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

How do W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX) 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 RTX (RTX) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while RTX is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX)
Profile ItemGWWRTX
NameW.W. Grainger Inc.RTX Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsAerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsAerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization67.45 billion USD255.76 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973April 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX). 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 RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
Total Return (1Y)54.07%12.51%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.16%36.20%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.95%19.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWW
RTX
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX), 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 RTX (RTX). 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 RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.49%25.84%
Beta (5Y)0.930.30
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.50%-32.84%
Avg. Volume (3M)250.35K4.59M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GWW and RTX 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 RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.030.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.310.48

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than RTX (RTX) at 12.85%, 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%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

12.85%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
RTX
12.85%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 11.17% and RTX (RTX) at 8.75% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

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%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

8.75%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
RTX
8.75%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): 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 RTX (RTX) at 15.54% 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%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

15.54%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
RTX
15.54%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
ROE (TTM)52.33%12.85%
ROA (TTM)20.34%4.56%
Net Margin (TTM)11.17%8.75%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.14%15.54%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.43%21.10%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% and RTX (RTX) at 9.74% 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. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

RTX (RTX) at 39.72% 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 RTX.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.51%9.74%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%9.72%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.55%39.72%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.60%12.32%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while RTX (RTX) at 1.05 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RTX.

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

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

1.05

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
RTX
1.05
Min
0.36
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): 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 RTX (RTX) at 0.55 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

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

0.55

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
RTX
0.55
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): 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 RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.611.05
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.55
Net Debt / EBITDA0.691.75

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

RTX (RTX) at 1.47% 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, RTX 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%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

1.47%

Max
2.66%
RTX
1.47%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): 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 RTX (RTX) at 45.85% 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%

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

45.85%

Max
67.39%
RTX
45.85%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%1.47%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)20.87%45.85%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 and RTX (RTX) at 30.82 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

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

30.82

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
RTX
30.82
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 3.48 and RTX (RTX) at 2.66 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

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

2.66

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
RTX
2.66
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

RTX (RTX) at 3.69 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

RTX

Capital Goods industry group

3.69

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
RTX
3.69
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. RTX (RTX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and RTX (RTX)
MetricGWWRTX
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.6630.82
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.482.66
P/B Ratio (MRQ)15.563.69
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%3.25%