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Side-by-side financial comparison of Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Post Holdings, Inc. (POST). 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× Post Holdings, Inc.). Illinois Tool Works runs the higher net margin — 19.3% vs 4.5%, a 14.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Post Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.1% vs 4.1%). Illinois Tool Works produced more free cash flow last quarter ($858.0M vs $119.3M). Over the past eight quarters, Post Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (4.3% CAGR vs 1.5%).

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.

Post Consumer Brands, LLC, also known as Post, is an American consumer packaged goods food manufacturer headquartered in Lakeville, Minnesota.

ITW vs POST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ITW
ITW
1.9× larger
ITW
$4.1B
$2.2B
POST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
POST
POST
+6.0% gap
POST
10.1%
4.1%
ITW
Higher net margin
ITW
ITW
14.8% more per $
ITW
19.3%
4.5%
POST
More free cash flow
ITW
ITW
$738.7M more FCF
ITW
$858.0M
$119.3M
POST
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
POST
POST
Annualised
POST
4.3%
1.5%
ITW

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Revenue
$4.1B
$2.2B
Net Profit
$790.0M
$96.8M
Gross Margin
53.0%
29.4%
Operating Margin
26.5%
11.0%
Net Margin
19.3%
4.5%
Revenue YoY
4.1%
10.1%
Net Profit YoY
5.3%
-14.6%
EPS (diluted)
$2.72
$1.71

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
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$4.1B
$2.2B
Q3 25
$4.1B
$2.2B
Q2 25
$4.1B
$2.0B
Q1 25
$3.8B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$3.9B
$2.0B
Q3 24
$4.0B
$2.0B
Q2 24
$4.0B
$1.9B
Q1 24
$4.0B
$2.0B
Net Profit
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$790.0M
$96.8M
Q3 25
$821.0M
$51.0M
Q2 25
$755.0M
$108.8M
Q1 25
$700.0M
$62.6M
Q4 24
$750.0M
$113.3M
Q3 24
$1.2B
$81.6M
Q2 24
$759.0M
$99.8M
Q1 24
$819.0M
$97.2M
Gross Margin
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
53.0%
29.4%
Q3 25
53.2%
26.8%
Q2 25
52.8%
30.0%
Q1 25
52.6%
28.0%
Q4 24
52.1%
30.1%
Q3 24
52.5%
28.6%
Q2 24
52.3%
29.6%
Q1 24
51.7%
29.0%
Operating Margin
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
26.5%
11.0%
Q3 25
27.4%
7.5%
Q2 25
26.4%
11.8%
Q1 25
24.8%
9.3%
Q4 24
26.2%
10.8%
Q3 24
26.5%
9.5%
Q2 24
26.2%
10.4%
Q1 24
28.4%
9.5%
Net Margin
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
19.3%
4.5%
Q3 25
20.2%
2.3%
Q2 25
18.6%
5.5%
Q1 25
18.2%
3.2%
Q4 24
19.1%
5.7%
Q3 24
29.2%
4.1%
Q2 24
18.8%
5.1%
Q1 24
20.6%
4.9%
EPS (diluted)
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$2.72
$1.71
Q3 25
$2.81
$0.91
Q2 25
$2.58
$1.79
Q1 25
$2.38
$1.03
Q4 24
$2.53
$1.78
Q3 24
$3.91
$1.28
Q2 24
$2.54
$1.53
Q1 24
$2.73
$1.48

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$851.0M
$279.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.7B
$7.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.2B
$3.5B
Total Assets
$16.1B
$13.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
2.38×
2.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$851.0M
$279.3M
Q3 25
$924.0M
$176.7M
Q2 25
$788.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$873.0M
$617.6M
Q4 24
$948.0M
$872.9M
Q3 24
$947.0M
$787.4M
Q2 24
$862.0M
$333.8M
Q1 24
$959.0M
$333.4M
Total Debt
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$7.7B
$7.5B
Q3 25
$7.4B
Q2 25
$7.3B
Q1 25
$6.9B
Q4 24
$7.1B
$6.9B
Q3 24
$6.8B
Q2 24
$6.4B
Q1 24
$6.4B
Stockholders' Equity
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$3.2B
$3.5B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$3.8B
Q2 25
$3.2B
$4.0B
Q1 25
$3.2B
$3.8B
Q4 24
$3.3B
$3.9B
Q3 24
$3.4B
$4.1B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$3.9B
Q1 24
$3.0B
$4.0B
Total Assets
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$16.1B
$13.0B
Q3 25
$16.1B
$13.5B
Q2 25
$16.0B
$13.4B
Q1 25
$15.5B
$12.8B
Q4 24
$15.1B
$12.8B
Q3 24
$15.8B
$12.9B
Q2 24
$15.6B
$12.1B
Q1 24
$15.1B
$12.2B
Debt / Equity
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
2.38×
2.16×
Q3 25
1.98×
Q2 25
1.84×
Q1 25
1.81×
Q4 24
2.14×
1.79×
Q3 24
1.67×
Q2 24
1.62×
Q1 24
1.61×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$963.0M
$235.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$858.0M
$119.3M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
21.0%
5.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
5.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.22×
2.43×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$2.7B
$436.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$963.0M
$235.7M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$301.3M
Q2 25
$550.0M
$225.9M
Q1 25
$592.0M
$160.7M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$310.4M
Q3 24
$891.0M
$235.4M
Q2 24
$687.0M
$272.3M
Q1 24
$589.0M
$249.6M
Free Cash Flow
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
$858.0M
$119.3M
Q3 25
$904.0M
$151.6M
Q2 25
$449.0M
$94.9M
Q1 25
$496.0M
$70.2M
Q4 24
$996.0M
$171.4M
Q3 24
$783.0M
$96.2M
Q2 24
$571.0M
$161.5M
Q1 24
$494.0M
$150.9M
FCF Margin
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
21.0%
5.5%
Q3 25
22.3%
6.7%
Q2 25
11.1%
4.8%
Q1 25
12.9%
3.6%
Q4 24
25.3%
8.7%
Q3 24
19.7%
4.8%
Q2 24
14.2%
8.3%
Q1 24
12.4%
7.5%
Capex Intensity
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
2.6%
5.4%
Q3 25
2.9%
6.7%
Q2 25
2.5%
6.6%
Q1 25
2.5%
4.6%
Q4 24
3.0%
7.0%
Q3 24
2.7%
6.9%
Q2 24
2.9%
5.7%
Q1 24
2.4%
4.9%
Cash Conversion
ITW
ITW
POST
POST
Q4 25
1.22×
2.43×
Q3 25
1.24×
5.91×
Q2 25
0.73×
2.08×
Q1 25
0.85×
2.57×
Q4 24
1.49×
2.74×
Q3 24
0.77×
2.88×
Q2 24
0.91×
2.73×
Q1 24
0.72×
2.57×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ITW
ITW

Segment breakdown not available.

POST
POST

Post Consumer Brands Segment$1.1B51%
Pet Food$360.4M17%
Side Dishes$221.5M10%
Weetabix$137.9M6%
Other$122.1M6%
Nut Butters$105.8M5%
Sausage$53.1M2%
Cheeseand Dairy$41.3M2%
Protein Based Shakes$29.3M1%
Bell Ring$18.1M1%

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