% | 3.79% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 22.16% | 41.59% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.91 | 1.18 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -28.05% | -49.95% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.27M | 563.34K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.72 | -0.77 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 1.12 | -0.96 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 101.65% and Lennox (LII) at 62.82% 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.
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%
LII
Capital Goods industry group
62.82%
- LII
- 62.82%
- Max
- 40.55%
- Q3
- 19.29%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 4.08%
- Min
- -17.12%
Net Margin (TTM)
For every dollar of sales, both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 19.39% and Lennox (LII) at 13.76% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.
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%
LII
Capital Goods industry group
13.76%
- Max
- 27.47%
- LII
- 13.76%
- Q3
- 12.10%
- Median
- 6.30%
- Q1
- 1.40%
- Min
- -12.89%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 28.05% and Lennox (LII) at 20.57% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
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%
LII
Capital Goods industry group
20.57%
- Max
- 36.60%
- LII
- 20.57%
- Q3
- 18.33%
- Median
- 11.12%
- Q1
- 5.14%
- Min
- -12.63%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 101.65% | 62.82% |
| ROA (TTM) | 17.13% | 15.93% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 19.39% | 13.76% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 28.05% | 20.57% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 44.32% | 32.62% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 0.92% and Lennox (LII) at -2.73% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.
EPS Growth
Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at -10.42% and Lennox (LII) at 1.11% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 0.92% | -2.73% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 0.23% | 3.26% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -10.42% | 1.11% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 2.40% | 17.97% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 1.29 and Lennox (LII) at 1.21 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.
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
LII
Capital Goods industry group
1.21
- Max
- 5.22
- Q3
- 2.95
- Median
- 2.08
- Q1
- 1.43
- LII
- 1.21
- Min
- 0.36
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but ITW is more stretched: Lennox (LII) at 1.58 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.98 is above its industry benchmark range.
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
LII
Capital Goods industry group
1.58
- Max
- 2.33
- LII
- 1.58
- Q3
- 1.12
- Median
- 0.60
- Q1
- 0.29
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.29 | 1.21 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 2.98 | 1.58 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.76 | 1.73 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.29% and Lennox (LII) at 1.53% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.
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%
LII
Capital Goods industry group
1.53%
- Max
- 2.66%
- LII
- 1.53%
- Q3
- 1.14%
- Median
- 0.24%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Lennox (LII) at 24.68% 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.
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%
LII
Capital Goods industry group
24.68%
- Max
- 67.39%
- Q3
- 28.02%
- LII
- 24.68%
- Median
- 6.86%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.29% | 1.53% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 58.43% | 24.68% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Lennox (LII) at 15.47 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.06 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for LII, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
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
LII
Capital Goods industry group
15.47
- Max
- 59.38
- Q3
- 35.92
- Median
- 25.41
- Q1
- 19.47
- LII
- 15.47
- Min
- 3.03
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Lennox (LII) at 2.15 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.
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
LII
Capital Goods industry group
2.15
- Max
- 7.54
- Q3
- 3.76
- Median
- 2.15
- LII
- 2.15
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.03
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Both look rich against book: Lennox (LII) at 8.88 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.42 prices even higher, above its industry range.
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
LII
Capital Goods industry group
8.88
- Max
- 9.66
- LII
- 8.88
- Q3
- 5.00
- Median
- 3.12
- Q1
- 1.81
- Min
- -1.08
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ITW | LII |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 25.06 | 15.47 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.80 | 2.15 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 25.42 | 8.88 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.89% | 3.14% |