Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Could Be a Great Choice

ITW

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Illinois Tool Works in Focus

Based in Glenview, Illinois Tool Works (ITW - Free Report) is in the Industrial Products sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -0.06%. The equipment manufacturer for the transportation, power, food and construction industries is paying out a dividend of $1.4 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.14% compared to the Manufacturing - General Industrial industry's yield of 0.22% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.56%.

In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $5.60 is up 3.3% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Illinois Tool Works has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 7.04%. Any future dividend growth will depend on both earnings growth and the company's payout ratio; a payout ratio is the proportion of a firm's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Illinois Tool Works's current payout ratio is 58%, meaning it paid out 58% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, ITW expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 is $10.12 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 3.48%.

Bottom Line

Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.

For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers their shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, ITW is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold).

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