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ITW vs. SWK: Illinois Tool Works vs. Stanley Black & Decker Stock Comparison

How do Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) are both classified in the Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components sub-industry within the broader Machinery industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
Profile ItemITWSWK
NameIllinois Tool Works Inc.Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization79.85 billion USD17.08 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 13, 1973March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ITW
SWK
GSPC
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
Total Return (1Y)20.29%83.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)10.62%17.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)6.67%-5.19%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ITW
SWK
GSPC
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.16%38.68%
Beta (5Y)0.911.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.05%-68.03%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.27M1.67M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ITW and SWK 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 Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.722.04
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.123.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 101.65% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 9.44%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

9.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
SWK
9.44%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 19.39% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 5.53%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

5.53%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
SWK
5.53%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 28.05% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 8.71%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

8.71%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
SWK
8.71%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
ROE (TTM)101.65%9.44%
ROA (TTM)17.13%3.48%
Net Margin (TTM)19.39%5.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)28.05%8.71%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.32%32.16%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 0.92% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at -1.53% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 35.90% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at -10.42% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for SWK.

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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
Revenue Growth (YoY)0.92%-1.53%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.23%-3.71%
EPS Growth (YoY)-10.42%35.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)2.40%-26.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 1.29 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.42 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SWK
1.42
Min
0.36
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 0.58 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.98 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

0.58

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
SWK
0.58
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.291.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.980.58
Net Debt / EBITDA1.762.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.29% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 2.89% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

2.89%

SWK
2.89%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 58.43% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 59.68% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

59.68%

Max
67.39%
SWK
59.68%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.29%2.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.43%59.68%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.06 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 20.58 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

20.58

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
SWK
20.58
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.12 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.12

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
SWK
1.12
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.93 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.42 prices above its benchmark range — ITW looks rich relative to book.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.93

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
SWK
1.93
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricITWSWK
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.0620.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.801.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)25.421.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.89%11.37%