ITW Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2016 Results

Fourth-quarter highlights:

• Total revenue was $3.4 billion, an increase of 4%; organic growth was 2%
• Operating margin was 21.8%, an increase of 110 bps
• GAAP EPS was $1.45 including $0.06 of non-recurring items, an increase of 18%

Full-year highlights:

• Total revenue was $13.6 billion, an increase of 1%; organic growth was 1%
• Operating margin was 22.5%, an increase of 110 bps; 22.8% excluding EF&C
• After-tax ROIC was 22.1%, an increase of 170 bps
• GAAP EPS was $5.70, an increase of 11%

GLENVIEW, Ill., Jan. 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) today reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 results.

“The fourth quarter closed out a year of record financial performance and strong execution by the ITW team. In 2016, we grew EPS 11%, improved operating margin by 110 basis points to an all-time high of 22.5% and increased after tax return on invested capital 170 basis points to a record 22.1%,” said E. Scott Santi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Throughout 2016, we continued to invest in our businesses to sustain above-market organic growth, strengthened our highly differentiated business portfolio and returned more than $2.8 billion of surplus capital to shareholders. We continue to work hard to push our performance to best-in-class levels, and we are well-positioned to deliver continued progress and strong results in 2017.

Fourth-quarter GAAP earnings were $1.45 per share, an increase of 18% versus the fourth quarter of 2015. Foreign currency translation reduced EPS by 2% year-on-year. Revenue grew 4% year-on-year to $3.4 billion. Organic revenue increased 2% while the 2016 acquisition of Engineered Fasteners & Components (EF&C) added 4% to revenue. Foreign currency translation reduced revenue by 2% year-on-year and Product Line Simplification (PLS) reduced revenue by approximately 1%.

During the fourth quarter the company recorded a net EPS benefit of $0.06 per share, related to a dividend distribution from its investment in Wilsonart, which was partially offset by one-time charges related to two small divestitures. Excluding these non-recurring items, fourth quarter earnings were $1.39 per share, an increase of 13% versus the prior year.

Operating income was $742 million and operating margin for the quarter was 21.8%, an increase of 110 basis points year-on-year. Excluding the margin dilution from the 2016 acquisition of EF&C, operating margin was 22.2%, an increase of 150 basis points year-on-year with 130 basis points of margin expansion coming from Enterprise Initiatives. Fourth-quarter net income was $507 million and the company converted 117 percent of net income to free cash flow.

Organic revenue growth was positive in five of seven segments; 7% in Automotive OEM, 3% in Food Equipment and Construction Products, 2% in Polymers & Fluids, 1% in Specialty Products with Test & Measurement/Electronics flat and a decline of 8% in Welding.

Operating margin improved in all seven segments to 24.7% in Food Equipment, 24.4% in Welding, 24% in Specialty Products, 23% in Automotive OEM (25.2% excluding the margin dilution from EF&C), 21.4% in Construction Products, 20.1% in Test & Measurement/Electronics and 19% in Polymers & Fluids.

Full-year 2016 GAAP earnings were $5.70 per share, an increase of 11%. Total revenue increased 1% to $13.6 billion with organic growth of 1%. The acquisition of EF&C increased revenue 2%. Foreign currency translation reduced revenue by 2%.

Full-year operating margin was 22.5%, up 110 basis points versus 2015, or up 140 basis points to 22.8% excluding the margin dilution impact from EF&C. ITW converted 100% of net income to free cash flow for the year and generated 22.1% after-tax return on invested capital. For the full year, ITW paid $821 million in dividends to shareholders and repurchased $2 billion of its own shares.

Full-Year and First Quarter 2017 Guidance
ITW is reaffirming its 2017 full-year performance expectations. The company expects 2017 earnings to be in the range of $6.00 to $6.20 per share with organic growth of 1.5 to 3.5%. ITW also expects operating margin to exceed 23.5% and free cash flow conversion to exceed 100% for the full-year.

The company expects first quarter 2017 earnings to be in the range of $1.39 to $1.49 per share with organic growth of 1 to 2%. The company expects operating margin to exceed 22.5%.

Non-GAAP Measures
This earnings release contains non-GAAP financial measures.  A reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is included in the attached supplemental reconciliation schedule.

Forward-looking Statement
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, the impact of product line simplification activities and enterprise initiatives, operating margin, after-tax return on invested capital and the expected impact of acquisitions on financial results. 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 2015 and Form 10-Q for the third quarter of 2016.

About ITW
ITW (NYSE: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.

A reconciliation of the 2012 effective tax rate to the adjusted tax rate excluding the discrete tax charge is as follows: