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Relative Intelligence · Industrial Distribution

How W.W. Grainger (GWW) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on GWW alone. It places GWW (W.W. Grainger, Inc.) against 19 popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where GWW stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: GWW's full trading record, from October 1986 through September 2026. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

Data as of October 20, 2026. Full tables and charts read best on a larger screen.

Rank the market against GWW →Chart GWW vs. 19 alternatives →
On this page12 sections

Key findings

How much would $10,000 in GWW have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in GWW over the past 29 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of GWW over the same span and GWW's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period. A second view covers the past 5 years, the period the better options further down the page are judged on. It shows not only where each investment ended up but also how smooth or uneven the path was.

Choose a period

From the end of September 1997 to the end of September 2026. The scale is logarithmic, so equal steps up the chart are equal percentage gains. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 125 of the 1,042 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of GWW; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$1,000$10,000$100,000$1M$10M199720022007201220172022$1,000$10,000$100,000$1M$10M19972004201120182025
  • AAPL$21M+205,249% total · +30.1% a year
  • ROK$1M+12,857% total · +18.3% a year
  • PH$505,227+4,952% total · +14.5% a year
  • FAST$485,606+4,756% total · +14.3% a year
  • PGR$454,424+4,444% total · +14.1% a year
  • GWW$444,276+4,343% total · +14.0% a year
  • AIT$389,541+3,795% total · +13.5% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$132,907+1,229% total · +9.3% a year
  • MSM$111,662+1,017% total · +8.7% a year
  • GIC$46,860+369% total · +5.5% a year
Change the dates or add tickers to this chart in EasyCompare

From the end of September 2021 to the end of September 2026. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 287 of the 3,628 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of GWW; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000202120222023202420252026$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000202120222023202420252026
  • MPC$71,516+615% total · +48.2% a year
  • DXPE$61,281+513% total · +43.7% a year
  • LLY$52,411+424% total · +39.3% a year
  • CAH$49,682+397% total · +37.8% a year
  • MCK$43,941+339% total · +34.5% a year
  • AIT$38,549+285% total · +31.0% a year
  • PH$36,392+264% total · +29.5% a year
  • GWW$33,303+233% total · +27.2% a year
  • URI$29,622+196% total · +24.3% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
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GWW at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the stock, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout. These figures serve as the baseline for every comparison that follows.

The company

Market value
$63B
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Price history from
October 1986

Returns

Past 1 year
+38.7%total return
Past 3 years
+98.1%+25.6% a year
Past 5 years
+221%+26.3% a year
Past 10 years
+654%+22.4% a year
Best calendar year
+50.5%2023
Worst calendar year
−22.3%2000
Losing years
7 of 29full calendar years

Risk

Volatility
24.9%typical yearly swing, 5 years
Sharpe ratio
1.07return per unit of risk, 5 years
Worst decline ever
−56.7%Jun 1999 to Oct 2000
From its all-time high
−4.5%below the peak

GWW against the whole market

Where GWW ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

How does GWW rank among all stocks?

This section ranks GWW on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history. Where the comparisons with its popular alternatives show how GWW stacks up against its peers, these rankings show where it stands in the market as a whole.

Ranked against U.S.-listed stocks worth at least $300M that have enough history for each measure, so the count changes from row to row; smaller stocks are left out. Lower volatility and smaller declines rank higher.

MeasureGWWRankStanding
1-year return+38.7%758 of 3,287top 23%
3-year return+98.1%937 of 3,017top 31%
5-year return+221%273 of 2,893top 9%
10-year return+654%213 of 2,202top 10%
Volatility, 5 years24.9%316 of 2,893top 11%
Sharpe ratio, 5 years1.0766 of 2,893top 2%
Worst decline, past 10 years−41.6%192 of 2,187top 9%

What has beaten GWW on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer). GWW sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than GWW with smaller swings, a better trade-off over this period on both counts. Past results are no promise, but a name in the box is worth a closer look.

Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested, and volatility the annualized swing in daily prices, both over 5 years. Labeled dots are the strongest picks from the table below and the names called out above, colored by how close they sit to GWW. 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million were screened. Hover over a dot for its figures.

