GWW

W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) is included among the 10 Best Blue Chip Stocks to Buy for Your Retirement Portfolio. On May 12, Barclays raised its price target on W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) to $1,171 from $1,047 and maintained an Underweight rating on the stock. The firm viewed the company’s Q1 report positively but said ongoing headwinds could limit earnings upside in the periods ahead. A few days earlier, on May 9, RBC Capital increased its price target on Grainger to $1,337 from $1,170 while keeping a Sector Perform rating on the shares. The firm pointed to a stronger-than-expected Q1 operating performance and noted that the company lifted its FY26 guidance to a level 4% above consensus estimates. The analyst added that short-cycle industrial MRO demand showed encouraging improvement, with daily organic sales rising 12%. W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) operates as a broadline distributor of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products for businesses and institutions. The company runs through two segments: High-Touch Solutions North America and Endless Assortment. While we acknowledge the potential of GWW as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Dividend Stock Portfolio For Retirement: Top 12 Stock Picks and 10 Best Stocks Under $15 to Buy Right Now Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.

W.W. Grainger’s first quarter results were well received by the market. Management attributed the outperformance to solid execution in both core segments, with CEO Donald Macpherson noting that “healthy price realization, strong operational execution, and improved market demand” were key drivers. The company also benefited from broad-based acceleration across end markets, particularly among manufacturing, government, and contractor customers. Is now the time to buy GWW? Find out in our full research report (it’s free). Revenue: $4.74 billion vs analyst estimates of $4.58 billion (10.1% year-on-year growth, 3.6% beat) EPS (GAAP): $11.65 vs analyst estimates of $10.13 (15% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $855 million vs analyst estimates of $758.7 million (18% margin, 12.7% beat) The company lifted its revenue guidance for the full year to $19.4 billion at the midpoint from $18.9 billion, a 2.6% increase EPS (GAAP) guidance for the full year is $45.25 at the midpoint, beating analyst estimates by 3.6% Operating Margin: 16.7%, up from 15.6% in the same quarter last year Organic Revenue rose 12.2% year on year (beat) Market Capitalization: $59.15 billion While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention. David John Manthey (Baird): asked about price contribution by segment and margin pacing through the year. CFO Deidra Cheeks Merriwether clarified North America saw about five points of price and described expected margin seasonality and fuel cost headwinds. Jacob Frederick Levinson (UBS): inquired about energy shocks in Japan and private label adaptation to tariffs. CEO Macpherson acknowledged some price pressure in Japan but limited current impact, and noted ongoing adjustments in private label pricing and sourcing. Ryan James Merkel (William Blair): questioned the surprise behind revenue outperformance and gross margin drivers. CEO Macpherson cited a mix of end-market demand, share gains, and better-than-expected price realization, while Merriwether highlighted favorable SKU mix and lower-than-expected private label inventory sell-through. Christopher D. Glynn (Oppenheimer): asked about the contract cycle and AI use cases. Macphe...

Interested in W.W. Grainger, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. W.W. Grainger posted a strong first quarter, with sales up 10.1% and adjusted for currency and timing up 12.2%, while diluted EPS rose 18.2% to $11.65. Management said improved MRO demand, pricing, and execution drove the outperformance. Both business segments grew: High-Touch Solutions saw sales rise 10.5% and margin improve, while Endless Assortment posted a 19.6% sales increase and a notable operating margin gain. Management pointed to broad-based demand across manufacturing, government and contractor customers. Grainger raised full-year 2026 guidance, now expecting daily organic constant-currency sales growth of 9.5% to 12% and EPS of $44.25 to $46.25. The company also lifted its dividend by 10% and flagged tariffs, fuel costs and private label inventory expenses as ongoing margin pressures. The Hidden Value in Genuine Parts Company’s Spin-Off Plan W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) reported a stronger-than-expected start to fiscal 2026, with management citing improved MRO market demand, price realization and execution across both of its business segments. Chairman and CEO D.G. Macpherson said the company delivered “a strong quarter of profitable growth” despite tariff uncertainty and geopolitical risks. He said the broader maintenance, repair and operations market gained momentum through the quarter and that the strength appeared to continue into April. → Wells Fargo’s Comeback Is Real—But Not Risk-Free Fastenal : Growth Trends, Challenges & Key Investment Insights Total company sales rose 10.1% in the first quarter, or 12.2% on a daily organic constant currency basis. Operating margin was 16.7%, and diluted earnings per share rose 18.2% year over year to $11.65. Operating cash flow totaled $739 million, while Grainger returned $345 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Macpherson also noted that Grainger recently announced a 10% increase to its quarterly dividend, marking its 55th consecutive year of dividend increases. → Rocket Lab Posts Record Q1 Revenue, Raises Q2 Guidance Ex dividend date vs record date: What’s the difference? Senior Vice President and CFO Dee Merriwether said the High-Touch Solutions segment generated reported sales growth of 10.5%, or 10% on a daily constant currency basis. She said the sales growth reflected “roughly equal contributions from...

