GWW

What a time it’s been for W.W. Grainger. In the past six months alone, the company’s stock price has increased by a massive 40.7%, setting a new 52-week high of $1,456 per share. This was partly thanks to its solid quarterly results, and the performance may have investors wondering how to approach the situation. Is there a buying opportunity in W.W. Grainger, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Dive into our full research report to see our analyst team’s opinion, it’s free. We’re glad investors have benefited from the price increase, but we’re swiping left on W.W. Grainger for now. Here are three reasons why GWW doesn’t excite us, plus one stock we’d rather own. We at StockStory place the most emphasis on long-term growth, but within industrials, a stretched historical view may miss cycles, industry trends, or a company capitalizing on catalysts such as a new contract win or a successful product line. W.W. Grainger’s recent performance shows its demand has slowed as its annualized revenue growth of 5.1% over the last two years was below its five-year trend. We’re wary when companies in the sector see decelerations in revenue growth, as it could signal changing consumer tastes aided by low switching costs. We can better understand Maintenance and Repair Distributors companies by analyzing their organic revenue. This metric gives visibility into W.W. Grainger’s core business because it excludes one-time events such as mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures along with foreign currency fluctuations - non-fundamental factors that can manipulate the income statement. Over the last two years, W.W. Grainger’s organic revenue averaged 5.7% year-on-year growth. This performance was underwhelming and suggests it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy, which can add an extra layer of complexity to its operations. While long-term earnings trends give us the big picture, we also track EPS over a shorter period because it can provide insight into an emerging theme or development for the business. W.W. Grainger’s EPS grew at a weak 1.3% compounded annual growth rate over the last two years, lower than its 5.1% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded. W.W. Grainger isn’t a terrible business, but it isn’t one of our picks. After the recent surge, the stock trades at...

Fastenal Company FAST reported mixed second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings meeting the Zacks Consensus Estimate and net sales beating the same. Conversely, year over year, both metrics grew notably.Fastenal continued to benefit from customer signings secured since the first quarter of 2024. Contract customer daily sales increased 17.6% year over year and represented 75.8% of quarterly revenues, up from 73.2% a year earlier.FAST stock lost 2.2% during today’s pre-market trading session after the announcement of the financial results. Fastenal’s quarterly earnings of 33 cents per share were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but increased 15.9% year over year from 29 cents per share.Net sales rose 14.7% year over year to $2.39 billion and surpassed the consensus mark of $2.34 billion by 1.9%. Growth reflected stronger customer contract signings, pricing actions and improved industrial production. Daily sales also advanced 14.7%. Fastenal Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Fastenal Company Quote Manufacturing daily sales increased 14.9%, with the segment contributing 75.9% of total sales. Heavy Manufacturing led the improvement with 18.1% growth and represented 44.1% of revenues. Other Manufacturing sales rose 10.8%.Non-Residential Construction daily sales advanced 17%, marking continued growth in the market. Other End-Market sales increased 14.1%, aided by transportation and warehousing customers. Total Non-Manufacturing daily sales climbed 15.1%.Direct-Material daily sales grew 16.5% and accounted for 39.2% of revenues. Direct Fasteners and Hardware increased 16.8%, while direct cutting tools and abrasives rose 14.8%. Direct Non-Fasteners and Hardware sales improved 16.7%.Indirect-Material daily sales increased 14.1% and represented 60.8% of revenues. Indirect Fastener sales rose 14.6%, Safety Products increased 13.1%, and other indirect product lines advanced 14.6%. Direct materials slightly outpaced indirect products due to stronger fastener demand and manufacturing activity. Digital Footprint sales increased 16.2% to $1.49 billion and represented 61.6% of revenues, up from 61% in the prior-year quarter. The metric combines sales through Fastenal Managed Inventory technology with eBusiness sales that do not overlap with those services.FMI sales rose 16.4% to $1.08 billion and accounted for 44.6% of revenues. FAST signed 6,993 weighted...

