IMI plc (IMI.L)
IMI is a British engineering firm that designs high-tech valves and motion control systems to help factories and buildings run more efficiently.
Is IMI plc a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Strong profit margins suggest a high-quality business model. Worth weighing: The share price has already seen a large increase over the last year. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has IMI plc actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, IMI plc fell as much as −23% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Becoming a leader in sustainable industrial technology.
Technological disruption making their products obsolete.
What does IMI plc do?
IMI makes the clever components that control the flow of liquids and gases in industrial settings, from cooling systems in data centres to precise equipment in hospitals. Selling these specialised parts to other businesses that need to save energy or improve safety is what brings in the cash. Keep an eye on whether they can hold their profit margins high while pushing into fast-growing markets like automation.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and quality, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.2% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 6% over the year
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 36%)
- Strong profit margins suggest a high-quality business model.
- High return on equity shows efficient use of capital.
- Significant recent growth in earnings.
- Value screens low (26/100)
- Sensitivity to global economic cycles and manufacturing slowdowns.
- Potential for rising costs to eat into healthy profit margins.
- Dependence on large industrial clients for steady revenue.
What do IMI plc's numbers mean?
Does IMI plc pay a dividend?
Yes - IMI plc currently pays a dividend of about 1.2% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about IMI plc's dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does IMI plc report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
IMI plc is next scheduled to report on about 2027-02-26 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-08-27 | £0.13 | £0.13 | Beat +2% |
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of IMI plc?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong profit margins suggest a high-quality business model.
- High return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. shows efficient use of capital.
- Significant recent growth in earnings.
- The share price has already seen a large increase over the last year.
- The dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone. is relatively low compared to other industrial firms.
- High price-to-book: The share price versus the company's net assets per share (its book value). Under 1 can look cheap, though it varies a lot by industry. ratio suggests the shares are not cheap by traditional measures.
- Sensitivity to global economic cycles and manufacturing slowdowns.
- Potential for rising costs to eat into healthy profit margins.
- Dependence on large industrial clients for steady revenue.
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained drop in profit margins over several quarters.
- A significant loss of market share to cheaper competitors.
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.