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GWW vs. SWK: W.W. Grainger vs. Stanley Black & Decker Stock Comparison

How do W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GWW is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while SWK is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
Profile ItemGWWSWK
NameW.W. Grainger Inc.Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization67.45 billion USD17.08 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GWW
SWK
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
Total Return (1Y)54.07%83.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.16%17.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.95%-5.19%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWW
SWK
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.49%38.68%
Beta (5Y)0.931.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.50%-68.03%
Avg. Volume (3M)250.35K1.67M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GWW and SWK 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.032.04
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.313.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 9.44%, 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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

9.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
SWK
9.44%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 11.17% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 5.53% 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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

5.53%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
SWK
5.53%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 8.71% 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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

8.71%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
SWK
8.71%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
ROE (TTM)52.33%9.44%
ROA (TTM)20.34%3.48%
Net Margin (TTM)11.17%5.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.14%8.71%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.43%32.16%

Growth

Revenue Growth

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at -1.53% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 35.90% 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 SWK.

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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.51%-1.53%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%-3.71%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.55%35.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.60%-26.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for SWK.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SWK
1.42
Min
0.36
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 0.58 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

0.58

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
SWK
0.58
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.611.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.58
Net Debt / EBITDA0.692.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65% pays an industry-typical yield; Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 2.89% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

2.89%

SWK
2.89%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 59.68% 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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

59.68%

Max
67.39%
SWK
59.68%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%2.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)20.87%59.68%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 20.58 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

20.58

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
SWK
20.58
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.12 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.12

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
SWK
1.12
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.93 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.93

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
SWK
1.93
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricGWWSWK
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.6620.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.481.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)15.561.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%11.37%