15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than GWWGWW: +26.3% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): +12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%URI: +24.3% a year, volatility 39.1%LLY: +40.7% a year, volatility 32.8%CAH: +42.1% a year, volatility 24.7%MCK: +38.7% a year, volatility 25.0%MPC: +51.2% a year, volatility 33.4%MUFG: +33.2% a year, volatility 29.4%VGT: +18.4% a year, volatility 26.0%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%PGR: +21.3% a year, volatility 25.6%GWWSPY (S&P 500)URILLYCAHMCKMPCMUFGVGTDXJPGR15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than GWWGWW: +26.3% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): +12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%URI: +24.3% a year, volatility 39.1%LLY: +40.7% a year, volatility 32.8%CAH: +42.1% a year, volatility 24.7%MCK: +38.7% a year, volatility 25.0%MPC: +51.2% a year, volatility 33.4%MUFG: +33.2% a year, volatility 29.4%VGT: +18.4% a year, volatility 26.0%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%PGR: +21.3% a year, volatility 25.6%GWWSPY (S&P 500)URILLYCAHMCKMPCMUFGVGTDXJPGR
  • Popular alternatives
  • The whole market
  • 1 with more than 1.6× GWW's volatility is in the table only

Is there a better investment than GWW?

Investments that beat GWW over the past 5 years on return, volatility, drawdowns, consistency, crash losses or fees, from its popular alternatives out to the whole market.

How this works

The table below lists investments that beat GWW over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes. It checks GWW's popular alternatives first, then the rest of its own and neighboring categories, then every stock and fund worth at least $500 million, and shows the strongest few in each group.

Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested. Annual return, volatility and the Sharpe ratio cover 5 years; the worst decline covers the past 10 years. Green marks a better figure than GWW's. "On the frontier" means no other option shown or tested earned more with less volatility. Funds that hold the same thing are shown once. Beyond the popular alternatives, nothing with more than 1.5× GWW's volatility counts as better.

These figures cover the past 5 years. Green marks a better figure than GWW's.

Screen the whole market against GWW for any period in BetterThanSPYOpen these 11 in EasyCompare
InvestmentWhy it is betterPast 5 yearsDownsideLong runFit
Annual return?higher is betterVolatility?lower is calmerSharpe?return per unit of riskWorst decline?past 10 years10Y returntotalCorr. with GWW?lower diversifies moreExpenseper year
GWWW.W. Grainger, Inc. · this page
+26.3%24.9%1.07−41.6%+654%1.00—
SPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF · S&P 500
+12.7%17.1%0.79−33.7%+321%0.610.09%
Popular alternativesbest 2 shownThe investments people most often weigh against GWW. 2 of 19 passed at least one test.
URIUnited Rentals, Inc. · Equipment Rental
Higher return in most periods+24.3%39.1%0.75−63.3%+1,270%0.66—
DXPEDXP Enterprises, Inc. · Industrial - Distribution
Higher return in most periods+39.0%46.1%0.95−77.3%+610%0.19—
The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 40 of 3,529 passed at least one test.
LLYEli Lilly and Company · Pharmaceuticals
Higher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes+40.7%32.8%1.21−34.5%+1,807%0.08—
CAHCardinal Health, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+42.1%24.7%1.55−46.1%+349%0.44—
MCKMcKesson Corporation · Health Care Distribution
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+38.7%25.0%1.44−38.1%+586%0.28—
MPCMarathon Petroleum Corporation · Oil & Gas
On the frontierHigher return in most periods+51.2%33.4%1.41−79.7%+1,387%0.20—
MUFGMitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. · Banks
Higher return in most periods+33.2%29.4%1.13−54.9%+483%0.15—
VGTVanguard Information Technology ETF · Technology Equity
Higher return in most periods+18.4%26.0%0.78−35.1%+779%0.470.09%
DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · International Equity
On the frontierSimilar return, lower volatility+26.6%19.1%1.34−39.1%+428%0.410.48%
PGRThe Progressive Corporation · Property & Casualty Insurance
Smaller losses in recent crashes+21.3%25.6%0.89−30.3%+816%0.35—
What these numbers mean for GWW
Annual return
GWW returned 26.3% a year over the past 5 years with dividends reinvested, against 12.7% a year for the S&P 500. At that pace, $10,000 became about $32,100. Annual return is the steady yearly rate that would produce the same total result, so investments held over the same span compare fairly. Guide: What is performance and return? →
Volatility
GWW's volatility over the past 5 years was 24.9%, 1.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, GWW's return lands within 24.9% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump. Guide: Understanding and measuring risk (volatility) →
Sharpe ratio
GWW's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 1.07, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so GWW earned more for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings. Guide: Balancing reward with risk (Sharpe ratio) →
Worst decline
GWW's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 41.6%, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 41.6% fall takes a 71.2% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
Correlation
Over the past 5 years, GWW's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.61 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They often move together: some diversification next to an index fund, but not a cushion. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against GWW instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a GWW holding. Guide: Correlation and diversification →

GWW against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against GWW, compared period by period and year by year.

