GWW vs. JCI: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GWW and JCI, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | GWW | JCI |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | Johnson Controls International plc |
| Country | United States | Ireland |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Building Products |
| Market Capitalization | 45.76 billion USD | 71.19 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 21, 1973 | September 28, 1987 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GWW and JCI 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 | GWW | JCI |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.91% | 0.58% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -8.94% | 1.95% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -3.16% | 35.80% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -7.85% | 42.08% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 0.38% | -1.05% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -9.25% | 37.83% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.27M | 3.86M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.30M | 4.66M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 27.87% | 22.05% |
| Beta | 1.13 | 1.43 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GWW
54.86%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.99%
- Q3
- 19.66%
- Median
- 13.72%
- Q1
- 9.74%
- Min
- -0.34%
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.
JCI
14.02%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 46.90%
- Q3
- 27.60%
- Median
- 15.43%
- Q1
- 8.94%
- Min
- 0.77%
JCI’s Return on Equity of 14.02% is on par with the norm for the Building Products industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GWW
10.99%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 16.11%
- Q3
- 9.48%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.68%
- Min
- -1.09%
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.
JCI
11.11%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 19.42%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.72%
- Q1
- 4.81%
- Min
- 0.46%
JCI’s Net Profit Margin of 11.11% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Building Products industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GWW
15.27%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 26.26%
- Q3
- 14.59%
- Median
- 7.05%
- Q1
- 4.94%
- Min
- -8.06%
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.
JCI
10.64%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 26.72%
- Q3
- 17.70%
- Median
- 12.14%
- Q1
- 9.54%
- Min
- 1.65%
JCI’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.64% is around the midpoint for the Building Products industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | JCI |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 54.86% | 14.02% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 21.63% | 5.23% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.99% | 11.11% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.27% | 10.64% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.25% | 38.13% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
2.82
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.26
GWW’s Current Ratio of 2.82 is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
JCI
0.96
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 2.06
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.88
JCI’s Current Ratio of 0.96 falls into the lower quartile for the Building Products industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
0.64
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.61
- Min
- 0.01
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.
JCI
0.65
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 1.64
- Q3
- 1.02
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.00
JCI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.65 is typical for the Building Products 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)
GWW
34.56
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.67
- Q1
- 2.04
- 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.
JCI
5.10
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 72.12
- Q3
- 34.39
- Median
- 23.97
- Q1
- 7.29
- Min
- 2.97
In the lower quartile for the Building Products industry, JCI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.10 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | JCI |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.82 | 0.96 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.53 | 0.81 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.64 | 0.65 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 34.56 | 5.10 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GWW
0.96%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.25%
- Q3
- 2.95%
- Median
- 2.06%
- Q1
- 1.11%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Yield of 0.96% 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.
JCI
1.38%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 2.51%
- Q3
- 1.92%
- Median
- 1.30%
- Q1
- 0.78%
- Min
- 0.00%
JCI’s Dividend Yield of 1.38% is consistent with its peers in the Building Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
GWW
22.89%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 136.12%
- Q3
- 71.34%
- Median
- 47.49%
- Q1
- 22.56%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.89% is within the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
JCI
43.93%
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 157.36%
- Q3
- 76.90%
- Median
- 30.70%
- Q1
- 17.97%
- Min
- 0.00%
JCI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 43.93% is within the typical range for the Building Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | JCI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.96% | 1.38% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 22.89% | 43.93% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GWW
23.88
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 42.69
- Q3
- 25.21
- Median
- 16.99
- Q1
- 13.13
- Min
- 5.35
GWW’s P/E Ratio of 23.88 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.
JCI
31.85
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 45.60
- Q3
- 30.36
- Median
- 21.97
- Q1
- 17.37
- Min
- 12.44
A P/E Ratio of 31.85 places JCI in the upper quartile for the Building Products industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GWW
2.63
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 2.71
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.30
GWW’s P/S Ratio of 2.63 aligns with the market consensus for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
JCI
3.54
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 5.90
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.07
- Min
- 0.37
JCI’s P/S Ratio of 3.54 is in the upper echelon for the Building Products 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)
GWW
13.60
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.31
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.
JCI
4.39
Building Products Industry
- Max
- 10.99
- Q3
- 5.69
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.80
- Min
- 0.66
JCI’s P/B Ratio of 4.39 is within the conventional range for the Building Products industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | JCI |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 23.88 | 31.85 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.63 | 3.54 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.60 | 4.39 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 32.41 | 24.59 |