ROK vs ITW: which was the better investment?
Rockwell Automation, Inc. against Illinois Tool Works Inc. on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Dec 31, 1981 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did ROK beat ITW?
It was effectively a tie over the full overlap period (Dec 31, 1981 to Jul 15, 2026): $10,000 grew to $6,260,564 in ROK and $6,222,673 in ITW, a difference of under 2%.
What would $10,000 in ROK be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Rockwell Automation, Inc. (ROK) on Dec 31, 1981 would be worth about $6,260,564 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 62505.6% (15.6% per year). The same $10,000 in ITW would be worth $6,222,673.
Which was riskier — ROK or ITW?
ROK swung with an annualized volatility of 32.7% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -75.8%; ITW ran at 27.4% volatility with a -54.9% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.41 for ROK vs 0.49 for ITW.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Dec 31, 1981 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with ROK vs ITW. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.