Genuine Parts Company vs Illinois Tool Works Inc. — how do they compare? Genuine Parts Company trades at $125.54 (market cap $16.65B), while Illinois Tool Works Inc. trades at $280.86 (market cap $78.08B). The key difference: Illinois Tool Works Inc. is far larger — about 4.7× Genuine Parts Company's market cap, and Genuine Parts Company pays the higher dividend (3.51%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GPC | ITW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $16.65B | $78.08B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $149.26 | $299.60 |
52-Week Low | $92.47 | $241.07 |
Enterprise Value | $22.87B | $86.41B |
Dividend Yield | 3.51% | 2.37% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Genuine Parts Company (GPC) trades at $122.16, down 1.1% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and oscillators. Fundamentally, the company shows strong revenue growth to $24.3B in 2025 but faces significant margin compression, with net income plummeting to $66M (0.27% margin) from $904M the prior year. The stock carries a high P/E of 275 but reasonable P/S of 0.68, while analysts maintain a consensus 'Buy' rating with a $133 price target. Recent news highlights GPC's upcoming Q2 2026 earnings report on July 21, 2026, and its status as a Dividend King with 70 consecutive years of dividend increases.
The outlook presents a mixed picture: technical strength and dividend reliability support the stock, while deteriorating profitability and high valuation multiples pose significant risks. Investment opportunity lies in potential earnings recovery and continued dividend growth, but investors face headwinds from margin pressure and elevated P/E ratio requiring careful monitoring of upcoming quarterly results.
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) trades at $272.28, up 0.29% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.66 surpassing expectations. ITW maintains strong profitability, with a net income margin of 19.32% and ROE of 96.88%, supported by solid cash flow from operations of $3.13B in 2025. Recent news highlights segment strength and a declared dividend of $1.61 per share for Q2 2026.
ITW presents a mixed outlook with robust fundamentals and technical strength offset by valuation concerns and modest growth. The consensus price target of $288.25 implies potential upside, but high P/E and P/B ratios suggest limited margin of safety. Risks include construction sector weakness and currency headwinds. Earnings on July 28, 2026, will be critical for confirming the growth trajectory.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Genuine Parts sells automotive parts (about two thirds of net sales) and industrial components. The company sells vehicle parts to commercial and retail customers through roughly 9,700 stores worldwide, most of which are independently owned. Its industrial unit, primarily operating under the Motion Industries banner in the United States, supplies bearings, power transmission, industrial automation, hydraulic, and pneumatic components to maintenance, repair, and OEM clients.
Read more on GPC →Illinois Tool Works is a diversified global manufacturer that produces specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related services. The firm operates 87 global divisions through seven distinct operating segments: automotive OEM, construction products, food equipment, specialty products, test/measurement and electronics, polymers and fluids, and welding. About half of its revenue comes from its operations in North America, with the remainder originating from international markets. ITW takes a bottom-up and decentralized approach to portfolio management, with the exception that each segment must apply its 80/20 operating process modeled on the Pareto principle.
Read more on ITW →