Advertisement
ITW vs ZWS
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) vs. Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- ITW demonstrates stability as a dividend aristocrat with a recent 7% increase in its 2026 dividend payout, supporting investor confidence in recent market activity.
- ZWS reported strong Q1 2026 results, including 11% organic sales growth and adjusted EBITDA margins expanding 160 basis points (bps), driving positive momentum.
- ITW's diversified operations across seven segments provide resilience, with YTD returns around 10% amid broader industrial sector pressures.
- ZWS exhibits higher recent growth potential in water management solutions, with shares rising post-earnings on beats in revenue and EPS (earnings per share).
- Both stocks show solid 12-month gains, but ZWS trades at a lower market cap (~$8B vs. ITW's ~$78B), offering different scale and risk profiles in stock comparisons.
- Market sentiment favors ITW for defensive positioning, while ZWS benefits from sector tailwinds in infrastructure and water infrastructure spending.
Introduction
This stock comparison between ITW and ZWS examines two industrial sector players amid evolving market conditions. Illinois Tool Works Inc. represents a diversified manufacturing giant, while Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation focuses on specialized water management products. Traders seeking relative performance insights and investors eyeing stability versus growth may find value here. Recent earnings beats and dividend announcements have shaped sentiment shifts, highlighting trade-offs in momentum, risk, and sector exposure. This analysis draws on verifiable data to aid informed market positioning decisions.
ITW Overview and Recent Performance
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is a global manufacturer operating across seven segments, including automotive OEM, food equipment, welding, and construction products. With ~43,000 employees, it serves diverse markets through direct sales and distributors. In recent weeks, ITW shares have traded around $270, within a 52-week range of $229–$303, reflecting resilience. A 7% dividend increase for 2026—extending over 50 years of raises—has bolstered sentiment, alongside Q1 EPS of $2.72 beating estimates by $0.03. Management guided 2–4% revenue growth and EPS of $11.00–$11.40 for the year, driven by customer innovation, though organic growth faces industrial headwinds. YTD gains near 10% underscore its defensive appeal versus broader indices.
ZWS Overview and Recent Performance
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) specializes in water management products like plumbing fixtures, valves, and hydration solutions for commercial, municipal, and residential use. Recent market activity has propelled shares around $52, up post-Q1 results, within a context of strong sector demand. Q1 2026 delivered $433 million in revenue (11.4% YoY growth, beating estimates), adjusted EPS of $0.41 (above $0.36 consensus), and EBITDA up 18% to $116 million with 26.8% margins. Organic sales grew 11%, fueled by infrastructure tailwinds, generating $43 million in free cash flow. This performance has shifted sentiment positively, contrasting broader industrial moderation, with analysts targeting ~$54.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases 25 top-performing AI trading bots curated from over 351 total bots that analyze thousands of tickers across stocks, ETFs, and crypto. These bots employ diverse strategies—technical or fundamental analysis—tailored to low, medium, or high volatility, with styles like Signal Agents (no minimum balance), Virtual Agents (risk-managed), and Brokerage Agents. Update frequencies range from 60-minute to 5-minute intervals via subscription plans. Only bots best suited to current market conditions earn trending status, offering real-time signals for copy trading. Explore these tools to enhance your strategy across varying timeframes and performances.
Head-to-Head Comparison
In business models, ITW’s diversification across automotive, welding, and polymers reduces cyclical risks, contrasting ZWS’s focused exposure to water infrastructure growth drivers like municipal spending. Recent momentum favors ZWS with double-digit organic sales gains versus ITW’s modest outlook. Risk factors include ITW’s higher beta (1.14, measuring volatility relative to the market) and stability via P/E (price-to-earnings) around 26, while ZWS offers smaller-cap agility (~$8B market cap) but potential sector sensitivity. Sector overlap in industrials highlights ITW’s broader resilience against ZWS’s targeted catalysts, with market sentiment leaning defensive for ITW amid economic uncertainty but growth-oriented for ZWS.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently leans toward ZWS based on superior trend consistency in recent quarters, evidenced by 11% organic growth and margin expansion outpacing ITW’s steadier but lower trajectory. Strong earnings catalysts and relative positioning in infrastructure position ZWS favorably for near-term momentum, though ITW’s stability suits conservative allocations. This probabilistic edge reflects observable data patterns rather than guarantees.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is ITW is a Buy and ZWS is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ITW’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileZWS’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- ITW’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- ZWS’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ITW’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while ZWS’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ITW’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 4 bearish.
- ZWS’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
ITW (@Industrial Machinery) experienced а +1.86% price change this week, while ZWS (@Industrial Specialties) price change was +2.15% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Industrial Machinery industry was +1.88%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.62%, and the average quarterly price growth was +4.30%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Industrial Specialties industry was -4.36%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +11.50%, and the average quarterly price growth was -9.95%.
Reported Earning Dates
ITW is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
ZWS is expected to report earnings on Jul 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Industrial Machinery (+1.88% weekly)The industry makes and maintains machines for consumers, the industry, and most other companies. While it has traditionally been categorized as heavy industry, some smaller companies are also branching into the light category. The industry is pivotal in providing the equipment for production in businesses like agriculture, mining, industry and construction, gas, electricity and water utilities. It also supplies supporting equipment for almost all sectors of the economy, such as equipment for heating, and air conditioning of buildings. Illinois Tool Works Inc., Parker-Hannifin Corporation and Rockwell Automation Inc are some of the major U.S. companies operating in this industry.
@Industrial Specialties (-4.36% weekly)Companies in the industrial specialties industry process basic materials and minerals into various specialty products, such as flat and safety glass, fire retardant products, paints and coatings. Examples of companies operating in this industry are Sherwin-Williams Company, PPG Industries, Inc. and RPM International Inc.
| ITW | ZWS | ITW / ZWS | |
| Capitalization | 74.1B | 8.08B | 918% |
| EBITDA | 4.74B | 392M | 1,208% |
| Gain YTD | 5.180 | 4.560 | 114% |
| P/E Ratio | 23.90 | 39.34 | 61% |
| Revenue | 16.2B | 1.74B | 931% |
| Total Cash | 827M | 274M | 302% |
| Total Debt | 9.15B | 552M | 1,657% |
ITW | ZWS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 9 | 62 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 19 Undervalued | 54 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 59 | 34 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 12 | 62 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 55 | 50 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 48 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
ITW's Valuation (19) in the Industrial Machinery industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ZWS (54). This means that ITW’s stock grew somewhat faster than ZWS’s over the last 12 months.
ZWS's Profit vs Risk Rating (34) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as ITW (59). This means that ZWS’s stock grew similarly to ITW’s over the last 12 months.
ITW's SMR Rating (12) in the Industrial Machinery industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ZWS (62). This means that ITW’s stock grew somewhat faster than ZWS’s over the last 12 months.
ZWS's Price Growth Rating (50) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as ITW (55). This means that ZWS’s stock grew similarly to ITW’s over the last 12 months.
ITW's P/E Growth Rating (43) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as ZWS (48). This means that ITW’s stock grew similarly to ZWS’s over the last 12 months.
| ITW | ZWS | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 43% | 2 days ago 71% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 67% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 52% | 2 days ago 60% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 65% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 48% | 2 days ago 64% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 49% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 13 days ago 41% | 6 days ago 60% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 49% | 2 days ago 77% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 42% | 2 days ago 66% |
Advertisement
ITW and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ITW has been closely correlated with AOS. These tickers have moved in lockstep 74% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if ITW jumps, then AOS could also see price increases.