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 | 47.81 billion USD | 15.86 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 | 2.57% | -1.28% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -9.16% | 13.58% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -2.74% | 1.98% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 4.33% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -3.84% | 1.84% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -5.16% | 2.25% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.29M | 3.39M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.28M | 2.52M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 26.99% | 39.66% |
| Beta | 1.20 | 0.85 |
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.
ZTO
15.30%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.47%
- Median
- 11.35%
- Q1
- 7.21%
- Min
- 2.53%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 15.30% 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
- 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.
ZTO
20.76%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 10.27%
- Q3
- 6.18%
- Median
- 3.96%
- Q1
- 2.32%
- Min
- 0.61%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 20.76% 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
- 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.
ZTO
25.33%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 17.40%
- Q3
- 8.87%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.03%
- Min
- 0.62%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.33% 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% | 15.30% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 21.63% | 10.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.99% | 20.76% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.27% | 25.33% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.25% | 29.65% |
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.
ZTO
1.05
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.83
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.62
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
ZTO
0.27
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 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
- 5.75
- 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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.56
- Q1
- 5.97
- 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 | 1.05 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.53 | 0.87 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.64 | 0.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 34.56 | -- |
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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.43%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 2.40%
- Q1
- 0.46%
- 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
- 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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 54.10%
- Q1
- 0.19%
- 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) | 0.92% | 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.
ZTO
12.01
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 34.55
- Q3
- 23.34
- Median
- 16.33
- Q1
- 13.38
- Min
- 6.36
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GWW
2.73
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.
ZTO
2.49
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.13
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.18
With a P/S Ratio of 2.49, 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
- 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.
ZTO
1.82
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.81
- Median
- 1.82
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.74
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.82 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) | 24.84 | 12.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.73 | 2.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.60 | 1.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 33.72 | 9.58 |