ITW Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Fourth Quarter 2023 Highlights

• Revenue of $4.0 billion, essentially flat
• Operating margin of 24.8% as enterprise initiatives contributed 150 bps
• GAAP EPS of $2.38 included $(0.04) impact from the devaluation of Argentina’s currency
  
  

2023 Highlights

• Revenue of $16.1 billion, an increase of 1% with organic growth of 2%
• Operating income of $4 billion, an increase of 7%
• Operating margin of 25.1%, an increase of 130 bps
• GAAP EPS of $9.74, an increase of 6% excluding $0.60 of divestiture gains in 2022

2024 Guidance

• Revenue growth of 2 to 4% with organic growth of 1 to 3%
• Operating margin of 25.5 to 26.5% with enterprise initiatives contributing approximately 100 bps
• GAAP EPS of $10.00 to $10.40, a year-over-year increase of 5% at the mid-point
  
  

GLENVIEW, Ill., Feb. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) today reported its fourth quarter and full year 2023 results and initiated guidance for full year 2024.

“In a challenging macro demand environment, the ITW team continued to leverage the strength and resilience of ITW’s proprietary business model and high-quality diversified portfolio to deliver a solid finish to a record year for the company,” said Christopher A. O’Herlihy, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“2023 marked another year of strong operational execution and financial performance, as ITW delivered organic growth of two percent, expanded operating margin by 130 basis points to 25.1 percent, grew operating income seven percent to $4 billion, and increased cash flow by more than 50 percent. We made solid progress in our efforts to build above-market organic growth fueled by customer-back innovation into a defining ITW strength, on par with our world-class financial and operational capabilities. As a result, we are very pleased with our momentum and positioning heading into 2024. I want to thank my ITW colleagues around the world for their extraordinary dedication and commitment to serving our customers and executing our strategy with excellence every day.”

Fourth Quarter 2023 Results

Fourth quarter revenue of $4.0 billion increased 0.3 percent with organic revenue down 0.5 percent, as divestitures reduced revenue by 0.4 percent and favorable foreign currency translation added 1.2 percent. End customer and channel inventory reduction efforts combined with the impact from automotive industry labor actions reduced organic growth by an estimated 1.5 percent in the quarter.

GAAP EPS of $2.38 included $(0.04) of unfavorable impact from the devaluation of Argentina’s currency. Operating income of $988 million was a fourth-quarter company record, and enterprise initiatives contributed 150 basis points to operating margin of 24.8 percent. Operating cash flow was $1 billion, and free cash flow grew 39 percent to a record $908 million, with a conversion of 127 percent to net income. During the quarter, the company repurchased $375 million of its own shares and the effective tax rate was 22.6 percent.

Full Year 2023 Results

Full year revenue of $16.1 billion increased one percent with organic revenue growth of two percent. The net impact from divestitures and foreign currency translation reduced revenue by one percent. End customer and channel inventory reduction impact reduced organic growth by an estimated one percent. On a geographic basis, organic growth was essentially flat in North America, up four percent in Europe, and up seven percent in Asia Pacific.

GAAP EPS of $9.74 increased six percent excluding divestiture gains of $0.60 in 2022. Operating income of $4 billion grew seven percent, and operating margin increased 130 basis points to a record 25.1 percent with enterprise initiatives contributing 130 basis points. Operating cash flow was $3.5 billion and free cash flow was a record $3.1 billion, an increase of 59 percent with a conversion of 104 percent to net income. The company invested approximately $800 million to support the long-term profitable growth of its businesses and returned $3.1 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases and raised the dividend by seven percent per share. The effective tax rate was 22.6 percent.

2024 Guidance

The company is initiating 2024 guidance including GAAP EPS in the range of $10.00 to $10.40 per share and revenue growth of two to four percent based on current levels of demand. Organic growth is projected to be one to three percent with foreign currency translation at current exchange rates adding approximately one percent to revenue. Operating margin is projected to be in the range of 25.5 to 26.5 percent, with enterprise initiatives contributing approximately 100 basis points. Free cash flow is expected to be greater than 100 percent of net income and the company plans to repurchase approximately $1.5 billion of its own shares. The projected effective tax rate is in the range of 24 to 24.5 percent.

Non-GAAP Measures

This earnings release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is included in the attached supplemental reconciliation schedule. The estimated guidance of free cash flow to net income conversion rate is based on assumptions that are difficult to predict, and estimated guidance for the most directly comparable GAAP measure and a reconciliation of this forward-looking estimate to its most directly comparable GAAP estimate have been omitted due to the unreasonable efforts required in connection with such a reconciliation and the lack of reliable forward-looking cash flow information. For the same reasons, the company is unable to address the potential significance of the unavailable information, which could be material to future results.

Forward-looking Statements

This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding global supply chain challenges, expected impact of inflation including raw material inflation and rising interest rates, the impact of enterprise initiatives, future financial and operating performance, free cash flow and free cash flow to net income conversion rate, organic and total revenue, operating and incremental margin, price/cost impact, statements regarding diluted income per share, restructuring expenses and related benefits, expected dividend payments, after-tax return on invested capital, effective tax rates, exchange rates, expected access to liquidity sources, expected capital allocation, expected timing and amount of share repurchases, end market economic and regulatory conditions, the impact of recent or potential acquisitions and/or divestitures, and the Company’s 2024 guidance. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Important risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include those that are detailed in ITW’s Form 10-K for 2022 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC.

About Illinois Tool Works

ITW (NYSE: ITW) is a Fortune 200 global multi-industrial manufacturing leader with revenue of $16.1 billion in 2023. The company’s seven industry-leading segments leverage the unique ITW Business Model to drive solid growth with best-in-class margins and returns in markets where highly innovative, customer-focused solutions are required. ITW’s approximately 45,000 dedicated colleagues around the world thrive in the company’s decentralized and entrepreneurial culture.

ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. and SUBSIDIARIES

STATEMENT OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)

ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. and SUBSIDIARIES

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (UNAUDITED)

ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. and SUBSIDIARIES

SEGMENT DATA (UNAUDITED)

ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. and SUBSIDIARIES

SEGMENT DATA (UNAUDITED)

ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. and SUBSIDIARIES

SEGMENT DATA (UNAUDITED)

ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. and SUBSIDIARIES

GAAP to NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (UNAUDITED)

AFTER-TAX RETURN ON AVERAGE INVESTED CAPITAL (UNAUDITED)

A reconciliation of the 2023 effective tax rate excluding the second quarter 2023 discrete tax benefit of $20 million related to amended 2021 U.S. taxes is as follows:

A reconciliation of the effective tax rate for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2022, excluding the fourth quarter 2022 discrete tax benefit of $32 million related to the utilization of capital loss carryforwards and the second quarter 2022 discrete tax benefit of $51 million related to the resolution of a U.S. tax audit, is as follows:

FREE CASH FLOW (UNAUDITED)

ADJUSTED NET INCOME PER SHARE - DILUTED (UNAUDITED)