How do GWW's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings. Investments toward the upper left earned more for a smoother ride, and those toward the lower right earned less for a rougher one. The dashed lines cross at GWW, which divides the map into what did better or worse on each measure.

Green points earned more than GWW with less volatility; red points earned less with more. Hover over a point for its figures. Total returns with dividends reinvested, annualized.

15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%50.0%−20.0%−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityGWW: 26.3% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): 12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%URI: 24.3% a year, volatility 39.1%GIC: 5.3% a year, volatility 39.0%WCC: 22.5% a year, volatility 45.3%MSM: 13.3% a year, volatility 25.1%FERG: 11.2% a year, volatility 30.7%DSGR: 6.2% a year, volatility 45.8%DNOW: 10.9% a year, volatility 42.7%SITE: −14.6% a year, volatility 41.3%ROK: 7.8% a year, volatility 32.3%WSO: 3.8% a year, volatility 31.4%FBIN: −12.0% a year, volatility 38.1%CNM: 11.2% a year, volatility 38.3%REZI: −0.7% a year, volatility 48.0%DXPE: 39.0% a year, volatility 46.1%PH: 27.4% a year, volatility 28.8%AIT: 28.5% a year, volatility 30.3%FAST: 15.8% a year, volatility 24.6%ITW: 6.7% a year, volatility 21.4%HON: 1.5% a year, volatility 22.8%GWWSPY (S&P 500)URIGICWCCMSMFERGDSGRDNOWSITEROKWSOFBINCNMREZIDXPEPHAITFASTITWHON10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%−20.0%−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityGWW: 26.3% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): 12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%URI: 24.3% a year, volatility 39.1%GIC: 5.3% a year, volatility 39.0%WCC: 22.5% a year, volatility 45.3%MSM: 13.3% a year, volatility 25.1%FERG: 11.2% a year, volatility 30.7%DSGR: 6.2% a year, volatility 45.8%DNOW: 10.9% a year, volatility 42.7%SITE: −14.6% a year, volatility 41.3%ROK: 7.8% a year, volatility 32.3%WSO: 3.8% a year, volatility 31.4%FBIN: −12.0% a year, volatility 38.1%CNM: 11.2% a year, volatility 38.3%REZI: −0.7% a year, volatility 48.0%DXPE: 39.0% a year, volatility 46.1%PH: 27.4% a year, volatility 28.8%AIT: 28.5% a year, volatility 30.3%FAST: 15.8% a year, volatility 24.6%ITW: 6.7% a year, volatility 21.4%HON: 1.5% a year, volatility 22.8%GWWSPY (S&P 500)URIGICWCCFERGDNOWSITEROKWSOFBINCNMREZIDXPEPHFASTITWHON
All figures
InvestmentAnnual returnVolatility
DXPE DXP Enterprises, Inc.+39.0%46.1%
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.+28.5%30.3%
PH Parker-Hannifin Corporation+27.4%28.8%
GWW This pageW.W. Grainger, Inc.+26.3%24.9%
URI United Rentals, Inc.+24.3%39.1%
WCC WESCO International, Inc.+22.5%45.3%
FAST Fastenal Company+15.8%24.6%
MSM MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.+13.3%25.1%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF+12.7%17.1%
FERG Ferguson plc+11.2%30.7%
CNM Core & Main, Inc.+11.2%38.3%
DNOW Dnow Inc.+10.9%42.7%
ROK Rockwell Automation, Inc.+7.8%32.3%
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc.+6.7%21.4%
DSGR Distribution Solutions Group, Inc.+6.2%45.8%
GIC Global Industrial Co+5.3%39.0%
WSO Watsco, Inc.+3.8%31.4%
HON Honeywell International Inc.+1.5%22.8%
REZI Resideo Technologies, Inc.−0.7%48.0%
FBIN Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.−12.0%38.1%
SITE SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc.−14.6%41.3%
Open these 21 in EasyCompare

Has GWW consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares GWW with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years. Counting how often an alternative earned more than GWW helps separate lasting outperformance from a single strong stretch.

A green cell means the alternative earned more than GWW over that period. "Qualified" marks those that did so in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods.

