Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) is included among the 16 Best Dividend Stocks with Rising Payouts. Barclays Raises Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Price Target, Sees “Some Encouragement” in Outlook On February 9, Barclays analyst Julian Mitchell raised his price target on Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) to $275 from $244. The analyst reiterated an Underweight rating on the stock. He said the company’s outlook showed “some encouragement,” pointing to a few positive signs despite the cautious rating. E ...

Core Insights - Investors are shifting towards dividend-paying stocks as a hedge against risks associated with artificial intelligence, with notable performance in traditional sectors compared to large-cap tech [2][3] - The iShares Select Dividend ETF has increased nearly 11% year-to-date, while the Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF is up about 15%, contrasting with a largely flat S&P 500 [2] - The widening performance gap between big tech and older economy stocks is prompting portfolio rebalancing among investors [3] Company Summaries Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) - The company has a payout ratio of 59.2% and was recently rated Underweight by Barclays, despite a price target increase from $244 to $275 [9] - Illinois Tool Works reported Q4 earnings of $2.72 per share, exceeding expectations of $2.68, with revenue rising to $4.09 billion from $3.93 billion year-over-year [10][12] - The Automotive OEM segment generated $827 million in revenue, up from $785 million a year earlier, supported by steady demand for automotive parts [11] Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (NYSE:CHD) - The company has a payout ratio of 36.87% and was upgraded to Neutral from Sell by Rothschild & Co Redburn, with a price target increase from $81 to $91 [14] - Church & Dwight reported adjusted earnings of 86 cents per share, surpassing analysts' estimates of 84 cents, benefiting from steady demand for household products [18] - The company expects gross margin expansion of about 100 basis points in 2026, reflecting ongoing efficiency improvements [16] Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ:TSCO) - The company has a payout ratio of 43.96% and faced a price target reduction from $55 to $53 by TD Cowen, maintaining a Hold rating [20] - Tractor Supply reported Q4 net sales of $3.90 billion, slightly below estimates, with comparable store sales rising just 0.3% [24] - The company anticipates fiscal 2026 net sales growth of 4% to 6%, below analysts' average estimate of 6.3% [24]

Core Insights - The article discusses Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and its stock performance following the release of Q3 2024 earnings, noting that the stock was trading around $272 per share at that time [1]. Group 1 - The stock of Illinois Tool Works has experienced fluctuations since the last coverage in late 2024 [1]. - The author has a strong academic background with a master's degree in Analytics and a bachelor's degree in Accounting, contributing to their expertise in investment analysis [1]. Group 2 - The author has over 10 years of experience in the investment arena, starting as an analyst and progressing to a management role [1]. - Dividend investing is highlighted as a personal interest of the author, indicating a focus on income-generating investments [1].

Valued at a market cap of $86.9 billion, Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is a diversified industrial manufacturing company based in Glenview, Illinois. It designs and produces a wide range of engineered products, including fasteners and components, equipment, consumable systems, and specialty industrial products, that serve markets such as automotive, construction, food equipment, test & measurement, polymers & fluids, and welding. This industrial company has outpaced the broader market over the past 52 w ...

Group 1: Industry Overview - The industrial sector is experiencing growth driven by increased demand for infrastructure, particularly in semiconductors, data centers, and aerospace, supported by rising U.S. defense spending [1] - The manufacturing sector is showing signs of recovery, with the ISM Manufacturing PMI rising to 52.6, indicating expansion and the fastest growth in new orders since 2022 [3] - The industrial sector is benefiting from long-term tailwinds such as lower interest rates, a rebounding manufacturing cycle, and the adoption of agentic AI [6] Group 2: Company Performances - Illinois Tool Works operates with an 80/20 business model across seven divisions, focusing on high-value clients to mitigate cyclical risks [7] - Honeywell plans to spin off its Aerospace division to concentrate on industrial automation, with the split expected to be completed by Q3 2026 [9] - Deere and Company has transformed into a tech-oriented firm with high-margin revenue from automated farming equipment, reporting a 14% year-over-year revenue increase to $12.39 billion [12][13] Group 3: Stock Performance - The Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund has gained nearly 13% year-to-date, indicating a breakout in the industrials sector amidst a market rotation away from tech stocks [4] - Illinois Tool Works, Honeywell, and Deere are all hitting new all-time highs, reflecting positive market sentiment and optimistic forecasts for 2026 [5] - Deere's stock has reached a new all-time high, driven by strong technical trends and investor confidence despite potential tariff headwinds [15]

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K ☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission file number 1-4797 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the author's investment strategy, focusing on medium-term investing in growth stories and identifying catalysts for value unlocking or downside risks [1]. Group 1: Investment Strategy - The company emphasizes a medium-term investment approach, targeting ideas with catalysts that can unlock value and drive upside [1]. - The strategy includes short selling when there are identified downside catalysts [1]. - The company prefers investing in growth stories that are available at reasonable prices [1]. Group 2: Sector Preferences - The company is a generalist in terms of sector preferences but has significant experience analyzing the industrial, consumer, and technology sectors [1]. - Higher conviction in investments is typically found within the industrial, consumer, and technology sectors due to the author's professional background [1].