W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW), headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services. Valued at $65.7 billion by market cap, the company's products include motors, HVAC equipment, lighting, hand and power tools, pumps, packaging, material handling, adhesives, safety, janitorial, electrical, and metalworking equipment. The MRO giant is expected to announce its fiscal second-quarter earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Ahead of the event, analysts expect GWW to report a profit of $11.28 per share on a diluted basis, up 13.1% from $9.97 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company surpassed the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion. Dear Google Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for July 13 Oracle Stock Crashes to a 52-Week Low. Here’s Why It Might Be Time to Buy. Costco vs. Walmart: 1 Dividend-Paying Retail Giant Stands Above the Other Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. For the full year, analysts expect GWW to report EPS of $45.45, up 15.1% from $39.48 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 10.6% year over year to $50.27 in fiscal 2027. GWW stock has outperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 20.1% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 31.4% during this period. Similarly, it outperformed the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLI) 20.1% gains over the same time frame. GWW outperformed as solid execution, better pricing, and stronger demand in manufacturing, government, and contractor markets lifted both segments. At the same time, margin gains from the Cromwell divestiture, Zoro UK closure, and cost controls helped, while Zoro and MonotaRO delivered double-digit growth. Management upgraded guidance on resilient demand and operational discipline, even as it flagged near-term headwinds from fuel and inventory timing. On May 7, GWW shares closed up by 5.5% after reporting its Q1 results. Its EPS of $11.65 beat Wall Street expectations of $10.20. The company’s revenue was $4.7 billion, exceeding Wall Street forecasts of $4.6 billion. GWW expects full-year EPS in the range of $44.25 to $46.25, and revenue in the range of $19.2 billion to $19.6 billion. Analysts’ consensus opinion on GWW stock is cautious, with a “...

Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. W.W. Grainger stock has delivered a strong 219.6% return over the past five years, yet both the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) intrinsic value estimate and traditional market multiples currently point to the shares trading at a premium rather than offering clear value. Over the last 5 years, W.W. Grainger has returned 219.6%, which raises the question of how much of the company’s progress and prospects are already built into the price. Expectations for continued solid cash generation can support the current valuation. However, any pressure on margins or slower cash flow growth may weigh heavily when the stock is already priced at a premium. On Simply Wall St’s broader valuation checks, W.W. Grainger scores 0 out of 6, which suggests the shares lean expensive rather than standing out as a bargain. The issue now is whether W.W. Grainger’s recent share price level gives you enough valuation comfort after such a strong multi year run. W.W. Grainger delivered 31.0% returns over the last year. See how this stacks up to the rest of the Trade Distributors industry. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model estimates what W.W. Grainger could be worth based on the cash it is expected to generate for shareholders. On the latest twelve month numbers, the company produced roughly $1.5b in free cash flow, and the model assumes these cash flows keep growing rather than shrinking over time. Feeding those projections into a 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity model produces an estimated intrinsic value of about $1,191 per share. That sits below the current share price, which implies the stock trades at roughly a 15.5% premium to this cash flow based estimate. In other words, the market price for W.W. Grainger already embeds fairly optimistic assumptions about future cash generation, leaving less room for disappointment. On this DCF view, W.W. Grainger stock currently screens as overvalued. Our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis suggests W.W. Grainger may be overvalued by 15.5%. Discover 44 high quality undervalued stocks or create your own screener to find better value opportunities. Head to the Valuation section of our Company Report for more details on how we arrive at this Fair Value for W.W. Grainger. The P/E ratio suits W.W. Grainger because earnings are a key dr...

Fastenal Company FAST is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 14, before the opening bell.In the last reported quarter, its earnings per share (EPS) met the Zacks Consensus Estimate at 30 cents and grew year over year by 13.6%. Net sales marginally topped the consensus mark by 0.04% and grew 12.4% from the year-ago quarter.Fastenal’s earnings topped the consensus mark in one of the last four quarters, met on two occasions and missed on the remaining one, with the average surprise being 0.1%. For the second quarter, FAST’s Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS has moved upward over the past 60 days to 33 cents per share from 32 cents. The estimated figure indicates 13.8% year-over-year growth.The consensus mark for net sales is pegged at $2.34 billion, indicating a 12.6% increase from the year-ago reported figure of $2.08 billion. Fastenal Company price-eps-surprise | Fastenal Company Quote SalesIn the second quarter, the top-line performance of Fastenal is likely to have improved year over year, driven by improved customer contract signings and an improvement in industrial production, alongside favorable pricing and several sales-boosting initiatives. The company’s focus on growing its digital footprint, increasing inventory and improving picking efficiency at its hubs is expected to have boded well, despite the sluggish industrial environment.Direct materials, which include fasteners, cutting tools and other production-related items, are expected to have added to the sales growth of Fastenal, led by improved demand trends for direct fasteners and hardware. Besides, its manufacturing exposure is likely to have been another major driver for the results. Moreover, a balanced mix of on-site and off-site services, along with market share gains across various product categories, is likely to have been an additional growth contributor.If we go by the latest monthly sales report, May's daily sales grew 14.8% to $37.6 million year over year and grew 4.6% from April 2026.In terms of end markets in May 2026, Heavy Manufacturing and Other Manufacturing daily sales increased 18.7% and 11.5%, respectively, with Non-residential Construction growing 16%. In terms of customer usage, daily sales for Direct Fasteners/Hardware and Direct non-Fasteners/Hardware jumped 15.9% and 17.2%, respectively. Daily sales under Direct Cutting Tools and Abrasives also improved...