InvestmentPeriods outperformed Short termLong termRisk · 5 yearsFund
1M3M6MYTD1Y3Y5Y10YVolatilitylower is calmerSharpehigher is betterWorst declinepast 10 yearsExpenseAssetsOverlapsame sectors
GWW W.W. Grainger, Inc. (this page)—+4.6%−2.4%+15.3%+33.9%+38.7%+98.1%+221%+654%24.9%1.07−41.6%—$63B—
DXPE QualifiedDXP Enterprises, Inc.3/5 short2/3 long−9.4%+1.7%+8.8%+58.3%+48.8%+425%+419%+610%46.1%0.95−77.3%—$2.6B—
PH Industrial - MachineryParker-Hannifin Corporation1/5 short3/3 long−1.4%−0.4%−4.8%+6.3%+28.7%+161%+235%+789%28.8%0.99−54.7%—$119B—
AIT Industrial - DistributionApplied Industrial Technologies, Inc.1/5 short3/3 long+3.2%−1.4%+12.9%+28.0%+33.4%+120%+250%+742%30.3%0.98−59.3%—$12B—
URI Rental & Leasing ServicesUnited Rentals, Inc.2/5 short2/3 long+1.4%+3.3%+29.0%+24.3%+5.2%+164%+196%+1,270%39.1%0.75−63.3%—$65B—
GIC Industrial - DistributionGlobal Industrial Co4/5 short1/3 long+8.1%+29.8%+33.7%+53.9%+31.2%+49.6%+29.5%+995%39.0%0.33−55.7%—$1.7B—
WCC Industrial - DistributionWESCO International, Inc.3/5 short1/3 long−3.9%+7.2%+6.1%+36.2%+57.1%+179%+176%+505%45.3%0.68−78.8%—$17B—
MSM Industrial - DistributionMSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.5/5 short0/3 long+6.5%+4.3%+34.3%+55.1%+54.6%+48.6%+86.7%+184%25.1%0.63−48.2%—$7.2B—
FERG Industrial - DistributionFerguson plc2/5 short0/3 long+5.1%−0.5%−13.1%+2.1%−4.7%+55.4%+70.0%+418%30.7%0.50−55.4%—$44B—
DSGR Industrial - DistributionDistribution Solutions Group, Inc.2/5 short0/3 long+0.5%+1.6%+27.9%+25.0%+18.5%+20.8%+34.9%+268%45.8%0.35−58.0%—$1.6B—
DNOW Industrial - DistributionDnow Inc.2/5 short0/3 long+1.3%+13.0%+31.4%+18.0%+10.3%+38.5%+67.4%−28.1%42.7%0.46−82.5%—$2.9B—
FAST Industrial - DistributionFastenal Company1/5 short0/3 long+4.0%+16.0%+14.6%+29.8%+22.8%+92.7%+108%+576%24.6%0.72−30.7%—$59B—
ITW Industrial - MachineryIllinois Tool Works Inc.1/5 short0/3 long+3.5%+1.9%+2.1%+12.3%+11.7%+32.1%+38.4%+208%21.4%0.41−37.9%—$78B—
SITE Industrial - DistributionSiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc.1/5 short0/3 long+5.8%−6.0%−34.8%−22.8%−20.4%−29.6%−54.7%+202%41.3%-0.18−65.7%—$4.2B—
ROK Industrial - MachineryRockwell Automation, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long+0.7%−6.4%+4.1%+8.4%+22.9%+68.9%+45.6%+335%32.3%0.40−45.1%—$48B—
WSO Industrial - DistributionWatsco, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−3.9%−17.7%−29.8%−10.0%−17.4%−5.5%+20.6%+196%31.4%0.28−48.2%—$12B—
HON ConglomeratesHoneywell International Inc.0/5 short0/3 long+3.3%−5.4%−10.7%+5.2%+6.8%+27.0%+7.5%+160%22.8%0.18−43.0%—$68B—
FBIN Construction MaterialsFortune Brands Innovations, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long+3.0%−18.3%−0.1%−18.5%−17.9%−25.1%−47.3%+2.4%38.1%-0.15−62.4%—$4.9B—
CNM Industrial - DistributionCore & Main, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−3.4%−5.1%−16.8%−22.1%−21.0%+38.9%+69.6%—38.3%0.47−40.0%—$7.7B—
REZI Industrial - DistributionResideo Technologies, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−9.3%−30.9%−38.6%−30.2%−40.9%+67.8%−3.6%—48.0%0.23−85.0%—$2.6B—
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How did GWW do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 1997, along with where GWW ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with GWW and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.

Newest year first. Green marks a year in which the fund came out ahead of GWW; gray means the two finished within a fraction of a point. The rank row places GWW among the alternatives that traded the full year; dark green is the top quarter and red the bottom quarter.

