GWW vs. XPO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GWW and XPO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | GWW | XPO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | XPO, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Ground Transportation |
| Market Capitalization | 48.48 billion USD | 15.86 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 21, 1973 | October 7, 2003 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GWW and XPO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | XPO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.81% | 2.46% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -6.00% | 13.38% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -0.74% | -1.99% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 3.71% | 10.43% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.51% | 11.95% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -3.85% | 2.68% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.30M | 1.19M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.28M | 1.47M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 27.57% | 38.15% |
| Beta | 1.20 | 2.04 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GWW
54.86%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.33%
- Q3
- 19.92%
- Median
- 14.05%
- Q1
- 11.46%
- Min
- 0.91%
GWW’s Return on Equity of 54.86% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
XPO
20.71%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 22.11%
- Q3
- 13.84%
- Median
- 9.66%
- Q1
- 7.55%
- Min
- 0.36%
In the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry, XPO’s Return on Equity of 20.71% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GWW
10.99%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 17.73%
- Q3
- 10.81%
- Median
- 6.13%
- Q1
- 4.33%
- Min
- 2.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.99% places GWW in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
XPO
4.31%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 32.20%
- Q3
- 18.59%
- Median
- 7.11%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -10.38%
XPO’s Net Profit Margin of 4.31% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Ground Transportation industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GWW
15.27%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 25.50%
- Q3
- 15.13%
- Median
- 7.46%
- Q1
- 5.44%
- Min
- 3.55%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.27% places GWW in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
XPO
8.35%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 41.31%
- Q3
- 23.16%
- Median
- 11.33%
- Q1
- 6.82%
- Min
- -12.08%
XPO’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.35% is around the midpoint for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | XPO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 54.86% | 20.71% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 21.63% | 4.36% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.99% | 4.31% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.27% | 8.35% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.25% | 59.99% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
2.82
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.43
- Min
- 0.46
GWW’s Current Ratio of 2.82 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
XPO
1.02
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.03
- Q3
- 1.26
- Median
- 0.89
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.38
XPO’s Current Ratio of 1.02 aligns with the median group of the Ground Transportation industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
0.64
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.00
GWW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.64 is typical for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
XPO
1.91
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 2.51
- Q3
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.47
- Min
- 0.00
XPO’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Ground Transportation industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.91. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
GWW
34.56
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.75
- Q1
- 2.70
- Min
- -1.67
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 34.56, GWW demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
XPO
3.12
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 51.07
- Q3
- 22.54
- Median
- 7.94
- Q1
- 2.72
- Min
- -24.57
XPO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.12 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Ground Transportation industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | XPO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.82 | 1.02 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.53 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.64 | 1.91 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 34.56 | 3.12 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GWW
0.92%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 3.04%
- Median
- 1.94%
- Q1
- 1.22%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Yield of 0.92% is in the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
XPO
0.00%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 5.44%
- Q3
- 2.49%
- Median
- 1.53%
- Q1
- 0.39%
- Min
- 0.00%
XPO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
GWW
22.89%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 95.14%
- Q3
- 62.08%
- Median
- 51.17%
- Q1
- 26.24%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.89% is in the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
XPO
0.00%
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 137.07%
- Q3
- 74.71%
- Median
- 41.16%
- Q1
- 15.12%
- Min
- 0.00%
XPO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | XPO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.92% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 22.89% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GWW
24.84
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 48.55
- Q3
- 26.73
- Median
- 17.17
- Q1
- 10.78
- Min
- 1.62
GWW’s P/E Ratio of 24.84 is within the middle range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
XPO
41.08
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 42.59
- Q3
- 24.86
- Median
- 16.38
- Q1
- 12.79
- Min
- 4.37
A P/E Ratio of 41.08 places XPO in the upper quartile for the Ground Transportation industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GWW
2.73
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.88
- Q3
- 2.56
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.60
- Min
- 0.29
GWW’s P/S Ratio of 2.73 is in the upper echelon for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
XPO
1.77
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.02
- Q3
- 2.20
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.22
XPO’s P/S Ratio of 1.77 aligns with the market consensus for the Ground Transportation industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
13.60
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 8.77
- Q3
- 4.33
- Median
- 2.00
- Q1
- 1.11
- Min
- 0.35
At 13.60, GWW’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
XPO
8.35
Ground Transportation Industry
- Max
- 4.95
- Q3
- 2.78
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.64
At 8.35, XPO’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Ground Transportation industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | XPO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 24.84 | 41.08 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.73 | 1.77 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.60 | 8.35 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 33.72 | 67.48 |