W.W. Grainger (GWW) reported $4.74 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 10.1%. EPS of $11.65 for the same period compares to $9.86 a year ago. The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.57 billion, representing a surprise of +3.8%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +14.23%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $10.20. While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health. As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately. Here is how W.W. Grainger performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Total Reported Growth: 10.1% versus 6.1% estimated by six analysts on average. Net Sales- Endless Assortment: $990 million compared to the $945.46 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +19.6% year over year. Net Sales- High-Touch Solutions N.A.: $3.75 billion compared to the $3.63 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +10.5% year over year. Operating earnings (losses)- Endless Assortment: $105 million compared to the $83.34 million average estimate based on five analysts. Operating earnings (losses)- High-Touch Solutions N.A.: $688 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $620.56 million. View all Key Company Metrics for W.W. Grainger here>>> Shares of W.W. Grainger have returned +5.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +11% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Performance beat was driven by a combination of healthy price realization, strong operational execution, and an inflection in MRO market demand which turned volume-positive. High-Touch Solutions growth was fueled by broad-based acceleration across manufacturing, government, and contractor end markets, supported by coordinated on-site service capabilities. The Endless Assortment segment benefited from improved customer retention at Zoro U.S. and a temporary competitive tailwind at MonotaRO due to a rival's cyber outage. Management attributes sustained share gains to high-touch growth engines and the ability to solve complex MRO challenges end-to-end for large contract customers. Strategic exits from the U.K. market (Cromwell and Zoro UK) contributed to year-over-year margin expansion and normalized the portfolio toward higher-performing regions. Operational focus remains on navigating tariff uncertainty and geopolitical climate by maintaining price/cost neutrality through agile pricing cycles. Full-year guidance was raised to reflect Q1 outperformance, with daily organic constant currency sales growth now expected between 9.5% and 12%. Management anticipates a 'U-shaped' margin profile for the year, with Q2 margins expected to step down to the low-15% range due to fuel costs and private label inventory timing. The outlook assumes MRO market volume growth of 0% to 1% for the full year, with price contribution moderating from 5% in Q1 to approximately 4% for the total year. Strategic investments in the sales force will continue with net additions of 3% to 4% annually to fill coverage gaps identified through improved customer data. Supply chain capacity will expand with the Portland facility going live in 2026 and a major new Houston distribution center scheduled for 2028. Increased fuel costs are creating margin leakage, particularly with large customers whose contracts include free parcel shipping, making immediate cost pass-through difficult. Geopolitical conflict in the Middle East is causing supply strain for energy-dependent inputs in Japan and impacting global costs for nitrile-based products. A shift in private label inventory accounting (FIFO) vs. core inventory (LIFO) created a temporary margin benefit in Q1 that will reverse as higher-cost layers sell through in Q2. Tariff volatility remains a factor; while recent Supreme Court rulings on IEPA tariffs...

Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 11 a.m. ET Chairman & Chief Executive Officer — Donald G. Macpherson Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer — Deidra Cheeks Merriwether Vice President, Investor Relations — Kyle Bland Operator: Greetings and welcome to the W.W. Grainger, Inc. First Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. At this time, participants are in a listen-only mode. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentation. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It is now my pleasure to introduce Kyle Bland, Vice President of Investor Relations. Thank you. You may begin. Kyle Bland: Good morning. Welcome to W.W. Grainger, Inc.’s first quarter 2026 earnings call. With me are Donald G. Macpherson, Chairman and CEO, and Deidra Cheeks Merriwether, Senior Vice President and CFO. As a reminder, our comments today may include forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Additional information regarding factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is included in the company’s most recent Form 8-Ks and other periodic reports filed with the SEC. This morning’s call includes non-GAAP financial measures, which reflect certain adjustments in previous periods as noted in the presentation. There were no adjusting items in the first quarter 2026 period. We have also included organic revenue adjustments in the presentation, which normalize sales growth to reflect our exit from the U.K. market, including the Cromwell divestiture and the closure of Zoro UK, both of which were completed in 2025. Definitions and full reconciliations of our non-GAAP financial measures with their GAAP measures are found in the tables at the end of this presentation and in our earnings release, both of which are available on our IR website. We will also share results related to MonotaRO. Please remember that MonotaRO is a public company and follows Japanese GAAP, which differs from U.S. GAAP, and is reported in our results one month in arrears. As a result, the numbers discussed will differ from MonotaRO’s public statements. Now I will turn it over to Donald G. Macpherson. Donald G. Macpherson: Thanks, Kyle. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining today. We are off to a strong start in 2026 with both our business segments performing well. Despite the ongoing tariff uncertainty and t...

