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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ball Corporation (BALL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Illinois Tool Works is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.1B vs $3.3B, roughly 1.2× Ball Corporation). Illinois Tool Works runs the higher net margin — 19.3% vs 6.0%, a 13.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ball Corporation posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (16.2% vs 4.1%). Ball Corporation produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.0B vs $858.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Ball Corporation's revenue compounded faster (7.9% CAGR vs 1.5%).

Ball Corporation is a leading global provider of innovative, sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for beverage, personal care, and household product brands. It also operates an aerospace segment that delivers advanced technologies, systems, and services to government and commercial customers worldwide, prioritizing environmental responsibility and product reliability across all operations.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is an American Fortune 500 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith and has built its growth on a "small-wins strategy" based on decentralization, simplicity, customer-focused innovation, and acquisitions.

BALL vs ITW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ITW
ITW
1.2× larger
ITW
$4.1B
$3.3B
BALL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
BALL
BALL
+12.1% gap
BALL
16.2%
4.1%
ITW
Higher net margin
ITW
ITW
13.3% more per $
ITW
19.3%
6.0%
BALL
More free cash flow
BALL
BALL
$183.0M more FCF
BALL
$1.0B
$858.0M
ITW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
BALL
BALL
Annualised
BALL
7.9%
1.5%
ITW

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Revenue
$3.3B
$4.1B
Net Profit
$200.0M
$790.0M
Gross Margin
53.0%
Operating Margin
7.2%
26.5%
Net Margin
6.0%
19.3%
Revenue YoY
16.2%
4.1%
Net Profit YoY
766.7%
5.3%
EPS (diluted)
$0.73
$2.72

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$3.3B
$4.1B
Q3 25
$3.4B
$4.1B
Q2 25
$3.3B
$4.1B
Q1 25
$3.1B
$3.8B
Q4 24
$2.9B
$3.9B
Q3 24
$3.1B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$4.0B
Q1 24
$2.9B
$4.0B
Net Profit
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$200.0M
$790.0M
Q3 25
$321.0M
$821.0M
Q2 25
$215.0M
$755.0M
Q1 25
$179.0M
$700.0M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$750.0M
Q3 24
$199.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$159.0M
$759.0M
Q1 24
$3.7B
$819.0M
Gross Margin
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
53.0%
Q3 25
53.2%
Q2 25
52.8%
Q1 25
52.6%
Q4 24
52.1%
Q3 24
17.7%
52.5%
Q2 24
16.5%
52.3%
Q1 24
16.6%
51.7%
Operating Margin
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
7.2%
26.5%
Q3 25
11.6%
27.4%
Q2 25
8.0%
26.4%
Q1 25
7.4%
24.8%
Q4 24
0.2%
26.2%
Q3 24
7.4%
26.5%
Q2 24
6.8%
26.2%
Q1 24
6.8%
28.4%
Net Margin
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
6.0%
19.3%
Q3 25
9.5%
20.2%
Q2 25
6.4%
18.6%
Q1 25
5.8%
18.2%
Q4 24
-1.0%
19.1%
Q3 24
6.5%
29.2%
Q2 24
5.4%
18.8%
Q1 24
128.3%
20.6%
EPS (diluted)
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$0.73
$2.72
Q3 25
$1.18
$2.81
Q2 25
$0.76
$2.58
Q1 25
$0.63
$2.38
Q4 24
$0.23
$2.53
Q3 24
$0.65
$3.91
Q2 24
$0.51
$2.54
Q1 24
$11.61
$2.73

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.2B
$851.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.0B
$7.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$5.4B
$3.2B
Total Assets
$19.5B
$16.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.29×
2.38×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$1.2B
$851.0M
Q3 25
$568.0M
$924.0M
Q2 25
$296.0M
$788.0M
Q1 25
$449.0M
$873.0M
Q4 24
$885.0M
$948.0M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$947.0M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$862.0M
Q1 24
$1.7B
$959.0M
Total Debt
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$7.0B
$7.7B
Q3 25
$6.9B
Q2 25
$6.5B
Q1 25
$6.1B
Q4 24
$5.3B
$7.1B
Q3 24
$5.4B
Q2 24
$5.5B
Q1 24
$5.5B
Stockholders' Equity
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$5.4B
$3.2B
Q3 25
$5.4B
$3.2B
Q2 25
$5.2B
$3.2B
Q1 25
$5.5B
$3.2B
Q4 24
$5.9B
$3.3B
Q3 24
$6.7B
$3.4B
Q2 24
$6.9B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$7.3B
$3.0B
Total Assets
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$19.5B
$16.1B
Q3 25
$18.7B
$16.1B
Q2 25
$18.6B
$16.0B
Q1 25
$18.0B
$15.5B
Q4 24
$17.6B
$15.1B
Q3 24
$18.8B
$15.8B
Q2 24
$19.0B
$15.6B
Q1 24
$19.9B
$15.1B
Debt / Equity
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
1.29×
2.38×
Q3 25
1.26×
Q2 25
1.24×
Q1 25
1.12×
Q4 24
0.91×
2.14×
Q3 24
0.80×
Q2 24
0.80×
Q1 24
0.76×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.2B
$963.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$1.0B
$858.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
31.1%
21.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.1%
2.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
6.05×
1.22×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$788.0M
$2.7B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$1.2B
$963.0M
Q3 25
$384.0M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$332.0M
$550.0M
Q1 25
$-665.0M
$592.0M
Q4 24
$500.0M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$610.0M
$891.0M
Q2 24
$252.0M
$687.0M
Q1 24
$-1.2B
$589.0M
Free Cash Flow
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$1.0B
$858.0M
Q3 25
$257.0M
$904.0M
Q2 25
$236.0M
$449.0M
Q1 25
$-746.0M
$496.0M
Q4 24
$393.0M
$996.0M
Q3 24
$493.0M
$783.0M
Q2 24
$146.0M
$571.0M
Q1 24
$-1.4B
$494.0M
FCF Margin
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
31.1%
21.0%
Q3 25
7.6%
22.3%
Q2 25
7.1%
11.1%
Q1 25
-24.1%
12.9%
Q4 24
13.6%
25.3%
Q3 24
16.0%
19.7%
Q2 24
4.9%
14.2%
Q1 24
-48.7%
12.4%
Capex Intensity
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
5.1%
2.6%
Q3 25
3.8%
2.9%
Q2 25
2.9%
2.5%
Q1 25
2.6%
2.5%
Q4 24
3.7%
3.0%
Q3 24
3.8%
2.7%
Q2 24
3.6%
2.9%
Q1 24
5.4%
2.4%
Cash Conversion
BALL
BALL
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
6.05×
1.22×
Q3 25
1.20×
1.24×
Q2 25
1.54×
0.73×
Q1 25
-3.72×
0.85×
Q4 24
1.49×
Q3 24
3.07×
0.77×
Q2 24
1.58×
0.91×
Q1 24
-0.34×
0.72×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

BALL
BALL

Transferred Over Time$2.7B82%
Transferred At Point In Time$602.0M18%

ITW
ITW

Segment breakdown not available.

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