Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) vs Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB)
ITW leads on 7 of 9 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Illinois Tool Works Inc. and Rocket Lab USA, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ITW
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
$257.43Industrials
RKLB
Rocket Lab USA, Inc.
$102.39Industrials
Total return — ITW vs RKLB
growth of $100 · last 6yITW +21.3%RKLB +950.8%RKLB compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
ITW RKLB
ITW vs RKLB: by the numbers
- •ITW is the larger company ($74.06B vs $59.27B market cap).
- •ITW is profitable (19.32% net margin) while RKLB runs a net loss (-26.87%).
- •RKLB grew revenue faster over the past five years (67.26% vs 4.71% CAGR).
- •ITW pays a dividend (2.46% yield) while RKLB does not currently pay one.
Which is better, ITW or RKLB?
Metric tally: ITW 7 · RKLB 2It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthRKLB(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityITW(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | ITW | RKLB |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 23.90 | — |
| Forward P/E | 22.78 | — |
| P/S ratio | 4.59● | 91.22 |
| P/B ratio | 23.05● | 27.38 |
| PEG ratio | 2.50 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 17.79 | — |
| FCF yield | 3.68% | — |
Profitability
| Metric | ITW | RKLB |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 44.12%● | 36.56% |
| Operating margin | 26.42%● | -33.20% |
| Net margin | 19.32%● | -26.87% |
| ROE | 97.06%● | -8.06% |
| ROIC | 24.49%● | -10.09% |
Dividends
| Metric | ITW | RKLB |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.46% | — |
| Payout ratio | 60.17% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ITW | RKLB |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.71% | 67.26%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 9.58% | — |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 1.38% | — |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 4.45% | 57.75%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ITW or RKLB?
- It depends on your goal. growth: RKLB (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: ITW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ITW leads 7 to 2.
- Which has grown faster, ITW or RKLB?
- Over the past five years, RKLB grew revenue faster — ITW at a 4.71% CAGR versus RKLB at 67.26%.
- Does ITW or RKLB pay a bigger dividend?
- ITW pays a dividend (2.46% yield) while RKLB does not currently pay one.
- Is ITW or RKLB more profitable?
- ITW runs the higher net margin — ITW at 19.32% versus RKLB at -26.87%.
- Which has been the better investment, ITW or RKLB?
- Over the past 5-year, RKLB delivered the higher annualized total return — ITW at 11.65% versus RKLB at 57.75%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Illinois Tool Works P/E ratioRocket Lab USA P/E ratioIllinois Tool Works dividend yieldRocket Lab USA dividend yieldIllinois Tool Works ROERocket Lab USA ROEIllinois Tool Works operating marginRocket Lab USA operating marginIllinois Tool Works revenue growthRocket Lab USA revenue growthIllinois Tool Works free cash flowRocket Lab USA free cash flow
Illinois Tool Works & Rocket Lab USA appear in these rankings
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 14, 2026.