ITW Reports First-Quarter 2017 Results

<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">First-quarter highlights:</span>

-- GAAP EPS of $1.54, an increase of 19%

-- Total revenue of $3.5 billion, an increase of 6.0%; organic growth of 3.5%

-- Operating margin of 23.3%, an increase of 120 bps and an all-time record for the company

• Company now expects 2017 earnings to be in the range of $6.20 to $6.40 per share with organic growth of 2 to 4%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) today reported its first-quarter 2017 results.

First-quarter GAAP earnings were $1.54 per share, an increase of 19% versus the first quarter of 2016. Excluding the impact of foreign currency translation, EPS grew 21% year-on-year. Revenue grew 6.0% to $3.5 billion. Organic revenue increased 3.5% while the 2016 acquisition of Engineered Fasteners & Components (EF&C) added 3.8% to revenue. Foreign currency translation reduced revenue by 1.3%.

"Our record results in the first quarter reflect strong execution across the company and further progress in our efforts to leverage ITW’s highly differentiated and proprietary business model to drive solid growth with best-in-class margins and returns," said E. Scott Santi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are off to a strong start in 2017 and the company is well-positioned to deliver continued progress and differentiated performance through the balance of 2017 and beyond."

Operating income was $809 million, an increase of 12%, and operating margin for the quarter was 23.3%, an increase of 120 basis points. Excluding the margin impact from the 2016 acquisition of EF&C, operating margin was 23.8%, an increase of 170 basis points year-on-year with 100 basis points of structural margin improvement from Enterprise Initiatives. After-tax return on invested capital was 23.8%, an improvement of 260 basis points. First-quarter net income was $536 million.

Organic revenue growth was positive in six of seven segments: 9% in Automotive OEM, 6% in Test & Measurement/Electronics, 3% in Construction Products, 2% in Food Equipment and Polymers & Fluids and 1% in Specialty Products. Welding was flat.

Effective January 1, 2017 the company adopted FASB guidance that requires that the income tax effects associated with the settlement of stock-based awards be recognized through income tax expense rather than equity. The first-quarter effective tax rate was 28.3%, in line with company expectations.

<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Full-Year and Second Quarter 2017 Guidance</span>

As a result of the company’s strong Q1 results, ITW is raising its 2017 full-year guidance. The company now expects earnings to be in the range of $6.20 to $6.40 per share, up from prior guidance of $6.00 to $6.20 per share, with organic growth of 2 to 4%, up from 1.5 to 3.5%. ITW expects operating margin to exceed 23.5% and free cash flow to exceed 100% of net income. The company now expects an effective tax rate of approximately 29%, down from prior guidance of 29 to 30%, resulting in an EPS benefit of $0.04 per share.

For the second quarter 2017, the company expects earnings to be in the range of $1.55 to $1.65 per share with organic growth of 2 to 4%.

<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Non-GAAP Measures</span>

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.

<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Forward-looking Statement</span>

This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding diluted earnings per share, organic revenue growth, operating margin, free cash flow, effective tax rate and after-tax return on invested capital. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such factors include those contained in ITW’s Form 10-K for 2016.

<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">About ITW</span>

ITW (ITW) is a Fortune 200 global multi-industrial manufacturing leader with revenues totaling $13.6 billion in 2016. 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 has more than 50,000 dedicated colleagues in operations around the world who thrive in the company’s unique, decentralized and entrepreneurial culture. To learn more about the company and the ITW Business Model, visit www.itw.com.

* Excluding $87 million related to the timing of payments for income taxes and pension contributions, the free cash flow to net income conversion rate for the three months ended March 31, 2017 would have been 91%.

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