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CARR vs. GWW: Carrier Global vs. W.W. Grainger Stock Comparison

How do Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CARR is classified in Building Products while GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

W.W. Grainger (GWW) has more than two decades of public-market history since February 21, 1973, whereas Carrier Global (CARR) listed on March 19, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Profile ItemCARRGWW
NameCarrier Global Corp.W.W. Grainger Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryBuilding ProductsTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryBuilding ProductsTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization42.86 billion USD67.45 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 19, 2020February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CARR
GWW
GSPC
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
Total Return (1Y)-4.90%54.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)3.62%24.16%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)1.11%25.95%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CARR
GWW
GSPC
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)35.35%24.49%
Beta (5Y)1.320.93
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.75%-24.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.08M250.35K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CARR and GWW are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.262.03
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.363.31

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Carrier Global (CARR) reports a negative ROE of -13.44%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports 52.33%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

-13.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
CARR
-13.44%
Min
-17.12%

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

52.33%

GWW
52.33%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Carrier Global (CARR) reports a negative net margin of -7.90%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports 11.17%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

-7.90%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
CARR
-7.90%
Min
-12.89%

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

11.17%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
GWW
11.17%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Carrier Global (CARR) at 11.00% and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 16.14% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

11.00%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
CARR
11.00%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

16.14%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
GWW
16.14%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
ROE (TTM)-13.44%52.33%
ROA (TTM)3.43%20.34%
Net Margin (TTM)-7.90%11.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.00%16.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)24.38%39.43%

Growth

Revenue Growth

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Carrier Global (CARR) at -3.29% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at -8.55% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Carrier Global (CARR) at -72.03% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.29%4.51%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.95%5.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-72.03%-8.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-25.14%5.60%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Carrier Global (CARR) at 1.00 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CARR.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

1.00

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
CARR
1.00
Min
0.36

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

2.61

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
GWW
2.61
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Carrier Global (CARR) at 1.14 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

1.14

Max
2.33
CARR
1.14
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

0.65

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
GWW
0.65
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.002.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.140.65
Net Debt / EBITDA3.240.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Carrier Global (CARR) at 1.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, CARR the richer one.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

1.80%

Max
2.66%
CARR
1.80%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

0.65%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
GWW
0.65%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 20.87% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Carrier Global (CARR) at 67.39% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

67.39%

CARR
67.39%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

20.87%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
GWW
20.87%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.80%0.65%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)67.39%20.87%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: W.W. Grainger (GWW) trades at 31.66 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Carrier Global (CARR) has no P/E ratio this period.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

--

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
CARR
--

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

31.66

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
GWW
31.66
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): CARR does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; GWW is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Carrier Global (CARR) at 1.88 and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 3.48 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

1.88

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
CARR
1.88
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

3.48

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
GWW
3.48
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Carrier Global (CARR) at 4.27 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 15.56 prices above its benchmark range — GWW looks rich relative to book.

CARR

Capital Goods industry group

4.27

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
CARR
4.27
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

GWW

Capital Goods industry group

15.56

GWW
15.56
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
Carrier Global (CARR) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Carrier Global (CARR) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricCARRGWW
P/E Ratio (TTM)--31.66
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.883.48
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.2715.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.54%1.97%