ITW vs. PONY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 21, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ITW and PONY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

ITW is a standard domestic listing, while PONY trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	ITW	PONY
Company Name	Illinois Tool Works Inc.	Pony AI Inc.
Country	United States	China
GICS Sector	Industrials	Information Technology
GICS Industry	Machinery	Software
Market Capitalization	77.92 billion USD	5.47 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	March 13, 1973	November 27, 2024
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ITW and PONY by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

ITW vs. PONY: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	ITW	PONY
5-Day Price Return	4.10%	3.08%
13-Week Price Return	6.80%	-23.27%
26-Week Price Return	4.79%	16.76%
52-Week Price Return	12.97%	--
Month-to-Date Return	4.43%	14.58%
Year-to-Date Return	5.43%	7.32%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.98M	7.51M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.10M	12.34M
3-Month Volatility	18.39%	123.46%
Beta	1.14	2.66

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

ITW

102.30%

Machinery Industry

Max: 34.68%
Q3: 19.06%
Median: 13.13%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -4.87%

ITW’s Return on Equity of 102.30% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Machinery industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

PONY

-44.40%

Software Industry

Max: 59.01%
Q3: 21.98%
Median: 7.15%
Q1: -11.12%
Min: -51.24%

PONY has a negative Return on Equity of -44.40%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

ITW

21.31%

Machinery Industry

Max: 19.74%
Q3: 11.24%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 5.38%
Min: -1.11%

ITW’s Net Profit Margin of 21.31% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Machinery industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.

PONY

-496.43%

Software Industry

Max: 48.14%
Q3: 18.23%
Median: 5.60%
Q1: -9.22%
Min: -49.36%

PONY has a negative Net Profit Margin of -496.43%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

ITW

25.98%

Machinery Industry

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 16.15%
Median: 11.27%
Q1: 7.72%
Min: -4.91%

An Operating Profit Margin of 25.98% places ITW in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

PONY

-556.87%

Software Industry

Max: 57.34%
Q3: 20.60%
Median: 7.84%
Q1: -8.72%
Min: -51.37%

PONY has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -556.87%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ITW	PONY
Return on Equity (TTM)	102.30%	-44.40%
Return on Assets (TTM)	21.57%	-40.68%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	21.31%	-496.43%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	25.98%	-556.87%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	43.74%	21.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

ITW

1.59

Machinery Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.32
Median: 1.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.78

ITW’s Current Ratio of 1.59 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

PONY

15.86

Software Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.31
Median: 1.45
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.24

PONY’s Current Ratio of 15.86 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Software industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

ITW

2.78

Machinery Industry

Max: 1.49
Q3: 0.75
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.00

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.78, ITW operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Machinery industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

PONY

0.00

Software Industry

Max: 2.14
Q3: 0.90
Median: 0.29
Q1: 0.00
Min: 0.00

PONY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 is typical for the Software industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

ITW

20.06

Machinery Industry

Max: 67.55
Q3: 33.79
Median: 13.87
Q1: 7.97
Min: -1.43

ITW’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.06 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

PONY

Software Industry

Max: 67.02
Q3: 19.86
Median: 0.70
Q1: -12.50
Min: -53.00

Interest Coverage Ratio data for PONY is currently unavailable.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ITW	PONY
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.59	15.86
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.04	14.62
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	2.78	0.00
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	20.06	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

ITW vs. PONY: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

ITW vs. PONY: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ITW

2.25%

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.32%
Q3: 2.84%
Median: 1.87%
Q1: 1.09%
Min: 0.00%

ITW’s Dividend Yield of 2.25% is consistent with its peers in the Machinery industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

PONY

0.00%

Software Industry

Max: 0.08%
Q3: 0.03%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PONY currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ITW

51.65%

Machinery Industry

Max: 202.17%
Q3: 98.65%
Median: 55.54%
Q1: 29.03%
Min: 0.00%

ITW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 51.65% is within the typical range for the Machinery industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

PONY

0.00%

Software Industry

Max: 1.32%
Q3: 0.53%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PONY has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ITW	PONY
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.25%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	51.65%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

ITW

23.00

Machinery Industry

Max: 53.66
Q3: 31.29
Median: 22.00
Q1: 16.18
Min: 7.00

ITW’s P/E Ratio of 23.00 is within the middle range for the Machinery industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

PONY

Software Industry

Max: 149.35
Q3: 100.21
Median: 47.97
Q1: 26.77
Min: 11.68

P/E Ratio data for PONY is currently unavailable.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

ITW

4.90

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.04
Q3: 2.72
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.24

ITW’s P/S Ratio of 4.90 is in the upper echelon for the Machinery industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

PONY

67.78

Software Industry

Max: 25.24
Q3: 13.52
Median: 8.15
Q1: 4.87
Min: 0.98

With a P/S Ratio of 67.78, PONY trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

ITW

22.57

Machinery Industry

Max: 7.23
Q3: 3.90
Median: 2.52
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.49

At 22.57, ITW’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Machinery industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

PONY

3.43

Software Industry

Max: 30.95
Q3: 14.91
Median: 7.75
Q1: 3.60
Min: 0.38

PONY’s P/B Ratio of 3.43 is in the lower quartile for the Software industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

ITW vs. PONY: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Machinery and Software industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ITW	PONY
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	23.00	--
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	4.90	67.78
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	22.57	3.43
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	28.41	--