A weekly summary of dividend activity for Dividend Champions, Contenders, and Challengers. Companies which changed their dividends. Companies with upcoming ex-dividend dates.
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) might move higher on growing optimism about its earnings prospects, which is reflected by its upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW - Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be given a dividend of $1.72 per share by the industrial products company on Friday, October 9th. This represents a $6.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend
Dividend Kings are underperforming SPY in September, with a -4.22% average return versus SPY's marginal gain. Despite aggregate weakness, 29 Dividend Kings appear both undervalued and offer a long-term expected return of at least 10%. Recent dividend increases and higher projected earnings growth have modestly improved the Kings' average dividend growth rate to 4.49%.
The industrial sector isn't the highest-yielding group on the market, but it's home to some steady payout raisers, including Illinois Tool Works and Waste Management.
Dividend Kings have a 50+ year track record of increasing dividends, showcasing resilience through economic challenges. I rank the Dividend Kings using my 9F Quality Scores, blending qualitative and quantitative factors for a robust, investment-grade assessment. ADP stands out as the best total-return candidate. It is undervalued, high-quality, and offering a strong projected dividend growth rate and Adjusted Chowder Number.
Illinois Tool Works is a global industrial conglomerate with strong organic growth, high operating margins, and a disciplined capital allocation strategy. ITW is a Dividend King with a 59-year streak of increases, excellent dividend safety, and a forward yield of ~2.57%, currently trading just below fair value. Management guides for 4–5% revenue and 7–11% EPS growth in 2026, supported by innovation, price increases, and bolt-on acquisitions.