W. W. Grainger (GWW) stock
Industrials · Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
W. W. Grainger (GWW) is an Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components company in the Industrials sector, headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois. As of October 23, 2026, GWW closed at $1,349.90, a market capitalization of $63.58 billion, the 195th largest company in the S&P 500. Over the last twelve months it generated $18.84 billion in revenue (+10% year over year) and $1.51 billion in free cash flow. The stock trades at 34.4x trailing earnings and 26.4x forward earnings.
- 1-year total return: +41.2% (dividends reinvested)
- 5-year return: +26.5% a year
- 52-week range: $906.52 – $1,419.91
- Gross margin 39.4%, operating margin 16.1%
- Dividend yield: 0.74%, 40 straight years of increases
- FI Handbook report card: B- across 10 metrics
- 33rd largest of 83 Industrials stocks in the S&P 500
GWW price chart
1Y price change: +40.0% (price only; total returns below include dividends)
| Total return | 1M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | MAX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GWW | +6.2% | +34.6% | +41.2% | +26.3% | +26.5% | +22.6% | +12.6% |
Dividends reinvested. 3Y and longer are annualized; MAX is annualized since 1973.
GWW key statistics
- Market cap
- $63.6B
- #195 in S&P 500
- P/E (TTM)
- 34.4x
- Forward P/E
- 26.4x
- EPS (TTM)
- $39.21
- Revenue (TTM)
- $18.8B
- +10%
- Free cash flow
- $1.5B
- Gross margin
- 39.4%
- Operating margin
- 16.1%
- Return on equity
- 46.1%
- Dividend yield
- 0.74%
- 52-week range
- $906.52 – $1,420
- Beta
- 1.01
- Price / sales
- 3.4x
- EV / EBITDA
- 20.6x
- Debt / equity
- 0.62x
- Employees
- 22,100
GWW report card
B-Ten fundamentals graded A to F against fixed thresholds. Not a buy or sell rating.
- Revenue growth10.3%B
- Gross margin39.4%C
- Operating margin16.1%C
- FCF margin8.0%C
- Return on equity46.1%A
- Net debt / EBITDA0.7xB
- Forward P/E26.4xC
- PEG ratio1.7xC
- Shareholder yield2.4%C
- Share count change / yr-2.2%A
W.W. Grainger financials
Revenue went from $10.1B in fiscal 2016 to $17.9B in fiscal 2025, growing 6.5% a year.
| Fiscal year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $10.1B | $10.4B | $11.2B | $11.5B | $11.8B | $13.0B | $15.2B | $16.5B | $17.2B | $17.9B |
| Gross profit | $4.1B | $4.1B | $4.3B | $4.4B | $4.2B | $4.7B | $5.8B | $6.5B | $6.8B | $7.0B |
| Operating income | $1.1B | $1.0B | $1.2B | $1.3B | $1.0B | $1.5B | $2.2B | $2.6B | $2.6B | $2.5B |
| Net income | $606.0M | $586.0M | $782.0M | $849.0M | $695.0M | $1.0B | $1.5B | $1.8B | $1.9B | $1.7B |
| EPS (diluted) | $9.87 | $10.02 | $13.73 | $15.32 | $12.82 | $19.84 | $30.06 | $36.23 | $38.71 | $35.40 |
| Free cash flow | $740.0M | $820.0M | $818.0M | $821.0M | $926.0M | $682.0M | $1.1B | $1.6B | $1.6B | $1.3B |
| Buybacks | $790.0M | $605.0M | $425.0M | $700.0M | $601.0M | $695.0M | $603.0M | $850.0M | $1.2B | $1.0B |
| Dividends paid | $303.0M | $304.0M | $316.0M | $328.0M | $338.0M | $357.0M | $370.0M | $392.0M | $421.0M | $467.0M |
| Diluted shares | 60.8M | 58.0M | 56.5M | 54.9M | 53.7M | 52.2M | 51.1M | 50.1M | 49.0M | 48.0M |
Source: SEC filings (10-K XBRL). EPS and share counts are split-adjusted.
What's priced into GWW?
A reverse DCF asks what growth the current price requires. With an enterprise value of $65.8B and $1.5B of trailing free cash flow, W.W. Grainger needs to grow free cash flow about 30.8% a year for ten years (fading to 3.0% terminal growth) to earn a 10% annual return. For context, free cash flow grew 7.5% a year over the last five years.
