CluenexW.W. Grainger GWW
W.W. Grainger scores good on business quality (6.2 of 10). Here is why, in plain words, and what our sealed record shows.
Why it matters
- What W.W. Grainger does
WW Grainger distributes maintenance, repair, and operating supplies to commercial and industrial customers, generating revenue through high-volume product sales. The company is leaning into digital capabilities and supply chain enhancements to capture a larger share of the fragmented industrial distribution market.
- What it does best
Grainger delivers superior return on equity of 48.7%, outperforming peer Fastenal at 34.0% due to an entrenched direct-to-enterprise logistics network that is difficult for competitors to replicate.
- The main risk
Industrial demand slowdowns threaten volume growth across its core maintenance and repair product lines, exposing a revenue base that relies heavily on steady commercial activity.
Quality, check by check
Scored against its own industry, from company filings.
Operating margin stands at 14.6% with a gross margin of 39.4%, reflecting stable cost absorption as the business scales.
An extensive distribution infrastructure locks in commercial and industrial buyers, supporting a top-quartile return on equity of 88th percentile in its sector.
Revenue growth registers at 4.5%, showing steady top-line expansion that mirrors historical performance without dramatic acceleration.
Interest coverage sits at 33.9x, making debt servicing a minor expense alongside $1.5B in free cash flow, keeping the balance sheet firmly secure.
Insiders
Executives and directors, from SEC Form 4 filings we read ourselves. Open market trades only; grants, option exercises and pre-planned sales left out.
No open market buys or unplanned sales by executives or directors.
Our sealed record on GWW
Verdicts appear here 30 days after we publish them; members see today's. Each one is in the nightly ledger, fingerprinted the night it was made.
The first sealed verdicts appear here on Oct 11, 2026.
Questions
W.W. Grainger scores good on the Cluenex quality check (6.2 of 10), measured against its own industry. Profitability is fair, moat strong, growth slow and financial health strong.
In the last 90 days of SEC Form 4 filings: No open market buys or unplanned sales by executives or directors.
Nov 4, 2026.
See GWW today
- Today's verdict on GWW, and why
- Fair value with cautious, base and optimistic cases
- The exact price that would change the verdict
- Which stocks each signal names, the night it fires
Cite this page: Cluenex, “W.W. Grainger (GWW)”, https://cluenex.com/stocks/gww/, data as of Oct 10, 2026.