Bloom Energy Corporation (BE) vs Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW)

ITW leads on 10 of 13 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Bloom Energy Corporation and Illinois Tool Works Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 26, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Compare

Total return — BE vs ITW

growth of $100 · last 8y
BE +976.3%ITW +94.3%BE compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $1002020202220242026$1,076$194
BE ITW

BE vs ITW: by the numbers

  • BE is the larger company ($77.44B vs $77.29B market cap).
  • ITW converts more revenue to profit (19.32% vs 0.25% net margin).
  • BE grew revenue faster over the past five years (24.12% vs 4.71% CAGR).
  • ITW pays a dividend (2.38% yield) while BE does not currently pay one.

Which is better, BE or ITW?

Metric tally: BE 3 · ITW 10

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

GrowthBE(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityITW(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricBEITW
P/E ratio25.13
Forward P/E70.7423.94
P/S ratio40.364.82
P/B ratio107.2724.23
PEG ratio2.62
EV / EBITDA390.9018.81
FCF yield0.24%3.50%

Profitability

MetricBEITW
Gross margin31.11%44.12%
Operating margin8.24%26.42%
Net margin0.25%19.32%
ROE0.65%97.06%
ROIC1.89%24.49%

Dividends

MetricBEITW
Dividend yield2.38%
Payout ratio61.22%

Growth (annualized)

MetricBEITW
Revenue CAGR (5Y)24.12%4.71%
EPS CAGR (5Y)9.58%
FCF CAGR (5Y)19.23%1.38%
Total return CAGR (5Y)57.91%6.25%

Frequently asked

Which is better, BE or ITW?
It depends on your goal. growth: BE (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: ITW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ITW leads 10 to 3.
Which has grown faster, BE or ITW?
Over the past five years, BE grew revenue faster — BE at a 24.12% CAGR versus ITW at 4.71%.
Does BE or ITW pay a bigger dividend?
ITW pays a dividend (2.38% yield) while BE does not currently pay one.
Is BE or ITW more profitable?
ITW runs the higher net margin — BE at 0.25% versus ITW at 19.32%.
Which has been the better investment, BE or ITW?
Over the past 5-year, BE delivered the higher annualized total return — BE at 57.91% versus ITW at 12.81%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 26, 2026.