Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? Illinois Tool Works Inc. trades at $290.44 (market cap $83.31B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $399.4 (market cap $364.06B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 4.4× Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s market cap, and Illinois Tool Works Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.35%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ITW | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $83.31B | $364.06B |
Sector | Industrials | Health |
52-Week High | $299.60 | $436.35 |
52-Week Low | $241.07 | $259.02 |
Enterprise Value | $92.16B | $405.92B |
Dividend Yield | 2.35% | 2.29% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ITW trades at $292.54, down 0.67% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals including a 19.39% net income margin and consistent earnings beats. Recent news highlights a 7% dividend increase and a $6 billion share repurchase program, reflecting management confidence. The stock is near key support at $290 with resistance at $300.
Outlook is positive due to robust profitability and shareholder returns, but risks include high valuation multiples and debt levels. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $314.25 price target, suggesting moderate upside potential amid cautious sentiment from some institutional sellers.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $402.19, down 1.6% with bearish technical signals despite strong fundamental performance. The company reported three consecutive quarterly earnings beats with Q1 2026 EPS of $7.23 beating estimates by 12%. Revenue grew to $447.57 billion in 2025, though net margins compressed to 2.69%. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with 83% buy ratings and a $476.50 price target representing 18% upside potential.
UNH presents a compelling long-term investment opportunity driven by aging demographics and healthcare digitization, but faces near-term headwinds from regulatory scrutiny and margin pressure. The stock's current valuation at 25.85x P/E appears reasonable given growth prospects, though investors should monitor legal challenges and Medicare reimbursement trends that could impact profitability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers, providing medical benefits to 50 million members globally, including 5 million outside the U.S. at the end of 2021. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in managed care. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth's continued investments in its Optum franchises have created a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from medical and pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.
Read more on UNH →