P/E ratio history
Current 38.1x vs. median 23.0x (10th–90th percentile 17.1x–31.3x).
A model, not a forecast or advice. Small changes in assumptions move the answer a lot.
GWW dividend
- Dividend yield
- 0.74%
- Annual dividend
- $9.96
- Years of increases
- 40
- 5-yr dividend growth
- 8.3%
- per year
- Payout ratio
- 24%
- Payments per year
- 4
Regular dividends per share by calendar year; special dividends excluded. Current year omitted until complete.
GWW analyst price targets
14 analysts' average 12-month target is $1,332 (-1% vs. $1,350). Targets range from $1,100 to $1,500. 16% rate it a buy.
GWW earnings
Next report: November 4, 2026. W.W. Grainger has beaten EPS estimates 2 quarters in a row. Last quarter's revenue was $5.0B (+10% year over year).
| Report date | EPS estimate | EPS actual | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2026 | $11.30 | $12.01 | +6.3% |
| May 7, 2026 | $10.21 | $11.65 | +14.1% |
| Feb 3, 2026 | $9.46 | $9.44 | -0.2% |
| Oct 31, 2025 | $9.95 | $10.21 | +2.6% |
| Aug 1, 2025 | $10.07 | $9.97 | -1.0% |
| May 1, 2025 | $9.51 | $9.86 | +3.7% |
| Jan 31, 2025 | $9.74 | $9.71 | -0.3% |
| Oct 31, 2024 | $9.98 | $9.87 | -1.1% |
Stocks like GWW
| Name | Today | 1Y | Mkt cap | P/E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 PH Parker-Hannifin | -1.42% | +16% | $111.1B | 30.9x | Compare |
 ITW Illinois Tool Works | -1.25% | +10% | $78.5B | 25.0x | Compare |
 OTIS Otis Worldwide | -0.60% | -17% | $28.6B | 19.3x | Compare |
 IR Ingersoll Rand | -0.85% | -8% | $28.5B | 30.2x | Compare |
 DOV Dover | +1.90% | +11% | $26.8B | 23.2x | Compare |
 XYL Xylem | -0.48% | -25% | $25.4B | 25.9x | Compare |
 HUBB Hubbell | +0.52% | +5% | $23.7B | 26.5x | Compare |
 SNA Snap-On | +0.16% | +6% | $18.5B | 18.5x | Compare |
GWW news
- Grainger And 2 Other British Dividend Stocks To Watch · Oct 24, 2026
- Fastenal vs. Grainger vs. MSC Industrial: Which Dividend Wins for Retirement? · Oct 23, 2026
- Here's What to Expect From W.W. Grainger’s Next Earnings Report · Oct 22, 2026
- Why W.W. Grainger (GWW) is Poised to Beat Earnings Estimates Again · Oct 20, 2026
- Grainger (LSE:GRI) Stock May Be Undervalued On Its Earnings Power · Oct 16, 2026
GWW stock FAQ
What is GWW's market cap?
W. W. Grainger's market capitalization is $63.58 billion as of October 23, 2026, ranking 195th in the S&P 500.
What is GWW's P/E ratio?
GWW trades at a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 34.4x and a forward P/E of 26.4x. Its median P/E over the period we track is 23.0x.
Does GWW pay a dividend?
Yes. W. W. Grainger pays $9.96 per share a year, a 0.74% yield. It has raised its dividend 40 years in a row. Dividends grew 8.3% a year over the last five years.
How much has GWW stock returned?
Including reinvested dividends, GWW returned +41.2% over one year, +26.5% a year over five years, +22.6% a year over ten years through October 23, 2026.
Is GWW stock overvalued?
At today's price, a reverse discounted cash flow model (10% discount rate, 3% terminal growth) implies W. W. Grainger must grow free cash flow about 31% a year for the next decade. Its free cash flow grew 8% a year over the last five years. Whether that is achievable decides if the stock is cheap or expensive. This is a model, not advice.
What is the GWW price target?
14 analysts cover GWW with an average 12-month price target of $1,331.57, -1% from the current price. 16% of them rate it a buy.
When does GWW report earnings?
W. W. Grainger is expected to report earnings on November 4, 2026. It has beaten EPS estimates 2 quarters in a row.
How many employees does W. W. Grainger have?
W. W. Grainger has about 22,100 full-time employees, or $852,715 of revenue per employee.
Sources: SEC EDGAR filings, Yahoo Finance market data (delayed), FI Handbook calculations. Last close October 23, 2026. Methodology