vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Darden Restaurants (DRI) 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 $3.1B, roughly 1.3× Darden Restaurants). Illinois Tool Works runs the higher net margin — 19.3% vs 7.6%, a 11.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Darden Restaurants posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (7.3% vs 4.1%). Illinois Tool Works produced more free cash flow last quarter ($858.0M vs $119.8M). Over the past eight quarters, Darden Restaurants's revenue compounded faster (2.1% CAGR vs 1.5%).

Darden Restaurants, Inc. is an American multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Darden has more than 1,800 restaurant locations and more than 175,000 employees, making it the world's largest full-service restaurant company. The company began as an extension of Red Lobster, founded by William Darden and initially backed by General Mills. Red Lobster was later sold in July 2014.

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.

DRI vs ITW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ITW
ITW
1.3× larger
ITW
$4.1B
$3.1B
DRI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
DRI
DRI
+3.2% gap
DRI
7.3%
4.1%
ITW
Higher net margin
ITW
ITW
11.7% more per $
ITW
19.3%
7.6%
DRI
More free cash flow
ITW
ITW
$738.2M more FCF
ITW
$858.0M
$119.8M
DRI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
DRI
DRI
Annualised
DRI
2.1%
1.5%
ITW

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Revenue
$3.1B
$4.1B
Net Profit
$237.2M
$790.0M
Gross Margin
18.7%
53.0%
Operating Margin
10.3%
26.5%
Net Margin
7.6%
19.3%
Revenue YoY
7.3%
4.1%
Net Profit YoY
10.3%
5.3%
EPS (diluted)
$2.03
$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
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$3.1B
$4.1B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$4.1B
Q2 25
$3.3B
$4.1B
Q1 25
$3.2B
$3.8B
Q4 24
$2.9B
$3.9B
Q3 24
$2.8B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$4.0B
Q1 24
$3.0B
$4.0B
Net Profit
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$237.2M
$790.0M
Q3 25
$257.8M
$821.0M
Q2 25
$303.9M
$755.0M
Q1 25
$323.4M
$700.0M
Q4 24
$215.1M
$750.0M
Q3 24
$207.2M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$308.1M
$759.0M
Q1 24
$312.9M
$819.0M
Gross Margin
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
18.7%
53.0%
Q3 25
18.9%
53.2%
Q2 25
22.1%
52.8%
Q1 25
21.1%
52.6%
Q4 24
19.5%
52.1%
Q3 24
18.8%
52.5%
Q2 24
20.9%
52.3%
Q1 24
20.6%
51.7%
Operating Margin
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
10.3%
26.5%
Q3 25
11.1%
27.4%
Q2 25
11.7%
26.4%
Q1 25
13.2%
24.8%
Q4 24
10.1%
26.2%
Q3 24
9.8%
26.5%
Q2 24
13.4%
26.2%
Q1 24
13.0%
28.4%
Net Margin
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
7.6%
19.3%
Q3 25
8.5%
20.2%
Q2 25
9.3%
18.6%
Q1 25
10.2%
18.2%
Q4 24
7.4%
19.1%
Q3 24
7.5%
29.2%
Q2 24
10.4%
18.8%
Q1 24
10.5%
20.6%
EPS (diluted)
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$2.03
$2.72
Q3 25
$2.19
$2.81
Q2 25
$2.56
$2.58
Q1 25
$2.74
$2.38
Q4 24
$1.82
$2.53
Q3 24
$1.74
$3.91
Q2 24
$2.56
$2.54
Q1 24
$2.60
$2.73

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$224.1M
$851.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.1B
$7.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.1B
$3.2B
Total Assets
$12.9B
$16.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.03×
2.38×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$224.1M
$851.0M
Q3 25
$211.0M
$924.0M
Q2 25
$240.0M
$788.0M
Q1 25
$224.2M
$873.0M
Q4 24
$217.3M
$948.0M
Q3 24
$192.5M
$947.0M
Q2 24
$194.8M
$862.0M
Q1 24
$243.9M
$959.0M
Total Debt
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$2.1B
$7.7B
Q3 25
$2.1B
Q2 25
$2.1B
Q1 25
$2.1B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$7.1B
Q3 24
$1.4B
Q2 24
$1.4B
Q1 24
$1.4B
Stockholders' Equity
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$2.1B
$3.2B
Q3 25
$2.2B
$3.2B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$3.2B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$3.2B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$3.3B
Q3 24
$2.1B
$3.4B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$2.2B
$3.0B
Total Assets
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$12.9B
$16.1B
Q3 25
$12.8B
$16.1B
Q2 25
$12.6B
$16.0B
Q1 25
$12.6B
$15.5B
Q4 24
$12.5B
$15.1B
Q3 24
$11.4B
$15.8B
Q2 24
$11.3B
$15.6B
Q1 24
$11.4B
$15.1B
Debt / Equity
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
1.03×
2.38×
Q3 25
0.96×
Q2 25
0.92×
Q1 25
0.96×
Q4 24
1.02×
2.14×
Q3 24
0.65×
Q2 24
0.61×
Q1 24
0.63×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$320.7M
$963.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$119.8M
$858.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
3.9%
21.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
6.5%
2.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.35×
1.22×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.0B
$2.7B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$320.7M
$963.0M
Q3 25
$342.5M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$457.0M
$550.0M
Q1 25
$588.2M
$592.0M
Q4 24
$388.6M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$273.2M
$891.0M
Q2 24
$426.0M
$687.0M
Q1 24
$585.8M
$589.0M
Free Cash Flow
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
$119.8M
$858.0M
Q3 25
$168.4M
$904.0M
Q2 25
$285.0M
$449.0M
Q1 25
$430.1M
$496.0M
Q4 24
$219.3M
$996.0M
Q3 24
$128.0M
$783.0M
Q2 24
$285.6M
$571.0M
Q1 24
$437.4M
$494.0M
FCF Margin
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
3.9%
21.0%
Q3 25
5.5%
22.3%
Q2 25
8.7%
11.1%
Q1 25
13.6%
12.9%
Q4 24
7.6%
25.3%
Q3 24
4.6%
19.7%
Q2 24
9.7%
14.2%
Q1 24
14.7%
12.4%
Capex Intensity
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
6.5%
2.6%
Q3 25
5.7%
2.9%
Q2 25
5.3%
2.5%
Q1 25
5.0%
2.5%
Q4 24
5.9%
3.0%
Q3 24
5.3%
2.7%
Q2 24
4.7%
2.9%
Q1 24
5.0%
2.4%
Cash Conversion
DRI
DRI
ITW
ITW
Q4 25
1.35×
1.22×
Q3 25
1.33×
1.24×
Q2 25
1.50×
0.73×
Q1 25
1.82×
0.85×
Q4 24
1.81×
1.49×
Q3 24
1.32×
0.77×
Q2 24
1.38×
0.91×
Q1 24
1.87×
0.72×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

DRI
DRI

Olive Garden Segment$1.4B44%
Long Horn Steakhouse Segment$775.9M25%
Other$647.3M21%
Fine Dining Segment$316.2M10%

ITW
ITW

Segment breakdown not available.

Related Comparisons