ITW vs JCI Stock Comparison

Compare ITW and JCI across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.

Market data as of Sep 11, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 5 points
ITW
Industrials
vs
JCI
Basic Materials
ITW
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Price
$268
Day move
+1.12%
AIQ Score
46/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Industrials
JCI
Johnson Controls International plc
Leads
Price
$146
Day move
+2.24%
AIQ Score
51/100
Best edge
Momentum
Sector
Basic Materials

What is the main difference between ITW and JCI?

JCI leads the current stock comparison as Johnson Controls International plc, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs Johnson Controls International plc

Data as of Sep 11, 2026· market close· Cross-sector · Industrials vs Basic Materials · both in Industrial Machinery & Equipment· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 4/10

JCI leads

JCI leads by 5 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from ITW.

Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support JCI, the lead recently changed hands, and its signal state is cleanly positive.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 6Comparison trend: Reversed
ITW

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

AIQ Score
46/100
AIQ Edge Score
5/10
JCI

Johnson Controls International plc

Leads
AIQ Score
51/100
AIQ Edge Score
6/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors JCI over ITW, 51 versus 46 as of Sep 11, 2026. JCI's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum, while ITW holds the stronger value profile. JCI also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor JCI today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. JCI lead: Reversed — ITW led by 6 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; JCI now leads by 5.

Compare Illinois Tool Works Inc. and Johnson Controls International plc across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Price-return comparison using available daily close history.

ITW
+20.9%
JCI
+91.1%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000

ITW $12,090 · JCI $19,108

Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.

Compare ITW and JCI against another ticker

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

ITW advantage
0
JCI advantage
  • Momentum18 vs 48
    JCI +30
  • Value46 vs 37
    ITW +9
  • Risk Resilience63 vs 57
    ITW +6
  • Quality60 vs 63
    Even

3 of 6 evidence groups favor JCI. JCI’s edge is concentrated in momentum; ITW keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.

ITW0 AIQ

No factor moved materially.

No new signals fired.

JCI-3 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -14

No new signals fired.

JCI's lead narrowed by 3 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — ITW and JCI both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

JCI (Johnson Controls International plc): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum.

ITW (Illinois Tool Works Inc.): the counter-case, on value, risk resilience, fundamentals.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

JCI

JCI on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

JCI

JCI on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

ITW

ITW on the peer-relative Value factor, by 9 points.

Momentum

JCI

JCI on the Momentum factor, by 30 points.

Lower downside

ITW

ITW on Risk Resilience, by 6 points.

Analyst upside

JCI

JCI on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureITWJCINote
Implied upside to target+4.7%+17.6%JCI has more room
Target dispersion+16.7%+26.8%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusHoldHoldContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering77Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor JCI. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreJCI46 vs 51
FundamentalsITWon balancerevenue growth 7.1% vs 7.7%; EPS growth 7.1% vs 21.8%; TTM ROE 101.7% vs 26.9%; gross margin 44.2% vs 36.7%; operating margin 26.5% vs 13.9% — ITW takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them
ValuationITWValue 46 vs 37
TechnicalsJCIPrice vs 50-day -4.3% vs 0.9%; vs 200-day -0.8% vs 5.6%
Risk ResilienceITWRisk Resilience 63 vs 57
Analyst expectationsJCITarget upside 4.7% vs 17.6%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of ITW and JCI and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on JCI.

How the comparison changed

119 daily snapshots · May 4 Sep 10

JCI lead: Reversed — ITW led by 6 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; JCI now leads by 5.

May 4ITW leads above the line · JCI leads belowSep 10
Today
JCI +5
46 vs 51
7 sessions ago
JCI +3
47 vs 50
30 sessions ago
ITW +6
54 vs 48
90 sessions ago
ITW +13
59 vs 46

The lead changed hands 5 times in this window, most recently on Sep 4 when JCI moved ahead of ITW.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

ITWConflicted

2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (4.79%)
  • Keltner Channel Breakdown bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce bullish, momentum, short horizon
JCI

2 bullish / 0 bearish

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (7.08%)
  • MACD Bullish Crossover bullish, momentum, short horizon

ITW is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

ITWNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.12%, AIQ 0 points).

JCIDivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 3 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +2.24%, AIQ -3 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1ITW closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to JCI's edge.
  2. 2ITW's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
  3. 3JCI's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

ITW leads on balance
MetricITWJCI
Revenue growth (YoY)7.1%7.7%
EPS growth (YoY)7.1%21.8%
Gross margin44.2%36.7%
Operating margin26.5%13.9%
Return on equity (TTM)101.7%26.9%
Debt to equity3.350.7

Performance

JCI leads 5 of 6 windows
MetricITWJCI
1 week (5 sessions)-1.4%2.6%
1 month (20 sessions)-9.3%-6.5%
3 months (63 sessions)6%2.5%
6 months (126 sessions)-2.3%5.8%
Year to date7.7%19.3%
1 year (252 sessions)-0.6%33.3%

Technicals

JCI has the stronger structure
MetricITWJCI
RSI (14)25.749.2
ADX (14)24.913.7
Price vs 50-day-4.3%0.9%
Price vs 200-day-0.8%5.6%
Volatility (1M, annualized)14.1%23.9%

Risk

ITW is the more resilient
MetricITWJCI
Beta0.491.04
Sharpe ratio-0.021.02
Sortino ratio-0.041.53
Max drawdown-17.9%-13%
Current drawdown-11.5%-7.7%
Annualized volatility21.4%29.5%
Value at risk (95%)-2%-2.8%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, ITW or JCI?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, JCI is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 51 against ITW's 46. The edge comes from momentum. ITW is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is ITW or JCI the better buy right now?

JCI carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor JCI over ITW?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. JCI leads Momentum by 30 points; ITW leads Value by 9 points; ITW leads Risk Resilience by 6 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, ITW or JCI?

Analyst price targets imply +4.7% upside for ITW and +17.6% for JCI, so the Street currently favors JCI. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, ITW or JCI?

ITW is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. ITW on the peer-relative Value factor, by 9 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, ITW or JCI?

JCI on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, ITW or JCI?

JCI on the Momentum factor, by 30 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, ITW or JCI?

ITW is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. ITW on Risk Resilience, by 6 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is ITW more profitable than JCI?

ITW leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 44.2% vs 36.7%; operating margin 26.5% vs 13.9%; ttm roe 101.7% vs 26.9%.

Is JCI's lead over ITW getting stronger or weaker?

JCI lead: Reversed — ITW led by 6 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; JCI now leads by 5. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 5 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-04, when JCI moved ahead of ITW.

What would change the ITW vs JCI verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: ITW closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to JCI's edge; ITW's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; JCI's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about ITW and JCI?

ITW: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. JCI: 2 bullish / 0 bearish. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on ITW is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On JCI it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Compare ITW and JCI with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.