InvestmentYears ahead of GWW20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997
GWW This pageW.W. Grainger, Inc.—−3.4%+28.2%+50.5%+8.7%+28.8%+22.8%+22.3%+21.7%+4.3%+17.3%−18.9%+1.5%+28.0%+9.8%+37.8%+45.3%+25.4%−8.2%+27.1%−0.1%+8.3%+42.7%−6.6%+8.9%+33.8%−22.3%+16.5%−13.3%+22.6%
Rank among alternativesTop quarter in 7 of 2915 of 204 of 208 of 203 of 209 of 1914 of 1915 of 192 of 1814 of 1812 of 1710 of 1711 of 1610 of 1613 of 162 of 1510 of 158 of 153 of 144 of 1411 of 149 of 145 of 1414 of 146 of 144 of 1412 of 146 of 139 of 126 of 11
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF14 of 29+17.7%+24.9%+26.2%−18.2%+28.7%+18.3%+31.2%−4.6%+21.7%+12.0%+1.2%+13.5%+32.3%+16.0%+1.9%+15.1%+26.4%−36.8%+5.1%+15.9%+4.8%+10.7%+28.2%−21.6%−11.7%−9.8%+20.4%+28.7%+33.5%
DXPE DXP Enterprises, Inc.12 of 27+32.9%+145%+22.3%+7.3%+15.5%−44.2%+43.0%−5.9%−14.9%+52.4%−54.9%−56.1%+135%+52.4%+34.2%+83.6%−10.5%−37.4%+33.2%+104%+258%+17.1%+276%−0.9%+76.0%−74.4%−63.9%——
PH Parker-Hannifin Corporation17 of 29+39.5%+39.6%+60.8%−6.9%+18.3%+34.8%+40.7%−24.0%+44.3%+47.6%−23.1%+2.0%+53.9%+13.7%−10.1%+62.7%+29.4%−42.5%+48.6%+18.0%−11.8%+28.9%+31.2%+2.1%+5.7%−12.5%+59.3%−27.5%+80.2%
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.17 of 29+8.0%+39.7%+38.4%+24.2%+33.6%+19.4%+26.4%−19.4%+16.3%+50.3%−8.8%−5.2%+19.2%+22.0%+10.9%+50.7%+20.3%−33.2%+12.4%+19.1%+25.0%+75.7%+29.2%+4.2%−6.8%+27.5%+23.8%−46.9%+46.5%
URI United Rentals, Inc.17 of 28+15.9%+24.0%+63.6%+7.0%+43.3%+39.1%+62.6%−40.4%+62.8%+45.6%−28.9%+30.9%+71.3%+54.0%+29.9%+132%+7.5%−50.3%−27.8%+8.7%+23.8%−1.9%+79.0%−52.6%+68.9%−21.5%−48.3%+71.5%—
GIC Global Industrial Co10 of 29+22.5%−34.3%+69.7%−41.0%+18.8%+62.8%+7.7%−1.2%+286%+3.3%−36.2%+20.1%+16.6%−39.8%+16.4%−10.3%+53.3%−41.6%+22.9%+179%−15.0%+10.5%+329%−35.4%+92.0%−85.3%−63.6%+35.1%−60.3%
WCC WESCO International, Inc.15 of 26+36.4%+5.1%+40.2%−4.9%+67.6%+32.2%+23.7%−29.6%+2.4%+52.3%−42.7%−16.3%+35.1%+27.2%+0.4%+95.5%+40.5%−51.5%−32.6%+37.6%+44.1%+235%+61.2%+10.9%−31.7%−18.4%———
MSM MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.11 of 29+17.4%−23.4%+28.5%+0.9%+3.1%+25.3%+5.8%−18.3%+6.9%+68.2%−29.1%+6.3%+8.6%+7.4%+12.1%+42.4%+30.4%−7.2%+4.8%−1.5%+13.3%+32.3%+55.6%−10.1%+9.3%+36.4%−41.5%+7.7%+13.6%
