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GWW vs. QXO: W.W. Grainger vs. QXO Stock Comparison

How do W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO) 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 QXO (QXO) are both classified in the Trading Companies & Distributors sub-industry within the broader Trading Companies & Distributors industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO)
Profile ItemGWWQXO
NameW.W. Grainger Inc.QXO Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization67.45 billion USD11.99 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973April 17, 2012
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GWW
QXO
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO), 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 QXO (QXO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO). 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 QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
Total Return (1Y)54.07%-19.11%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.16%-16.39%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.95%-17.91%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

QXO (QXO) carries a highly aggressive beta of 2.28, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas W.W. Grainger (GWW) is closer to market-like at 0.93 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

QXO (QXO) is heavily traded at around 19.01M shares per day, whereas W.W. Grainger (GWW) sees a more moderate 250.35K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.

Risk profile metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.49%68.10%
Beta (5Y)0.932.28
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.50%-95.70%
Avg. Volume (3M)250.35K19.01M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GWW and QXO 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 QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.03-0.34
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.31-0.55

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

QXO (QXO) reports a negative ROE of -4.60%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports 52.33%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

-4.60%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
QXO
-4.60%
Min
-17.12%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

QXO (QXO) reports a negative net margin of -5.17%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports 11.17%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

-5.17%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
QXO
-5.17%
Min
-12.89%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 16.14% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while QXO (QXO) at 1.29% operates in the bottom quartile.

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%

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

1.29%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
QXO
1.29%
Min
-12.63%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
ROE (TTM)52.33%-4.60%
ROA (TTM)20.34%-0.27%
Net Margin (TTM)11.17%-5.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.14%1.29%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.43%24.54%

Growth

Revenue Growth

QXO (QXO) at 11,924.96% clears its industry range for revenue growth, far stronger top-line momentum than W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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

EPS Growth

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at -8.55% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while QXO (QXO) at -672.73% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.51%11,924.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%433.80%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.55%-672.73%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)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 QXO (QXO) at 4.12 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets 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

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

4.12

Max
5.22
QXO
4.12
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): 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 QXO (QXO) at 0.57 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

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

0.57

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
QXO
0.57
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): 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 QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.614.12
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.57
Net Debt / EBITDA0.697.20

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

QXO (QXO) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports a yield of 0.65%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
QXO
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

QXO (QXO) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports a payout of 20.87%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)20.87%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: W.W. Grainger (GWW) trades at 31.66 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while QXO (QXO) has no P/E ratio this period.

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

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

--

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
QXO
--
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): QXO does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; GWW is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 3.48 and QXO (QXO) at 1.21 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

1.21

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
QXO
1.21
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

QXO (QXO) at 0.90 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile relative to book while W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 15.56 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

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

QXO

Capital Goods industry group

0.90

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
QXO
0.90
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. QXO (QXO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and QXO (QXO)
MetricGWWQXO
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.66--
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.481.21
P/B Ratio (MRQ)15.560.90
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%-21.23%