Illinois Tool Works (ITW) vs Vertiv LLC (VRT)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Vertiv LLC (VRT) has outperformed Illinois Tool Works (ITW) over the past year, gaining 55.2% versus a gain of 2.1%. Over five years, VRT leads with a +975.4% price change compared with +16.9% for ITW. Vertiv LLC is the larger company by market cap ($94.90 billion vs $74.38 billion), about 1.3 times the size.
On valuation, Illinois Tool Works trades at a lower forward P/E (21.1x vs 26.9x for Vertiv LLC). Illinois Tool Works offers the higher dividend yield (2.47% vs 0.07%). Illinois Tool Works converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 19.1% versus 13.0%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ITW | VRT |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $261.15 | $246.49 |
| Market cap | $74.38B | $94.90B |
| 1-day change | -2.24% | -2.63% |
| YTD return | +6.03% | +52.14% |
| 1-year return | +2.11% | +55.15% |
| 5-year return | +16.86% | +975.44% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 23.68 | 55.77 |
| Forward P/E | 21.09 | 26.86 |
| EPS (TTM) | $11.03 | $4.42 |
| Dividend yield | 2.47% | 0.07% |
| Annual dividend | $6.44 | $0.175 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $16.04B | $10.23B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.92% | +27.69% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $3.07B | $1.33B |
| Gross margin | 52.90% | 36.32% |
| Operating margin | 26.28% | 17.89% |
| Net margin | 19.11% | 13.03% |
| 52-week high | $303.16 | $379.94 |
| 52-week low | $238.82 | $147.82 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -13.86% | -35.12% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.80% | +36.89% |
| Average volume | 1.31M | 5.19M |
| Shares outstanding | 284.80M | 384.99M |
| Employees | 43,000 | 34,000 |
| Sector | Industrials | Technology |
| Industry | Specialty Industrial Machinery | Industrial Machinery/Components |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- VRT has outperformed ITW by 53.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Vertiv LLC trades at a higher earnings multiple (55.8x vs 23.7x trailing P/E).
- Illinois Tool Works offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.47% vs 0.07%).
- Illinois Tool Works is more profitable, keeping 19.1 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 13.0 cents for Vertiv LLC.
- Vertiv LLC grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+27.69% vs +0.92%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Illinois Tool Works in Industrials and Vertiv LLC in Technology.
About Illinois Tool Works
ITW stock →Illinois Tool Works Inc. provides industrial products and equipment in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and South America.
Industrials · Specialty Industrial Machinery · 43,000 employees
About Vertiv LLC
VRT stock →Vertiv Holdings Co designs, manufactures, and services critical digital infrastructure technologies and life cycle services for data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial environments in the Americas, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers AC and DC power management products, low/medium voltage switchgear, busbar, thermal management products, air cooled and liquid cooled thermal management products, integrated modular solutions, racks, single phase UPS, rack power distribution, rack thermal systems, configurable integrated solutions, energy storage solutions, hardware, and software infrastructure that are integral to the technologies used for various services, including artificial intelligence, e-commerce, online banking, file sharing, video on-demand, energy storage, wireless communications, Internet of Things, and online gaming.
Technology · Industrial Machinery/Components · 34,000 employees
ITW vs VRT FAQ
Which is bigger, Illinois Tool Works or Vertiv LLC?
Vertiv LLC (VRT) is larger, with a market capitalization of $94.90B compared with $74.38B for Illinois Tool Works (ITW).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ITW or VRT?
VRT returned +55.15% over the past 12 months, compared with +2.11% for ITW (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ITW or VRT?
ITW has the lower trailing P/E at 23.7, versus 55.8 for VRT. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Illinois Tool Works or Vertiv LLC?
Illinois Tool Works has the higher yield at 2.47%, compared with 0.07% for Vertiv LLC.
Are Illinois Tool Works and Vertiv LLC in the same industry?
No. Illinois Tool Works is in the Industrials sector, while Vertiv LLC is in Technology.