GWW vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GWW and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
GWW is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | GWW | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 45.87 billion USD | 15.17 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 21, 1973 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GWW and ZTO 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 | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.62% | -1.53% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -7.26% | 6.32% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -3.54% | -5.67% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -6.83% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 0.62% | 0.34% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -9.03% | -2.18% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.27M | 1.58M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.30M | 2.53M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 27.70% | 37.44% |
| Beta | 1.13 | 0.76 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GWW
54.86%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.99%
- Q3
- 19.66%
- Median
- 13.72%
- Q1
- 9.74%
- Min
- -0.34%
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.
ZTO
13.99%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.63%
- Median
- 11.99%
- Q1
- 7.41%
- Min
- 2.11%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 13.99% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GWW
10.99%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 16.11%
- Q3
- 9.48%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.68%
- Min
- -1.09%
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.
ZTO
18.81%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 7.92%
- Q3
- 5.98%
- Median
- 4.11%
- Q1
- 2.45%
- Min
- 0.50%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GWW
15.27%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 26.26%
- Q3
- 14.59%
- Median
- 7.05%
- Q1
- 4.94%
- Min
- -8.06%
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.
ZTO
23.34%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 11.33%
- Q3
- 8.19%
- Median
- 5.82%
- Q1
- 3.63%
- Min
- 1.06%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 54.86% | 13.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 21.63% | 9.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.99% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.27% | 23.34% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.25% | 27.48% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
2.82
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.26
GWW’s Current Ratio of 2.82 is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
ZTO
1.21
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.73
- Q3
- 1.33
- Median
- 1.15
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.61
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Air Freight & Logistics 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
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.61
- Min
- 0.01
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.
ZTO
0.29
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
GWW
34.56
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.67
- Q1
- 2.04
- 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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.92
- Q1
- 6.34
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.82 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.53 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.64 | 0.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 34.56 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GWW
0.96%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.25%
- Q3
- 2.95%
- Median
- 2.06%
- Q1
- 1.11%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Yield of 0.96% 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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.28%
- Q3
- 3.20%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.55%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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
- 136.12%
- Q3
- 71.34%
- Median
- 47.49%
- Q1
- 22.56%
- Min
- 0.00%
GWW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.89% is within the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 60.17%
- Q1
- 4.60%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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 | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.96% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 22.89% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GWW
23.91
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 42.69
- Q3
- 25.21
- Median
- 16.99
- Q1
- 13.13
- Min
- 5.35
GWW’s P/E Ratio of 23.91 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.
ZTO
12.12
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 30.08
- Q3
- 23.03
- Median
- 18.40
- Q1
- 12.84
- Min
- 5.90
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.12 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GWW
2.63
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 2.71
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.30
GWW’s P/S Ratio of 2.63 aligns with the market consensus for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
ZTO
2.28
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.28
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.19
With a P/S Ratio of 2.28, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
GWW
13.60
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.31
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.
ZTO
1.59
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 5.68
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.97
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.80
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.59 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | GWW | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 23.91 | 12.12 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.63 | 2.28 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.60 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 32.45 | 10.10 |