Seek Returns

GWW vs. ROK: W.W. Grainger vs. Rockwell Automation Stock Comparison

How do W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK) 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while ROK is classified in Electrical Equipment.

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
Profile ItemGWWROK
NameW.W. Grainger Inc.Rockwell Automation Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsElectrical Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsElectrical Components & Equipment
Market Capitalization67.45 billion USD41.82 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GWW
ROK
GSPC
Loading price history…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
Total Return (1Y)54.07%6.19%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.16%16.94%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.95%4.86%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWW
ROK
GSPC
Loading price history…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK). 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.49%34.28%
Beta (5Y)0.931.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.50%-45.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)250.35K799.28K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
GWW and ROK 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.030.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.310.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 38.73% also sits in the top quartile.

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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

38.73%

Max
40.55%
ROK
38.73%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 15.68% 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

15.68%

Max
27.47%
ROK
15.68%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 16.14% and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 14.75% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

14.75%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
ROK
14.75%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
ROE (TTM)52.33%38.73%
ROA (TTM)20.34%9.32%
Net Margin (TTM)11.17%15.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.14%14.75%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.43%48.95%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: W.W. Grainger (GWW) reports revenue growth of 4.51%, ranked against its industry; Rockwell Automation (ROK) has no revenue growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 63.49% 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 ROK.

Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.51%--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%--
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.55%63.49%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.60%1.62%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 2.11 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

2.11

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
ROK
2.11
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 1.00 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

1.00

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
ROK
1.00
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.612.11
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.651.00
Net Debt / EBITDA0.691.58

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Rockwell Automation (ROK) 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
ROK
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 51.03% 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%

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

51.03%

Max
67.39%
ROK
51.03%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)20.87%51.03%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 and Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 29.97 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

29.97

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
ROK
29.97
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 4.65 sits in the pricier quartile — ROK 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

4.65

Max
7.54
ROK
4.65
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): 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 Rockwell Automation (ROK) at 11.76 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

ROK

Capital Goods industry group

11.76

ROK
11.76
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Rockwell Automation (ROK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Rockwell Automation (ROK)
MetricGWWROK
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.6629.97
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.484.65
P/B Ratio (MRQ)15.5611.76
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%-1.13%