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GWW vs. WAB: W.W. Grainger vs. Wabtec Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Wabtec (WAB)
Profile ItemGWWWAB
NameW.W. Grainger Inc.Wabtec Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsConstruction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization67.45 billion USD47.59 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973June 16, 1995
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Wabtec (WAB). 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 Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
Total Return (1Y)54.07%44.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.16%39.37%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.95%25.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWW
WAB
GSPC
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB), 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 Wabtec (WAB). 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 Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.49%27.53%
Beta (5Y)0.930.91
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.50%-23.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)250.35K890.96K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GWW and WAB 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 Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.031.47
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.312.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 52.33% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Wabtec (WAB) at 12.24%, 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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

12.24%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WAB
12.24%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 11.17% and Wabtec (WAB) at 11.20% 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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

11.20%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
WAB
11.20%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Wabtec (WAB) at 20.22% 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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

20.22%

Max
36.60%
WAB
20.22%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
ROE (TTM)52.33%12.24%
ROA (TTM)20.34%6.28%
Net Margin (TTM)11.17%11.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.14%20.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.43%36.17%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 4.51% and Wabtec (WAB) at 7.51% 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. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at -8.55% and Wabtec (WAB) at 13.08% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.51%7.51%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%10.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.55%13.08%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.60%25.44%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 2.61 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Wabtec (WAB) at 1.10 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WAB.

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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

1.10

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
WAB
1.10
Min
0.36
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): 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 Wabtec (WAB) at 0.60 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

0.60

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
WAB
0.60
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): 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 Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.611.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.60
Net Debt / EBITDA0.692.28

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 0.65% and Wabtec (WAB) at 0.42% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

0.42%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
WAB
0.42%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 20.87% and Wabtec (WAB) at 14.66% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

14.66%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
WAB
14.66%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%0.42%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)20.87%14.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both W.W. Grainger (GWW) at 31.66 and Wabtec (WAB) at 35.23 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

35.23

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WAB
35.23
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): 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 Wabtec (WAB) at 3.90 sits in the pricier quartile — WAB 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

3.90

Max
7.54
WAB
3.90
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Wabtec (WAB) at 4.20 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

4.20

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WAB
4.20
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for W.W. Grainger (GWW) and Wabtec (WAB)
MetricGWWWAB
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.6635.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.483.90
P/B Ratio (MRQ)15.564.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%2.60%