ITW Reports Operating Revenue Growth of 19 Percent for Three Months Ended April 30, 2010; Company's Three Month Base Revenue Growth of 12 Percent Showed Continued Improvement

GLENVIEW, Ill., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) today reported a total Company operating revenue increase of 19 percent for the three months ended April 30, 2010 versus the year-ago period.  Base revenues contributed 12 percent to revenue growth in the three month period.  In addition, acquisitions and currency translation added 2 percent and 5 percent to revenue growth, respectively.  The ongoing improvement in base revenue growth was due to increasing demand across a broad set of consumer and industrial end markets in both North America and internationally.

On a segment basis, the Company's three month moving average percentage change for operating revenues, comprised of base revenues, acquisitions and currency translation, is provided below.  

The Company continues to forecast second quarter 2010 diluted income per share from continuing operations to be in a range of $0.74 to $0.86 and assumes a second quarter revenue growth forecast range of 15 percent to 19 percent. For full-year 2010, the Company continues to forecast diluted income per share from continuing operations to be in a range of $2.72 to $3.08 and assumes a total revenue growth range of 10 percent to 14 percent.

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitations, statements regarding operating revenues, end markets, diluted income per share from continuing operations, and the Company's related forecasts. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are set forth in ITW's Form 10-K for 2009.

With $13.9 billion in 2009 revenues, ITW is a multinational manufacturer of a diversified range of value-adding and short lead-time industrial products and equipment. The Company consists of approximately 800 business units in 57 countries and employs approximately 59,000 people.

SOURCE Illinois Tool Works Inc.