Yield Theory

Industrials stock comparison

CMI vs ITW: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Cummins Inc. with Illinois Tool Works Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Industrials
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-02-13

CMI vs ITW: quick comparison

Company factCMIITW
CompanyCummins Inc.Illinois Tool Works Inc.
ExchangeNYSENYSE
SEC industryEngines & TurbinesGeneral Industrial Machinery & Equipment
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-1010-K · 2026-02-13

CMI vs ITW: audited financials

CMI reported about 2.1× the revenue of ITW in the latest audited fiscal year. Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricCMIITW
Revenue$33.7B$16.0B
Operating cash flow$3.6B$3.1B
Diluted EPS$20.50$10.49

CMI: FY ending 2025-12-31 · ITW: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

CMI and ITW have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Economic trends research theme inside the Industrials sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Cummins Inc. (CMI)

Cummins makes diesel and alternative-fuel engines, power generation, and related components.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW)

Illinois Tool Works makes engineered fasteners, equipment, and consumables across diversified industrial markets.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. CMI is classified by the SEC as Engines & Turbines, while ITW is classified as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

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The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.

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Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study CMI when…

  • Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
  • Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
  • Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
  • Freight rates and logistics demand

Study ITW when…

  • Capital-spending and manufacturing PMIs
  • Reshoring and supply-chain reconfiguration
  • Defense budgets and geopolitical conflict
  • Freight rates and logistics demand

Shared research themes

Economic trends

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.CMI's fiscal year ends December 31, while ITW's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 11matched transaction rows for CMIand 15 for ITW. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

CMI vs ITW FAQs

Are CMI and ITW direct competitors?

Cummins Inc. and Illinois Tool Works Inc. sit in the same Industrials sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

Which is better, CMI or ITW?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this CMI vs ITW comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Cummins Inc. and Illinois Tool Works Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.

CMI vs ITW shows how the businesses differ. Membership is the monthly sourced view of who could benefit, what could break, and what evidence matters next. $15/month or $150/year.

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