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FIX vs. GWW: Comfort Systems USA vs. W.W. Grainger Stock Comparison

How do Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but FIX is classified in Construction & Engineering while GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Profile ItemFIXGWW
NameComfort Systems USA Inc.W.W. Grainger Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryConstruction & EngineeringTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryConstruction & EngineeringTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization35.81 billion USD67.45 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 27, 1997February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FIX
GWW
GSPC
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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
Total Return (1Y)15.31%54.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)81.62%24.16%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)62.48%25.95%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FIX
GWW
GSPC
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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)60.97%24.49%
Beta (5Y)1.680.93
Max Drawdown (5Y)-53.28%-24.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)471.64K250.35K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FIX 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.182.03
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.253.31

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 58.61% and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

58.61%

FIX
58.61%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 13.01% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 11.17%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

13.01%

Max
27.47%
FIX
13.01%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 16.47% and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 16.14% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

16.47%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
FIX
16.47%
Median
11.12%
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
ROE (TTM)58.61%52.33%
ROA (TTM)16.88%20.34%
Net Margin (TTM)13.01%11.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.47%16.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)25.70%39.43%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 29.52% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for FIX.

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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 97.81% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while W.W. Grainger (GWW) at -8.55% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for FIX.

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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
Revenue Growth (YoY)29.52%4.51%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)30.03%5.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)97.81%-8.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)61.78%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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 1.15 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for FIX.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

1.15

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
FIX
1.15
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 0.11 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

0.11

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
FIX
0.11
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) 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 Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.152.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.110.65
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.810.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 0.31% and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

0.31%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
FIX
0.31%
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 6.48% and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 20.87% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

6.48%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
FIX
6.48%
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.31%0.65%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.48%20.87%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 21.98 and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

21.98

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
FIX
21.98
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 2.85 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.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

2.85

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
FIX
2.85
Median
2.15
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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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Comfort Systems USA (FIX) at 10.66 and W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 15.56 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

FIX

Capital Goods industry group

10.66

FIX
10.66
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
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
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Comfort Systems USA (FIX) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Comfort Systems USA (FIX) and W.W. Grainger (GWW)
MetricFIXGWW
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.9831.66
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.853.48
P/B Ratio (MRQ)10.6615.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.94%1.97%