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Side-by-side financial comparison of Celanese Corp (CE) 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 $2.2B, roughly 1.9× Celanese Corp). Illinois Tool Works runs the higher net margin — 19.3% vs 0.6%, a 18.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Illinois Tool Works posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.1% vs -7.0%). Illinois Tool Works produced more free cash flow last quarter ($858.0M vs $168.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Illinois Tool Works's revenue compounded faster (1.5% CAGR vs -8.1%).

Celanese Corporation, formerly known as Hoechst Celanese, is an American technology and specialty materials company headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is a Fortune 500 corporation. The company is the world's leading producer of acetic acid, producing about 1.95 million tonnes per year, representing approximately 20% of global production. Celanese is also the world's largest producer of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM).

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.

CE vs ITW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ITW
ITW
1.9× larger
ITW
$4.1B
$2.2B
CE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ITW
ITW
+11.1% gap
ITW
4.1%
-7.0%
CE
Higher net margin
ITW
ITW
18.7% more per $
ITW
19.3%
0.6%
CE
More free cash flow
ITW
ITW
$690.0M more FCF
ITW
$858.0M
$168.0M
CE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ITW
ITW
Annualised
ITW
1.5%
-8.1%
CE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Revenue
$2.2B
$4.1B
Net Profit
$14.0M
$790.0M
Gross Margin
19.1%
53.0%
Operating Margin
4.0%
26.5%
Net Margin
0.6%
19.3%
Revenue YoY
-7.0%
4.1%
Net Profit YoY
100.7%
5.3%
EPS (diluted)
$0.13
$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
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$2.2B
$4.1B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$4.1B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$4.1B
Q1 25
$2.4B
$3.8B
Q4 24
$2.4B
$3.9B
Q3 24
$2.6B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$2.7B
$4.0B
Q1 24
$2.6B
$4.0B
Net Profit
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$14.0M
$790.0M
Q3 25
$-1.4B
$821.0M
Q2 25
$199.0M
$755.0M
Q1 25
$-21.0M
$700.0M
Q4 24
$-1.9B
$750.0M
Q3 24
$116.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$155.0M
$759.0M
Q1 24
$121.0M
$819.0M
Gross Margin
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
19.1%
53.0%
Q3 25
21.5%
53.2%
Q2 25
21.1%
52.8%
Q1 25
19.9%
52.6%
Q4 24
22.7%
52.1%
Q3 24
23.5%
52.5%
Q2 24
24.2%
52.3%
Q1 24
21.2%
51.7%
Operating Margin
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
4.0%
26.5%
Q3 25
-52.7%
27.4%
Q2 25
9.2%
26.4%
Q1 25
7.0%
24.8%
Q4 24
-59.3%
26.2%
Q3 24
9.4%
26.5%
Q2 24
9.4%
26.2%
Q1 24
8.0%
28.4%
Net Margin
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
0.6%
19.3%
Q3 25
-56.1%
20.2%
Q2 25
7.9%
18.6%
Q1 25
-0.9%
18.2%
Q4 24
-80.8%
19.1%
Q3 24
4.4%
29.2%
Q2 24
5.8%
18.8%
Q1 24
4.6%
20.6%
EPS (diluted)
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$0.13
$2.72
Q3 25
$-12.39
$2.81
Q2 25
$1.81
$2.58
Q1 25
$-0.19
$2.38
Q4 24
$-17.50
$2.53
Q3 24
$1.06
$3.91
Q2 24
$1.41
$2.54
Q1 24
$1.10
$2.73

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$851.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$11.4B
$7.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.0B
$3.2B
Total Assets
$21.7B
$16.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
2.81×
2.38×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$851.0M
Q3 25
$924.0M
Q2 25
$788.0M
Q1 25
$873.0M
Q4 24
$948.0M
Q3 24
$947.0M
Q2 24
$862.0M
Q1 24
$959.0M
Total Debt
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$11.4B
$7.7B
Q3 25
$11.7B
Q2 25
$12.7B
Q1 25
$12.4B
Q4 24
$11.1B
$7.1B
Q3 24
$11.3B
Q2 24
$11.1B
Q1 24
$11.0B
Stockholders' Equity
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$4.0B
$3.2B
Q3 25
$4.0B
$3.2B
Q2 25
$5.3B
$3.2B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$3.2B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$3.3B
Q3 24
$7.3B
$3.4B
Q2 24
$7.2B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$7.1B
$3.0B
Total Assets
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$21.7B
$16.1B
Q3 25
$22.2B
$16.1B
Q2 25
$23.7B
$16.0B
Q1 25
$23.2B
$15.5B
Q4 24
$22.9B
$15.1B
Q3 24
$25.9B
$15.8B
Q2 24
$25.8B
$15.6B
Q1 24
$26.0B
$15.1B
Debt / Equity
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
2.81×
2.38×
Q3 25
2.95×
Q2 25
2.41×
Q1 25
2.39×
Q4 24
2.14×
2.14×
Q3 24
1.56×
Q2 24
1.54×
Q1 24
1.56×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$252.0M
$963.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$168.0M
$858.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.6%
21.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.8%
2.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
18.00×
1.22×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$803.0M
$2.7B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$252.0M
$963.0M
Q3 25
$447.0M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$410.0M
$550.0M
Q1 25
$37.0M
$592.0M
Q4 24
$494.0M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$79.0M
$891.0M
Q2 24
$292.0M
$687.0M
Q1 24
$101.0M
$589.0M
Free Cash Flow
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$168.0M
$858.0M
Q3 25
$383.0M
$904.0M
Q2 25
$317.0M
$449.0M
Q1 25
$-65.0M
$496.0M
Q4 24
$389.0M
$996.0M
Q3 24
$-9.0M
$783.0M
Q2 24
$187.0M
$571.0M
Q1 24
$-36.0M
$494.0M
FCF Margin
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
7.6%
21.0%
Q3 25
15.8%
22.3%
Q2 25
12.5%
11.1%
Q1 25
-2.7%
12.9%
Q4 24
16.4%
25.3%
Q3 24
-0.3%
19.7%
Q2 24
7.1%
14.2%
Q1 24
-1.4%
12.4%
Capex Intensity
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
3.8%
2.6%
Q3 25
2.6%
2.9%
Q2 25
3.7%
2.5%
Q1 25
4.3%
2.5%
Q4 24
4.4%
3.0%
Q3 24
3.3%
2.7%
Q2 24
4.0%
2.9%
Q1 24
5.2%
2.4%
Cash Conversion
CE
CE
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
18.00×
1.22×
Q3 25
1.24×
Q2 25
2.06×
0.73×
Q1 25
0.85×
Q4 24
1.49×
Q3 24
0.68×
0.77×
Q2 24
1.88×
0.91×
Q1 24
0.83×
0.72×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CE
CE

Engineered Materials$1.3B58%
Acetyl Chain$940.0M43%

ITW
ITW

Segment breakdown not available.

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