Market Overview - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite declined by 0.1% and 1.9% respectively, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 2.5% last week, indicating a mixed performance across major indexes [1] - The divergence in market performance was attributed to a rotation in investor preferences rather than overall market weakness, with rising Treasury yields making high-valuation growth stocks less appealing [1] Sector Performance - Optimism regarding economic resilience led to increased buying in cyclically sensitive and defensive sectors, with industrials benefiting from infrastructure and manufacturing strength, financials gaining from higher yields, and energy rising with firmer oil prices [2] - This shift underscores a focus on earnings stability and tangible cash flows among investors [2] Zacks Research Performance - Kennametal Inc. (KMT) shares surged by 44.8% since being upgraded to a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) on December 8, outperforming the S&P 500's 0.7% increase [3] - Inventiva S.A. (IVA) also saw a return of 42.4% since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 on the same date [4] - An equal-weight portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 stocks outperformed the equal-weight S&P 500 index by 7 percentage points, returning 17.81% compared to 10.85% for the index [4] Zacks Recommendations - Clearway Energy, Inc. (CWENA) and Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, Inc. (PRSU) saw share increases of 16.7% and 5.4% respectively since their upgrades to Outperform on December 10 and December 11 [6] - The Zacks Recommendation system aims to predict stock performance over the next 6 to 12 months, based on trends in earnings estimate revisions [7] Focus List and Portfolios - Celanese Corporation (CE) gained 32.9% over the past 12 weeks since being added to the Zacks Focus List, while Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NTLA) returned 29% over the same period [9] - The Zacks Focus List portfolio returned 22.1% in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 index's 17.9% gain [10] - The Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP) returned -1.67% for 2025, underperforming the S&P 500 index's 17.9% gain, but had a return of 16.26% in 2024 compared to the S&P 500's 24.89% [14] Dividend Portfolio Performance - Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) and Fastenal Company (FAST) returned 19.6% and 16.8% respectively over the past 12 weeks, benefiting from investor interest in quality dividend stocks amid market volatility [16] - The Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) returned -0.6% for 2025, underperforming the Dividend Aristocrat ETF's 6.8% gain [17] Top 10 Stocks Performance - Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) increased by 31.4% since January 5, 2026, compared to the S&P 500 Index's 1.1% increase [20] - The Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of 2,472.7% since 2012, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 index's 561.6% return [21]

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market is experiencing mixed trading patterns with a notable rotation out of technology giants and into broader market sectors [1] - The S&P 500 has slipped around 0.2% to 0.3%, marking a modest decline for the fourth time in the last five days [2] - The Nasdaq Composite has traded approximately 1% lower, with the Nasdaq 100 specifically seeing a 1.4% loss [2] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen by as much as 389 points, or 0.8%, indicating a shift away from tech stocks towards firms expected to benefit from improving growth prospects [2] Economic Indicators - The yield on 10-year Treasuries has remained steady at 4.28% [3] - Upcoming economic data includes the ADP Employment Change and ISM Services PMI for January, which are crucial for assessing the labor market and services sector [5] - The week will culminate with the U.S. Employment Report on February 6th, which includes non-farm payrolls and average hourly earnings [6] Company-Specific Highlights - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) shares dropped by as much as 15.7% despite stronger-than-expected profits, indicating high expectations for AI-related companies [9] - Uber Technologies (UBER) fell 3% to 5% after its quarterly results and profit forecast fell short of expectations [10] - Super Micro Computer (SMCI) rallied by 12% to 14% after delivering stronger-than-expected profits [10] - Eli Lilly (LLY) surged by 9.2% after exceeding profit expectations and providing strong guidance, driven by its obesity drugs [11] - Silicon Laboratories (SLAB) shares soared by 51% following the announcement of its acquisition by Texas Instruments for approximately $7.5 billion [13] - Nvidia (NVDA) shares declined 2.8% due to a broad tech sell-off and uncertainty surrounding its OpenAI investment [14]

Core Viewpoint - Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is experiencing strong financial performance despite a price target set by Goldman Sachs indicating a potential downside for the stock [1][6]. Financial Performance - In Q4 2025, ITW's adjusted earnings per share (EPS) increased by 7% to $2.72, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.68 [2][6]. - The company's revenues for Q4 reached $4.09 billion, marking a 4% increase from the previous year, driven by favorable foreign currency translation and strategic acquisitions [2][6]. - For the full year 2025, ITW reported net revenues of $16 billion, a 0.9% increase from the previous year, although adjusted EPS decreased by 10.4% to $10.49 [4]. Future Projections - ITW projects EPS for 2026 to be between $11.00 and $11.40, anticipating a 24% growth in revenue [3][6]. - The company plans to execute $1.5 billion in share buybacks, reflecting confidence in its financial health [3][6]. Market Position - ITW's stock is currently priced at $278.91, reflecting a 5.56% increase with a change of $14.70, and has fluctuated between $263.46 and $282.88 today [4]. - The stock has a 52-week high of $282.88 and a low of $214.66 [4]. - ITW's market capitalization stands at approximately $81.3 billion, with a trading volume of 3,188,697 shares today [5].