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Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Illinois Tool Works Inc. is a diversified manufacturer that operates a portfolio of 60 business units that serve industrial and consumer markets globally.

Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

1. Avg. High Yield Price
2. 20-Year DCF Price
3. Avg. P/E Price
4. Graham Number

ITW is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. Since ITW's tangible book value is not meaningful, a Graham number can not be calculated. When also considering the NPV MMA Differential, the stock is trading at a 13.7% premium to its calculated fair value of $149.81. ITW did not earn any Stars in this section.

Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

1. Free Cash Flow Payout
2. Debt To Total Capital
3. Key Metrics
4. Dividend Growth Rate
5. Years of Div. Growth
6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%

ITW earned one Star in this section for 1.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1933 and has increased its dividend payments for 54 consecutive years.

Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

1. NPV MMA Diff.
2. Years to > MMA

ITW earned a Star in this section for its NPV MMA Diff. of $552. This amount is in excess of the $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as ITW has. If ITW grows its dividend at 10.0% per year, it will take 6 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 2.64%.

Peers: The company's peer group includes: The The Manitowoc Company, Inc. (MTW) with a 0.0% yield, Timken Co. (TKR) with a 2.0% yield and Highway Holdings Limited (HIHO) with a 5.4% yield.

Conclusion: ITW did not earn any Stars in the Fair Value section, earned one Star in the Dividend Analytical Data section and earned one Star in the Dividend Income vs. MMA section for a total of two Stars. This quantitatively ranks ITW as a 2-Star Weak stock.

Using my D4L-PreScreen.xls model, I determined the share price would need to increase to $176.31 before ITW's NPV MMA Differential increased to the $500 minimum that I look for in a stock with 54 years of consecutive dividend increases. At that price the stock would yield 1.6%.

Resetting the D4L-PreScreen.xls model and solving for the dividend growth rate needed to generate the target $500 NPV MMA Differential, the calculated rate is 9.7%. This dividend growth rate is lower than the 10.0% used in this analysis, thus providing a margin of safety. ITW has a risk rating of 1.50 which classifies it as a Low risk stock.

ITW has a history of generating above-average returns from growth in its end markets, along with a growth strategy focused on product innovation and acquisitions. The company follows a consistent policy of returning value to its shareholders through dividends and share buybacks.

The company's debt to total capital of 62% (flat with prior analysis), is above my preferred maximum of 45%. Its free cash flow payout is 48% (up from 46%), is well below my 60% maximum. The stock is currently trading at a premium to my calculated fair value price of $114.24, its yield is well below the minimum I am willing to accept, so for now, I will wait on a more opportune time to add to my position.

Disclaimer: Material presented here is for informational purposes only. The above quantitative stock analysis, including the Star rating, is mechanically calculated and is based on historical information. The analysis assumes the stock will perform in the future as it has in the past. This is generally never true. Before buying or selling any stock you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion. See my Disclaimer for more information.

Full Disclosure: At the time of this writing, I was long in ITW (4.2% of my Income Portfolio). See a list of all my Dividend Growth Portfolio holdings here.

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Tags: ITW, MTW, TKR, HIHO,