FERG Ferguson plc10 of 17+29.9%−8.6%+55.1%−27.2%+56.4%+31.9%+49.6%−10.3%+21.9%+11.8%−1.0%+8.5%+23.4%+68.3%−4.0%+63.6%−11.7%————————————
DSGR Distribution Solutions Group, Inc.11 of 29−20.4%+9.0%+71.2%−32.7%+7.5%−2.3%+64.9%+27.6%+4.0%+1.9%−12.6%+118%+23.8%−33.0%−34.5%+46.5%−19.5%−36.4%−13.9%+25.4%−21.6%+57.4%+11.9%+24.3%+1.6%+23.6%+4.4%−19.1%+41.9%
DNOW Dnow Inc.3 of 11+1.8%+14.9%−10.9%+48.7%+18.9%−36.1%−3.4%+5.5%−46.1%+29.4%−38.5%——————————————————
FAST Fastenal Company15 of 29+14.0%+13.5%+41.4%−24.4%+34.0%+36.6%+45.0%−1.6%+17.2%+18.6%−11.8%+2.3%+3.4%+10.1%+48.5%+47.6%+22.0%−12.3%+14.0%−7.1%+28.3%+25.0%+34.3%+12.6%+20.9%+21.9%+2.3%+15.0%−16.0%
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc.15 of 29−0.4%−1.0%+21.6%−8.5%+23.6%+16.4%+45.6%−22.1%+38.9%+35.0%+0.1%+15.0%+41.4%+33.6%−10.0%+14.4%+41.4%−32.7%+18.0%+7.1%−3.7%+11.7%+31.1%−2.9%+15.2%−10.6%+17.6%−2.6%+51.9%
SITE SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc.4 of 9−5.5%−18.9%+38.5%−51.6%+52.7%+75.0%+64.0%−27.9%+121%————————————————————
ROK Rockwell Automation, Inc.19 of 29+38.4%−6.2%+22.6%−24.8%+41.2%+26.2%+37.9%−21.8%+48.9%+34.5%−5.5%−3.9%+43.8%+17.2%+4.5%+56.1%+50.9%−51.9%+14.9%+4.7%+21.3%+41.8%+76.5%+20.0%−11.3%+5.5%+168%−1.9%+37.1%
WSO Watsco, Inc.18 of 29−27.0%+13.2%+77.0%−17.7%+42.1%+30.6%+35.0%−15.5%+18.4%+30.0%+12.0%+13.8%+30.0%+26.3%+7.8%+33.6%+33.3%+9.2%−20.0%−19.8%+72.3%+57.2%+40.3%+16.2%+24.2%+0.6%−30.5%+2.4%−14.1%
HON Honeywell International Inc.12 of 29−6.3%+10.2%+0.1%+5.0%−0.2%+23.1%+36.9%−7.5%+35.2%+14.3%+4.9%+10.6%+45.8%+18.5%+3.8%+37.8%+21.9%−45.9%+37.5%+23.1%+6.6%+7.3%+41.6%−28.0%−27.7%−17.2%+31.0%+15.1%+16.7%
FBIN Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.6 of 14−25.4%−9.1%+35.2%−36.5%+26.0%+32.9%+74.9%−43.7%+29.5%−2.6%+24.0%+0.2%+57.6%+71.6%———————————————
CNM Core & Main, Inc.2 of 4+2.1%+26.0%+109%−36.4%—————————————————————————
REZI Resideo Technologies, Inc.2 of 7+52.4%+22.4%+14.4%−36.8%+22.4%+78.2%−42.0%——————————————————————
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Risk and diversification

