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GWW vs. IEX: W.W. Grainger vs. IDEX Stock Comparison

How do W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX) 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

W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while IEX is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
Profile ItemGWWIEX
NameW.W. Grainger Inc.IDEX Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization67.45 billion USD16.67 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973June 2, 1989
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GWW
IEX
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX), 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 W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
Total Return (1Y)54.07%42.33%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.16%8.92%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.95%1.31%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWW
IEX
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX), 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 W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.49%22.98%
Beta (5Y)0.930.95
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.50%-34.60%
Avg. Volume (3M)250.35K666.74K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GWW and IEX 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 W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.031.66
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.312.64

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than IDEX (IEX) at 13.35%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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%

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

13.35%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
IEX
13.35%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

IDEX (IEX) at 14.65% 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.

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%

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

14.65%

Max
27.47%
IEX
14.65%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

IDEX (IEX) at 22.33% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 16.14%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

22.33%

Max
36.60%
IEX
22.33%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
ROE (TTM)52.33%13.35%
ROA (TTM)20.34%7.06%
Net Margin (TTM)11.17%14.65%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.14%22.33%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.43%44.91%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% and IDEX (IEX) at 5.77% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at -8.55% and IDEX (IEX) at -3.46% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.51%5.77%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%2.81%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.55%-3.46%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.60%-5.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 and IDEX (IEX) at 2.78 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

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

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

2.78

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
IEX
2.78
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65 and IDEX (IEX) at 0.44 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

0.44

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
IEX
0.44
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.612.78
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.44
Net Debt / EBITDA0.691.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

IDEX (IEX) at 1.30% 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, IEX the richer one.

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%

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

1.30%

Max
2.66%
IEX
1.30%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): 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 IDEX (IEX) at 50.14% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

50.14%

Max
67.39%
IEX
50.14%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%1.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)20.87%50.14%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 and IDEX (IEX) at 31.53 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

31.53

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
IEX
31.53
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 3.48 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while IDEX (IEX) at 4.56 sits in the pricier quartile — IEX costs more per dollar of sales.

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

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

4.56

Max
7.54
IEX
4.56
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

IDEX (IEX) at 4.17 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.

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

IEX

Capital Goods industry group

4.17

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
IEX
4.17
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. IDEX (IEX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and IDEX (IEX)
MetricGWWIEX
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.6631.53
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.484.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)15.564.17
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%3.50%