Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: Should You Buy?

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street anticipates a year-over-year decline in earnings for Illinois Tool Works (ITW) due to lower revenues, with a focus on how actual results will compare to estimates impacting stock price [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - ITW is expected to report quarterly earnings of $2.34 per share, reflecting a -4.1$3.84 billion, down 3.4% from the previous year [3]. - The earnings report is scheduled for April 30, 2025, and could lead to stock price movement depending on whether results exceed or fall short of expectations [2]. Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 0.03% lower in the last 30 days, indicating a slight reassessment by analysts [4]. - The Most Accurate Estimate for ITW is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in a positive Earnings ESP of +1.52%, suggesting a bullish outlook from analysts [10][11]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model indicates that a positive reading is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, especially when combined with a Zacks Rank of 1, 2, or 3 [8]. - ITW has a Zacks Rank of 3, which, along with the positive Earnings ESP, suggests a likelihood of beating the consensus EPS estimate [11]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, ITW exceeded the expected earnings of $2.49 per share by delivering$2.54, resulting in a surprise of +2.01% [12]. - Over the past four quarters, ITW has consistently beaten consensus EPS estimates [13]. Industry Context - In the Zacks Manufacturing - General Industrial industry, Flowserve (FLS) is expected to report earnings of $0.59 per share, indicating a +1.7$1.11 billion, up 1.9% [17]. - Flowserve's consensus EPS estimate has been revised 0.6% lower, resulting in a negative Earnings ESP of -0.56%, making it challenging to predict an earnings beat [18].