GWW vs. MMM: W.W. Grainger vs. 3M Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM) 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 3M (MMM) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while MMM is classified in Industrial Conglomerates.

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM)
Profile Item	GWW	MMM
Name	W.W. Grainger Inc.	3M Company
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Industrial Conglomerates
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Industrial Conglomerates
Market Capitalization	67.45 billion USD	95.67 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GWW

MMM

GSPC

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM), 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 3M (MMM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM). 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 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
Total Return (1Y)	54.07%	16.26%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	24.16%	38.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	25.95%	8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWW

MMM

GSPC

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM), 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 3M (MMM). 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 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	24.49%	27.61%
Beta (5Y)	0.93	0.97
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-24.50%	-48.86%
Avg. Volume (3M)	250.35K	3.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

GWW and MMM 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 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	2.03	0.43
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	3.31	0.70

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% and 3M (MMM) at 72.97% 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.

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%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

72.97%

MMM: 72.97%
Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 14.01% 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.

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%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

14.01%

Max: 27.47%
MMM: 14.01%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 23.69% 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%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

23.69%

Max: 36.60%
MMM: 23.69%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
ROE (TTM)	52.33%	72.97%
ROA (TTM)	20.34%	8.22%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.17%	14.01%
Operating Margin (TTM)	16.14%	23.69%
Gross Margin (TTM)	39.43%	39.53%

Growth

Revenue Growth

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while 3M (MMM) at 1.52% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at -8.55% and 3M (MMM) at -20.53% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.51%	1.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.62%	-1.57%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-8.55%	-20.53%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.60%	-16.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while 3M (MMM) at 1.41 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for MMM.

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

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

1.41

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
MMM: 1.41
Min: 0.36

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while 3M (MMM) at 3.04 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

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

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

3.04

MMM: 3.04
Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): 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 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.61	1.41
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.65	3.04
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.69	1.26

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 1.64% 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, MMM 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%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

1.64%

Max: 2.66%
MMM: 1.64%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): 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 3M (MMM) at 45.82% 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%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

45.82%

Max: 67.39%
MMM: 45.82%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.65%	1.64%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	20.87%	45.82%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 and 3M (MMM) at 27.63 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

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

27.63

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
MMM: 27.63
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): 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 3M (MMM) at 3.79 sits in the pricier quartile — MMM 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

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

3.79

Max: 7.54
MMM: 3.79
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 15.56 and 3M (MMM) at 23.18 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

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

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

23.18

MMM: 23.18
Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and 3M (MMM)
Metric	GWW	MMM
P/E Ratio (TTM)	31.66	27.63
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.48	3.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	15.56	23.18
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.97%	6.66%