How GWW has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

What were GWW's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents GWW's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 1986, alongside the S&P 500's return over the same dates, and how long each took to recover. Together, these figures show how much an investor could have lost and how long it took to get back to even.

Green means GWW fell less than the S&P 500 over the same dates. Based on daily closing prices with dividends reinvested.

DuringGWW fellS&P 500, same datesPeakLowTime to the lowBack at the peakTime to recover
Dot-com bust−56.7%+1.7%Jun 1999Oct 200016 monthsFeb 200216 months
Late-2018 sell-off−41.6%−19.4%Aug 2018Mar 202019 monthsAug 20205 months
No named crash−38.6%+4.4%Feb 2017Aug 20176 monthsJan 20185 months
2008 financial crisis−37.5%−46.0%Jul 2007Nov 200816 monthsOct 200911 months
No named crash−36.5%—Oct 1987Oct 1987Under a monthFeb 19902.3 years

How did GWW do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far GWW, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000. A smaller decline means an investment held up better, and comparing results across crashes shows whether that resilience was consistent or a one-off.

Newest crash first. Each figure is the fund's deepest fall within the crash window; green means a smaller fall than GWW.

InvestmentHeld up better2023 regional bank crisisMar 20232022 bear marketJan 2022Covid crashFeb 2020Late-2018 sell-offSep 2018February 2018 volatility shockFeb 20182015 China and oil sell-offAug 20152011 euro debt crisisJul 20112010 flash crashMay 20102008 financial crisisOct 2007Dot-com bustMar 2000
GWW This pageW.W. Grainger, Inc.—−3.6%−16.9%−32.5%−25.2%−2.1%−20.6%−18.5%−1.5%−35.3%−55.6%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF4 of 10−3.4%−24.5%−33.7%−19.3%−6.5%−12.8%−17.9%−1.5%−55.2%−47.5%
DXPE DXP Enterprises, Inc.0 of 10−10.9%−30.8%−66.5%−34.6%−5.5%−60.2%−35.2%−10.9%−74.2%−86.7%
PH Parker-Hannifin Corporation1 of 10−8.4%−27.3%−54.7%−25.6%−8.1%−23.7%−30.4%−3.5%−66.9%−36.5%
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.2 of 10−5.3%−19.0%−52.7%−36.3%−8.0%−14.5%−27.9%−2.6%−57.1%−28.7%
URI United Rentals, Inc.0 of 10−14.5%−35.4%−55.3%−43.3%−6.7%−45.7%−50.5%−3.6%−91.2%−77.3%
GIC Global Industrial Co0 of 10−4.6%−34.3%−32.2%−26.3%−5.2%−24.6%−29.4%−4.2%−63.2%−89.2%
WCC WESCO International, Inc.0 of 10−11.7%−29.6%−67.8%−29.1%−2.8%−37.9%−43.5%−3.9%−75.7%−71.4%
MSM MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.1 of 10−5.0%−16.9%−35.2%−18.0%−2.9%−23.1%−24.6%−2.5%−48.8%−57.1%
FERG Ferguson plc2 of 9−4.1%−42.4%−54.7%−27.3%0.0%−28.8%−28.7%0.0%−87.9%—
DSGR Distribution Solutions Group, Inc.2 of 10−12.8%−50.5%−42.5%−16.7%−5.5%−35.9%−29.6%−10.4%−63.7%−22.6%
DNOW Dnow Inc.0 of 6−10.4%−29.4%−55.1%−39.0%−14.2%−34.6%————
FAST Fastenal Company6 of 10−2.7%−25.5%−27.8%−17.4%−2.7%−12.7%−14.0%−2.1%−51.8%−36.4%
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc.4 of 10−2.9%−28.0%−37.9%−19.3%−8.4%−14.0%−29.0%−1.1%−54.9%−30.8%
SITE SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc.0 of 5−7.0%−57.4%−51.2%−38.5%−3.4%—————
ROK Rockwell Automation, Inc.1 of 10−5.4%−43.8%−42.4%−27.5%−7.9%−23.6%−37.5%−1.4%−74.7%−42.0%
WSO Watsco, Inc.3 of 10−4.5%−26.1%−24.3%−24.9%−6.5%−17.4%−19.2%−4.1%−47.0%−43.3%
HON Honeywell International Inc.3 of 10−1.4%−22.7%−42.2%−22.1%−6.8%−14.4%−25.3%−1.8%−62.2%−65.8%
FBIN Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.1 of 6−6.3%−49.4%−52.1%−34.6%−4.9%−19.8%————
CNM Core & Main, Inc.0 of 2−8.7%−25.3%————————
REZI Resideo Technologies, Inc.0 of 3−7.5%−29.3%−60.4%———————
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How closely does GWW move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell. An investment that captures more of the gains than the losses has compounded ahead of the market over time. This section compares GWW with its popular alternatives on both measures, and on beta (how strongly each has moved with the market), over the past 10 years.

Monthly total returns over the past 10 years, measured against SPY. 100% capture or a beta of 1.00 means moving in line with the S&P 500. Green marks a better figure than GWW's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.

InvestmentUpside captureDownside captureCapture ratioBeta
GWW This pageW.W. Grainger, Inc.113%95%1.191.12
GIC Global Industrial Co113%62%1.810.66
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.111%75%1.481.13
FAST Fastenal Company106%87%1.230.98
PH Parker-Hannifin Corporation141%126%1.111.43
URI United Rentals, Inc.177%165%1.071.90
DSGR Distribution Solutions Group, Inc.95%94%1.010.78
WSO Watsco, Inc.74%74%1.010.93
FERG Ferguson plc118%122%0.961.25
ROK Rockwell Automation, Inc.122%138%0.881.46
MSM MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.83%96%0.860.95
DXPE DXP Enterprises, Inc.171%201%0.851.77
WCC WESCO International, Inc.165%194%0.851.96
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc.94%116%0.811.04
HON Honeywell International Inc.90%118%0.771.00
SITE SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc.116%161%0.721.31
FBIN Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.96%193%0.501.47
DNOW Dnow Inc.75%168%0.451.43
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What diversifies GWW?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions). This section lists large ETFs and stocks whose returns have had a low correlation with GWW's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing GWW with them can reduce a portfolio's overall swings.

