Vanguard Group Inc. Acquires 189,229 Shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. $ITW

Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) by 0.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 26,887,218 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 189,229 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. owned about 0.09% of Illinois Tool Works worth $6,622,322,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 293.0% in the third quarter. Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec now owns 424,547 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $110,705,000 after purchasing an additional 316,512 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 316.3% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 366,012 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $90,149,000 after buying an additional 278,085 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 161.3% during the third quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 400,152 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $104,344,000 after buying an additional 246,994 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 3rd quarter worth about $46,737,000. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 15.5% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,156,043 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $301,467,000 after acquiring an additional 155,105 shares during the last quarter. 79.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $275.00 to $250.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Wolfe Research upped their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $276.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Robert W. Baird set a $278.00 target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $285.00 price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $270.00.

More Illinois Tool Works News

Here are the key news stories impacting Illinois Tool Works this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street expects ITW to report earnings growth next week; analysts see the company as having the right setup for a likely beat, which supports near-term upside into the report. Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Reports Next Week: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth (Zacks)
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst write-up positions ITW as a top defensive stock (ranked 6th on a defensive list), highlighting its 80/20 front-to-back process and steady cash generation — a reason some investors buy on weakness. Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW): Emerging as Premier Defensive Play
• Neutral Sentiment: General coverage names ITW among large-cap stocks to watch; this is broad interest/visibility but not new company-specific catalyst. 1 Large-Cap Stock Worth Your Attention and 2 We Find Risky
• Negative Sentiment: MarketWatch notes ITW underperformed rivals on Friday, signaling relative weakness vs. peers that can amplify selling when sector sentiment turns cautious. Illinois Tool Works Inc. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors
• Negative Sentiment: Peer Allegion flagged rising costs and FX headwinds ahead of earnings — signals that cost/forex pressure is present across industrial peers and could temper ITW’s margin outlook. Allegion Gears Up to Post Q1 Earnings: Is a Beat in the Offing?
• Negative Sentiment: IDEX warned of weak end-market demand in parts (fire safety) and rising costs — another indicator of demand/margin pressure in the industrials group. IDEX Gears Up to Report Q1 Earnings: What’s in the Cards?
• Negative Sentiment: Gates Industrial is expected to report an earnings decline, reflecting weaker industrial demand in parts of the cycle — a caution for investors watching momentum across the space. Analysts Estimate Gates Industrial (GTES) to Report a Decline in Earnings: What to Look Out for
• Negative Sentiment: Avery Dennison’s preview highlights margin pressures and a negative earnings surprise signal — adds to the theme of input-cost and margin risk across packaging/industrial stocks. Avery Dennison to Report Q1 Earnings: What’s in Store for the Stock?

Insider Transactions at Illinois Tool Works

In related news, EVP Axel Beck sold 4,223 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $290.22, for a total value of $1,225,599.06. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 5,789 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,680,083.58. This trade represents a 42.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Ernest Scott Santi sold 167,345 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $290.93, for a total transaction of $48,685,680.85. Following the transaction, the director owned 258,766 shares in the company, valued at approximately $75,282,792.38. The trade was a 39.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.83% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Illinois Tool Works Price Performance

Shares of ITW opened at $269.44 on Monday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $273.43 and a 200 day simple moving average of $261.33. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 52-week low of $228.76 and a 52-week high of $303.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.07, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $77.62 billion, a PE ratio of 25.69, a P/E/G ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 1.13.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The industrial products company reported $2.72 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.69 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $4.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.07 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.11% and a return on equity of 95.16%. The business’s revenue was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.54 earnings per share. Illinois Tool Works has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.000-11.400 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 11.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st were given a $1.61 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $6.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Illinois Tool Works’s payout ratio is currently 61.39%.

About Illinois Tool Works

Illinois Tool Works Inc (ITW) is a diversified industrial manufacturer that designs and produces a broad array of engineered products, consumables and related service solutions for industrial customers. Its offerings span engineered fastening systems, specialty components, industrial equipment, welding products, foodservice and packaging equipment, adhesives and polymer products, and test-and-measurement technologies. These products are used as critical inputs by customers across automotive, construction, electronics, foodservice, maintenance and other industrial end markets.

The company operates a decentralized business model in which independently managed businesses focus on niche product lines and close customer relationships.