MSC Industrial Direct Company, Inc. MSM reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.43 for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.28 by 11.72%. The bottom line increased 32.4% from the year-ago quarter’s adjusted earnings of $1.08 per share.Including one-time items, the company reported EPS of $1.44 compared with the year-ago quarter’s earnings of $1.02. Net sales were $1.05 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.03 billion by 1.74%. Sales increased 7.8% year over year, driven by stronger average daily sales, price benefits and a return to volume growth. Average daily sales increased 7.8% year over year and came in above the company’s quarterly outlook range. MSC Industrial Direct Company, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | MSC Industrial Direct Company, Inc. Quote The cost of goods sold increased 7.5% year over year to $617 million. Gross profit moved up 8.2% to $430 million. The gross margin was 41.1% compared with the year-ago quarter’s 41%. Operating expenses rose 3.6% year over year to $324 million in the fiscal third quarter. Adjusted operating income amounted to $111 million, up 27.5% from the prior-year quarter. The adjusted operating margin expanded 160 basis points to 10.6%, supported by higher sales, gross margin gains and savings from headcount actions taken over the past 12 months. Core and Other Customers grew 8% year over year, while Public Sector sales were also up 8%. National Accounts increased 7%, reflecting improvement in a channel that the company highlighted as showing notable progress. Solutions-related sales also gained momentum. Sales to customers with an In-Plant program increased 16% and represented 21% of the total sales. Sales through vending machines rose 15% and accounted for 20% of sales, underscoring continued traction in MSC’s embedded customer solutions. MSM had cash and cash equivalents of $74 million at the end of the fiscal third quarter of 2026 compared with $56 million at the end of fiscal 2025. It generated cash flow from operating activities of $225.5 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2026 compared with $253.5 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2025. The company’s long-term debt was $90 million at the end of the reported quarter, down from $169 million at the end of fiscal 2025. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, MSC Industrial expects average...

Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) reported a strong first quarter, with its business transformation and digital expansion cited as key drivers. The company highlighted growth in its High-Touch Solutions and Endless Assortment segments, with improving momentum in Canada. Expanded e-commerce capabilities and supply chain investments are drawing increased attention from hedge funds and other institutional investors. W.W. Grainger enters this phase of its transformation with the stock trading around $1,311.10 and a return of 30.6% year to date. Over the past 5 years, NYSE:GWW has returned 210.5%, and 81.3% over 3 years, which puts the current performance in a longer track record that many shareholders will watch closely. The latest quarterly update adds fresh detail on how digital initiatives and product breadth are feeding into that story. For investors, the bigger takeaway is less about a single quarter and more about how Grainger’s digital and supply chain investments may affect its growth profile over time. As High-Touch Solutions, Endless Assortment, and Canada progress, the company’s mix of volume, margin, and capital allocation decisions is likely to remain a focal point for both existing holders and new institutional interest. Stay updated on the most important news stories for W.W. Grainger by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on W.W. Grainger. We've flagged 1 risk for W.W. Grainger. See which could impact your investment. For W.W. Grainger, the key question in this business transformation is whether digital and supply chain investments are creating a defensible edge or just keeping pace with peers like Fastenal, MSC Industrial, and Ferguson. The strong first quarter, with revenue up 10.1% year on year and beats on organic revenue and adjusted operating income, suggests the High Touch Solutions and Endless Assortment models are working together, rather than competing with each other. At the same time, increased hedge fund interest and mixed analyst views, including a recent Neutral initiation from DA Davidson and insider share sales of US$7.4m over three months, underline that execution quality and valuation are both under scrutiny. The Q1 outperformance and raised intere...

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...