Only ETFs with at least $1.0B in assets and stocks worth at least $10B, with a correlation below 0.5 over the past 5 years and a positive return, are included, ranked by Sharpe ratio; funds that hold the same thing are shown once. The year columns are the years in which GWW lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% GWW and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.

ETFs

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe202520152008200620032000199880/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
GWW W.W. Grainger, Inc. (this page)1.00+221%1.07−3.4%−18.9%−8.2%−0.1%−6.6%−22.3%−13.3%26.0%+27.2%
LVHI InternationalFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF0.43+119%1.48+27.1%——————21.7%+25.6%
DXJ InternationalWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund0.41+225%1.34+32.8%+7.7%−20.8%————22.0%+27.7%
HDV Dividend & IncomeiShares Core High Dividend ETF0.49+83.3%1.00+11.9%−0.3%—————22.3%+24.5%
MLPX EnergyGlobal X - MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF0.49+135%0.97+4.9%−35.3%—————22.9%+26.3%
SMH TechnologyVanEck Semiconductor ETF0.35+323%0.97+49.2%−0.3%−44.7%−6.7%+87.3%——24.1%+30.4%
GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares-0.06+126%0.96+63.7%−10.7%+4.9%+22.6%———20.9%+26.3%
IOO InternationaliShares Global 100 ETF0.49+107%0.94+27.0%−1.8%−36.1%+19.9%+31.0%——22.5%+25.5%
XLE EnergyState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF0.30+177%0.93+7.9%−21.5%−39.0%+18.0%+25.9%+24.4%—22.9%+27.3%

Stocks

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe202520152008200620032000199880/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
GWW W.W. Grainger, Inc. (this page)1.00+221%1.07−3.4%−18.9%−8.2%−0.1%−6.6%−22.3%−13.3%26.0%+27.2%
CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc.0.44+479%1.55+76.3%+12.6%−39.6%−5.8%+3.5%+108%+51.7%23.6%+30.0%
CLS Hardware, Equipment & PartsCelestica Inc.0.16+3,143%1.47+220%−6.0%−20.5%−26.0%+6.9%−2.3%—25.4%+44.3%
MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation0.28+413%1.44+44.5%−4.5%−40.4%−1.2%+19.9%+61.2%+46.9%22.7%+29.5%
MPC Oil & Gas Refining & MarketingMarathon Petroleum Corporation0.20+690%1.41+19.2%+17.4%—————23.0%+32.5%
HWM Aerospace & DefenseHowmet Aerospace Inc.0.48+594%1.36+87.9%−36.3%−67.4%+5.5%+75.3%−15.9%+7.0%24.9%+32.3%
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Common questions

What was GWW's worst drawdown?

GWW's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 56.7%, from June 1999 to October 2000. It took 16 months from the low to climb back to its old high.

What were GWW's best and worst years?

Over 29 full calendar years, GWW's best year was 2023, when it returned 50.5%. Its worst was 2000, with a return of -22.3%.

Is there a better investment than GWW?

Among GWW's popular alternatives, URI and DXPE were ahead of GWW in most short and long periods, though with much bigger swings (39.1% and 46.1% volatility against 24.9%). Nothing in the whole market did better on both counts: none of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than GWW with less volatility over the past 5 years.

Is GWW more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. GWW's volatility over the past 5 years was 24.9%, 1.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, GWW's return lands within 24.9% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

What is GWW's Sharpe ratio?

GWW's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 1.07, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so GWW earned more for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

How correlated is GWW with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, GWW's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.61 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They often move together: some diversification next to an index fund, but not a cushion. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against GWW instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a GWW holding.

What are the best alternatives to GWW?

Of the 19 popular alternatives we compared, one outperformed GWW in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: DXPE.

Did GWW outperform the S&P 500?

GWW finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 14 of 29 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned -3.4%, against +17.7% for the index.

How did GWW do in stock market crashes?

GWW fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in four of the ten major crashes it has traded through, and further in four. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when GWW fell 35.3% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.

What diversifies GWW?

These had a low correlation with GWW over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.43), DXJ (correlation 0.41) and HDV (correlation 0.49); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.44), CLS (correlation 0.16) and MCK (correlation 0.28). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

How we measure

More research

Popular alternatives to GWW

Other stocks and ETFs