By Rob Curran


Illinois Tool Works posted robust growth in first-quarter earnings and boosted its profit forecast for the year, citing increased demand for industrial supplies.

The Glenview, Ill., maker of fasteners, auto parts and other industrial supplies posted earnings of $768 million, or $2.66 a share, up from $700 million, or $2.38 a share, a year earlier. Earnings surpassed the average analyst target of $2.57 a share, as tallied by FactSet.

Revenue rose 4.6% to $4.02 billion, edging the mean Wall Street estimate of $4 billion.

"Positive demand trends continued in our capex-related segments, led by Welding and Test & Measurement and Electronics," said President and Chief Executive Christopher O'Herlihy, in a statement.

Illinois Tool Works racheted up its 2026 earnings projection to a range between $11.10 and $11.50 a share from a February estimate of $11-to-$11.40 a share. The company continues to anticipate revenue growth between 2% and 4% for the year, or between 1% and 3% on an organic basis, excluding certain skew factors such as acquisitions and foreign exchange.


Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-30-26 0853ET