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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Specialty Industrial Machinery

IMI vs Illinois Tool Works: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Illinois Tool Works holds the cleaner structural position, with growth as the main driver and profitability adding further support. IMI still has the edge on growth, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

Growth points more clearly toward IMI plc, even if the broader score still leans toward Illinois Tool Works Inc..

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Industrial Machinery

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. IMI.L and ITW share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how IMI and Illinois Tool Works each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
IMI.L
IMI plc
62
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
vs
ITW
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
69
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: IMI.L vs ITW Profitability 53 80 Stability 50 68 Valuation 61 67 Growth 90 56 IMI.L ITW
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +34
#2 Profitability +27
#3 Stability +18
#4 Valuation +6
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for IMI.L and ITW Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer IMI.LITW Relative valuation Structural strength

Structure stays fairly close here, while current pricing still looks more supportive for Illinois Tool Works Inc..

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
Both profiles are strong on growth, but IMI plc leads clearly.
Profitability
On profitability, the edge is clear — both rank well, but Illinois Tool Works Inc. sits noticeably higher.
Growth — Dominant Gap
IMI.L
90
ITW
56
Gap+34in favour of IMI.L

The main growth separation is wide, driven by a meaningfully stronger expansion profile.

What else supports the lead

Capital efficiency adds support, with a 12-point ROIC advantage.

What this means for the comparison

Growth is the clearest driver of the lead, with profitability adding further support — though growth still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the IMI.L vs ITW comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how IMI.L and ITW each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.