CL vs. ITW
CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) and ITW (Illinois Tool Works Inc.) are both stocks. CL operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive), while ITW operates in Specialty Industrial Machinery (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, CL returned 4.21%/yr vs 11.44%/yr for ITW. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CL vs. ITW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CL achieves a 10.27% return, which is significantly higher than ITW's 3.12% return. Over the past 10 years, CL has underperformed ITW with an annualized return of 4.21%, while ITW has yielded a comparatively higher 11.44% annualized return.
CL
- 1D
- -2.83%
- 1M
- -1.69%
- YTD
- 10.27%
- 6M
- 14.49%
- 1Y
- -2.21%
- 3Y*
- 6.80%
- 5Y*
- 3.26%
- 10Y*
- 4.21%
ITW
- 1D
- -0.13%
- 1M
- -0.93%
- YTD
- 3.12%
- 6M
- 3.02%
- 1Y
- 4.53%
- 3Y*
- 4.47%
- 5Y*
- 4.08%
- 10Y*
- 11.44%
CL vs. ITW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 10.27% | -10.98% | 16.57% | 3.78% | -5.44% | 2.08% | 27.17% | 18.60% | -19.19% | 17.88% |
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc. | 3.12% | -0.43% | -0.97% | 21.56% | -8.46% | 23.60% | 16.42% | 45.60% | -22.10% | 38.92% |
Correlation
The correlation between CL and ITW is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 6, 1987 | 0.32 |
Fundamentals
CL:
$2.58
ITW:
$14.33
CL:
33.37
ITW:
17.61
CL:
8.62
ITW:
2.92
CL:
3.35
ITW:
3.40
CL:
$20.80B
ITW:
$16.22B
CL:
$12.49B
ITW:
$7.16B
CL:
$3.92B
ITW:
$4.61B
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Return for Risk
CL vs. ITW — Risk / Return Rank
CL
ITW
CL vs. ITW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) and Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| CL | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.48 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.06 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.12 | 0.26 | -0.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.20 | 0.59 | -0.78 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| CL | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.10 | 0.22 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 | 0.19 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.21 | 0.48 | -0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.51 | -0.09 |
Drawdowns
CL vs. ITW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CL drawdown since its inception was -58.91%, which is greater than ITW's maximum drawdown of -54.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CL and ITW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CL | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.91% | -54.90% | -4.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.64% | -17.44% | -1.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.05% | -20.63% | -8.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.05% | -28.05% | -1.00% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.05% | -37.85% | +8.80% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.54% | -15.22% | -2.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.24% | -9.83% | -1.41% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.29% | 7.75% | +3.54% |
Volatility
CL vs. ITW - Volatility Comparison
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a higher volatility of 7.77% compared to Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) at 3.43%. This indicates that CL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ITW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CL | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.77% | 3.43% | +4.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.27% | 15.75% | +1.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.67% | 20.29% | +1.38% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.77% | 21.07% | -2.30% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.74% | 23.81% | -4.07% |
Dividends
CL vs. ITW - Dividend Comparison
CL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.43%, less than ITW's 2.51% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.43% | 2.61% | 2.18% | 2.40% | 2.36% | 2.10% | 2.05% | 2.48% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.37% | 2.25% |
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc. | 2.51% | 2.53% | 2.29% | 2.07% | 2.30% | 1.91% | 2.17% | 2.30% | 2.81% | 1.71% | 1.96% | 2.23% |
Financials
CL vs. ITW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Colgate-Palmolive Company and Illinois Tool Works Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CL vs. ITW - Profitability Comparison
CL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a gross profit of 3.23B and revenue of 5.32B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.6%.
ITW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Illinois Tool Works Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.76B and revenue of 4.02B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 43.8%.
CL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.7%.
ITW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Illinois Tool Works Inc. reported an operating income of 1.02B and revenue of 4.02B, resulting in an operating margin of 25.4%.
CL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a net income of 646.00M and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.
ITW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Illinois Tool Works Inc. reported a net income of 768.00M and revenue of 4.02B, resulting in a net margin of 19.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CL and ITW have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CL has higher volatility (7.77%) compared to ITW (3.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CL dropped -58.91% vs ITW's -54.90%.
ITW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.22 vs -0.10), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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