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ITWIllinois Tool Works Inc.Sell5.4·$273.70
SellHigh Confidence
Investment thesis

Illinois Tool Works operates a high-quality industrial franchise with 19% operating margins and a Piotroski F-Score of 7 out of 9 — among the best in its peer group — and has delivered 4 consecutive EPS beats. The stock is currently trading above its near-term take-profit target, producing an unfavorable asymmetry; the quality thesis is intact, but the current price setup rewards patience rather than new commitment.

Thesis pillars

  • Best In Class Margins And Quality→Stable
  • Consistent Earnings Delivery→Stable
  • Stock Above Take Profit Target→Stable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) Stock Analysis

Catalyst-Driven edge

SellVALUE-TRAP 1/5QualityHigh Confidence

Industrials · Specialty Industrial Machinery

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $273.70 — A.R:R is negative (-0.8) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7.

The Company's ticker symbol is ITW. The Company is a global manufacturer of a diversified range of industrial products and equipment with 88 divisions in 49 countries. As of December 31, 2025, the Company employed approximately 43,000 people.

$273.70-3.8% A.UpsideScore 5.4/10#35 of 55 Specialty Industrial Machinery
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield3.14%
IncomeYield2.52%(5y avg 2.26%)Payout58.33%sustainable
Stop $265.10Target $278.74(resistance)A.R:R -0.8:1
Analyst target$302.50+10.5%14 analysts
$278.74our TP
$273.70price
$302.50mean
$249
$350

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $273.70 — A.R:R is negative (-0.8) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 5.4/10, high confidence.

Passes 7/8 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 28d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: moderate.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-09-25
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Fri, Oct 23, 202628d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
V7 quality resilience bonus: +0.2 (Q=7.6 in RISK_OFF)
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
High-quality business
Risks
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining
Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7
Leverage penalty (D/E 3.3): -1.5

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)24.7
P/E (Fwd)21.9
Mkt Cap$77.5B
EV/EBITDA18.0
Profit Mgn19.4%
ROE104.6%
Rev Growth6.1%
Beta1.00
Dividend2.52%
Rating analysts24

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C0.47bullish
IV38%normal
Max Pain$175-36.1% vs spot

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

10 dimensions · all in-band

GatesA.R:R -0.8=NEGATIVEMomentum 6.5>=5.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 28d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Moderate
RSI
57 · Neutral
↑ 20D MA↓ 50D MA↑ 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $261.35Resistance $284.43

Price Targets

$265
$279
A.Upside-3.8%
A.R:R-0.8:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeRisk-Off

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-3.8% upside)
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-23 (28d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ITW stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $273.70 — A.R:R is negative (-0.8) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $265.10. Score 5.4/10, high confidence.

What is the ITW stock price target?

Take-profit target: $278.74 (-3.8% upside). Prior stop was $265.10. Stop-loss: $265.10.

What are the risks of investing in ITW?

Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Sector modifier (Industrials): -0.7; Leverage penalty (D/E 3.3): -1.5.

Is ITW overvalued or undervalued?

Illinois Tool Works Inc. trades at a P/E of 24.7 (forward 21.9). TrendMatrix value score: 4.6/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about ITW?

24 analysts cover ITW with a consensus score of 2.7/5. Average price target: $303.

What does Illinois Tool Works Inc. do?The Company's ticker symbol is ITW. The Company is a global manufacturer of a diversified range of industrial products...

The Company's ticker symbol is ITW. The Company is a global manufacturer of a diversified range of industrial products and equipment with 88 divisions in 49 countries. As of December 31, 2025, the Company employed approximately 43,000 people.

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