Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) Shares Sold by Horan Securities Inc.

Horan Securities Inc. decreased its position in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) by 12.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,139 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 163 shares during the period. Horan Securities Inc.’s holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $289,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 5.2% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 340,027 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $89,111,000 after acquiring an additional 16,846 shares during the period. Consolidated Planning Corp grew its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. Consolidated Planning Corp now owns 1,393 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $365,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $69,000. CWA Asset Management Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,672,000. Finally, Verdence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 2.3% during the third quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 9,808 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,570,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. 79.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Illinois Tool Works Stock Up 3.7 %

Illinois Tool Works stock opened at $274.89 on Friday. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a twelve month low of $232.77 and a twelve month high of $279.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.36. The firm has a market cap of $80.68 billion, a PE ratio of 23.45, a P/E/G ratio of 4.56 and a beta of 1.13. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $257.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $260.05.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The industrial products company reported $2.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.04. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 21.94% and a return on equity of 95.39%. On average, research analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 10th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st will be paid a $1.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.18%. Illinois Tool Works’s payout ratio is 51.19%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Illinois Tool Works news, Director Ernest Scott Santi sold 70,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.30, for a total value of $18,431,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 260,224 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $68,516,979.20. The trade was a 21.20 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ITW has been the topic of several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $266.00 to $259.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Illinois Tool Works from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $257.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $255.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $265.00 to $262.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Illinois Tool Works from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $269.30.

About Illinois Tool Works

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United States and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products.