CTAS vs. GWW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CTAS and GWW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CTAS | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cintas Corporation | W.W. Grainger, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Commercial Services & Supplies | Trading Companies & Distributors |
| Market Capitalization | 87.34 billion USD | 47.81 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 19, 1983 | February 21, 1973 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CTAS and GWW by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.09% | 2.57% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.82% | -9.16% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 5.21% | -2.74% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 12.15% | 4.33% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.62% | -3.84% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 18.63% | -5.16% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.46M | 0.29M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.47M | 0.28M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.47% | 26.99% |
| Beta | 1.03 | 1.20 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CTAS
41.21%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.93%
- Q3
- 18.03%
- Median
- 9.43%
- Q1
- 6.44%
- Min
- -9.69%
CTAS’s Return on Equity of 41.21% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
GWW
54.86%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.33%
- Q3
- 19.92%
- Median
- 14.05%
- Q1
- 11.46%
- Min
- 0.91%
GWW’s Return on Equity of 54.86% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CTAS
17.53%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 17.53%
- Q3
- 9.01%
- Median
- 5.20%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- -2.31%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.53% places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
GWW
10.99%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 17.73%
- Q3
- 10.81%
- Median
- 6.13%
- Q1
- 4.33%
- Min
- 2.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.99% places GWW in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CTAS
22.82%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.43%
- Q3
- 12.19%
- Median
- 8.10%
- Q1
- 3.18%
- Min
- -6.03%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.82% places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
GWW
15.27%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 25.50%
- Q3
- 15.13%
- Median
- 7.46%
- Q1
- 5.44%
- Min
- 3.55%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.27% places GWW in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 41.21% | 54.86% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 19.14% | 21.63% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.53% | 10.99% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.82% | 15.27% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 50.04% | 39.25% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
2.09
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.94
- Q3
- 1.89
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.53
CTAS’s Current Ratio of 2.09 is in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
GWW
2.82
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.43
- Min
- 0.46
GWW’s Current Ratio of 2.82 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
0.52
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.08
- Median
- 0.73
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.00
CTAS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.52 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
GWW
0.64
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.00
GWW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.64 is typical for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
24.70
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 12.37
- Median
- 7.16
- Q1
- 2.69
- Min
- -10.97
CTAS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 24.70 is in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
GWW
34.56
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.75
- Q1
- 2.70
- Min
- -1.67
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 34.56, GWW demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.09 | 2.82 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.71 | 1.53 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.52 | 0.64 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 24.70 | 34.56 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CTAS
0.70%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.44%
- Q3
- 2.30%
- Median
- 1.37%
- Q1
- 0.63%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTAS’s Dividend Yield of 0.70% is consistent with its peers in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
GWW
0.92%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 3.04%
- Median
- 1.94%
- Q1
- 1.22%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Yield of 0.92% is in the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
33.75%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 72.93%
- Median
- 40.45%
- Q1
- 23.31%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTAS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 33.75% is within the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
GWW
22.89%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 95.14%
- Q3
- 62.08%
- Median
- 51.17%
- Q1
- 26.24%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.89% is in the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.70% | 0.92% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 33.75% | 22.89% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
48.29
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.20
- Q3
- 37.10
- Median
- 22.38
- Q1
- 16.35
- Min
- 0.00
A P/E Ratio of 48.29 places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
GWW
24.84
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 48.55
- Q3
- 26.73
- Median
- 17.17
- Q1
- 10.78
- Min
- 1.62
GWW’s P/E Ratio of 24.84 is within the middle range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
8.46
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.64
- Q3
- 2.28
- Median
- 0.97
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.00
With a P/S Ratio of 8.46, CTAS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
GWW
2.73
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.88
- Q3
- 2.56
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.60
- Min
- 0.29
GWW’s P/S Ratio of 2.73 is in the upper echelon for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
19.50
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.71
- Q3
- 4.38
- Median
- 2.39
- Q1
- 1.57
- Min
- 0.43
At 19.50, CTAS’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
GWW
13.60
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 8.77
- Q3
- 4.33
- Median
- 2.00
- Q1
- 1.11
- Min
- 0.35
At 13.60, GWW’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 48.29 | 24.84 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 8.46 | 2.73 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 19.50 | 13.60 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 49.80 | 33.72 |