Strong results across the business; Company increases full year 2026 outlook First Quarter Highlights Delivered sales of $4.7 billion, up 10.1%, or 12.2% on a daily, organic constant currency basis Achieved operating margin of 16.7%, up 110 basis points Generated diluted EPS of $11.65, up 18.2% Produced $739 million in operating cash flow and returned $345 million to Grainger shareholders through dividends and share repurchases Announced quarterly dividend increase of 10% Increasing full year 2026 guidance, including diluted adjusted EPS range of $44.25 to $46.25 CHICAGO, May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW) today reported results for the first quarter of 2026 with sales of $4.7 billion, up 10.1%, or 12.2% on a daily, organic constant currency basis, and diluted EPS of $11.65, up 18.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025. "We delivered great results in the first quarter driven by strong execution across both segments," said D.G. Macpherson, Chairman and CEO. "Despite ongoing uncertainty with tariffs and the broader geopolitical climate, we're seeing positive signs with the demand environment and are increasing our 2026 guidance to reflect the strong start and continued momentum." 2026 First Quarter Financial Summary Revenue Sales in the quarter increased 10.1% compared to the first quarter of 2025. When normalizing for the Company's exit from the U.K. market and the impact of foreign currency exchange, sales on a daily, organic constant currency basis increased 12.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025. In the High-Touch Solutions - N.A. segment, sales were up 10.5%, or 10.0% on daily, constant currency basis compared to the first quarter of 2025. Results for the segment were driven by volume growth and price inflation as tariff costs are passed. In the Endless Assortment segment, sales were up 19.6%, or 21.9% on a daily, organic constant currency basis, compared to the first quarter of 2025. Growth for the segment was driven by strong performance at both MonotaRO and Zoro. Gross Profit Margin Gross profit margin was 40.0% in the first quarter of 2026, up 30 basis points compared to the first quarter of 2025 as strength from both segments and a benefit related to the Company's exit from the U.K. market drove results. In the High-Touch Solutions - N.A. segment, gross profit margin was 42.6%, up 20 basis points compared to the prior year quarte...

W.W. Grainger (GWW) came out with quarterly earnings of $11.65 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.2 per share. This compares to earnings of $9.86 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +14.23%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this seller of maintenance and other supplies would post earnings of $9.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $9.44, delivering a surprise of +0.11%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. W.W. Grainger, which belongs to the Zacks Industrial Services industry, posted revenues of $4.74 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.80%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $4.31 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. W.W. Grainger shares have added about 15.9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 7.6%. While W.W. Grainger has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for W.W. Grainger was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of tod...

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — W.W. Grainger Inc. (GWW) on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings of $555 million. On a per-share basis, the Lake Forest, Illinois-based company said it had net income of $11.65. The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $10.20 per share. The seller of maintenance and other supplies posted revenue of $4.74 billion in the period, also exceeding Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $4.57 billion. W.W. Grainger expects full-year earnings in the range of $44.25 to $46.25 per share, with revenue in the range of $19.2 billion to $19.6 billion. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on GWW at https://www.zacks.com/ap/GWW

W.W. Grainger, Inc. GWW has posted first-quarter 2026 earnings of $11.65 per share, up 18.2% year over year and beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.20. Quarterly sales rose 10.1% from a year ago to $4.74 billion, topping the consensus mark of $4.57 billion. Results reflected broad-based demand and solid execution across the portfolio, highlighted by daily, organic constant-currency sales growth of 12.2% in the quarter. W.W. Grainger, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | W.W. Grainger, Inc. Quote Profitability improved as gross profit margin expanded 30 basis points to 40% from the year-ago period. The company attributed the lift to strength in both segments and a benefit tied to exiting the U.K. market. The operating margin advanced 110 basis points to 16.7%, supported by the combination of gross-margin improvement and sales leverage. Operating earnings increased to $793 million from $672 million in the prior-year quarter. In High-Touch Solutions – N.A., sales were $3.75 billion, up 10.5% year over year, with daily, constant-currency growth of 10%. The upside was driven by volume gains and price inflation as tariff-related costs were passed through, indicating continued pricing discipline in the core distribution business. We expected the segment’s sales to be $3.61 billion for the first quarter. Segment margins also moved higher. The gross margin increased to 42.6% and the operating margin rose to 18.3%, with the company noting favorable product mix and freight as offsets to higher payroll, benefits and marketing investment. Endless Assortment continued to outgrow the rest of the company, with sales rising 19.6% year over year to $990 million. Our model predicted the Endless Assortment segment’s sales to be $929 million for the quarter. On a daily, organic constant-currency basis, the segment delivered 21.9% growth, driven by strong performances at MonotaRO and Zoro. Profitability accelerated alongside growth. The segment’s operating margin climbed to 10.6%, up 190 basis points, benefiting from higher gross margin flow-through and top-line leverage. Cash generation remained a notable support point. Cash provided by operating activities came in at $739 million compared with the prior-year quarter’s $646 million. Capital spending totaled $170 million, resulting in a free cash flow of $569 million. Grainger returned $345 million to shareholders th...

W.W. Grainger (GWW) reported Q1 earnings Thursday of $11.65 per diluted share, up from $9.86 a year

Hudson Technologies (HDSN) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.01 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.05 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.06 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -80.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this refrigerant services company would post a loss of $0.09 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.13, delivering a surprise of -44.44%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. Hudson Tech, which belongs to the Zacks Industrial Services industry, posted revenues of $60.15 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.43%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $55.34 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Hudson Tech shares have lost about 8.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 6%. While Hudson Tech has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Hudson Tech was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks...