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Side-by-side financial comparison of American Electric Power (AEP) and W. W. Grainger (GWW). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

American Electric Power is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($5.1B vs $4.7B, roughly 1.1× W. W. Grainger). American Electric Power runs the higher net margin — 12.0% vs 11.7%, a 0.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, W. W. Grainger posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.1% vs 6.2%). Over the past eight quarters, W. W. Grainger's revenue compounded faster (4.9% CAGR vs -0.3%).

American Electric Power Company, Inc., an electric public utility holding company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers in the United States. It operates through Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission and Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco, and Generation & Marketing segments. The company generates electricity using coal and lignite, natural gas, nuclear, hydro, solar, wind, and other energy sou...

W. W. Grainger, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 industrial supply company founded in 1927 in Chicago by the company's namesake William W. (Bill) Grainger. He founded the company to provide consumers with access to a consistent supply of motors. The company now serves more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with offerings such as motors, lighting, material handling, fasteners, plumbing, tools, and safety supplies, along with inventory management services and technical support.

AEP vs GWW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AEP
AEP
1.1× larger
AEP
$5.1B
$4.7B
GWW
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
GWW
GWW
+3.9% gap
GWW
10.1%
6.2%
AEP
Higher net margin
AEP
AEP
0.3% more per $
AEP
12.0%
11.7%
GWW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
GWW
GWW
Annualised
GWW
4.9%
-0.3%
AEP

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Revenue
$5.1B
$4.7B
Net Profit
$605.2M
$555.0M
Gross Margin
40.0%
Operating Margin
22.1%
16.7%
Net Margin
12.0%
11.7%
Revenue YoY
6.2%
10.1%
Net Profit YoY
-9.1%
15.9%
EPS (diluted)
$1.06
$11.65

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$4.7B
Q4 25
$5.1B
$4.4B
Q3 25
$6.0B
$4.7B
Q2 25
$5.1B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$5.6B
$4.3B
Q4 24
$4.8B
$4.2B
Q3 24
$5.5B
$4.4B
Q2 24
$4.7B
$4.3B
Net Profit
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$555.0M
Q4 25
$605.2M
$451.0M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$294.0M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$482.0M
Q1 25
$802.2M
$479.0M
Q4 24
$665.9M
$475.0M
Q3 24
$961.7M
$486.0M
Q2 24
$342.5M
$470.0M
Gross Margin
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
40.0%
Q4 25
39.5%
Q3 25
38.6%
Q2 25
38.5%
Q1 25
39.7%
Q4 24
39.6%
Q3 24
39.2%
Q2 24
39.3%
Operating Margin
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
16.7%
Q4 25
22.1%
14.3%
Q3 25
25.5%
11.0%
Q2 25
27.7%
14.9%
Q1 25
22.8%
15.6%
Q4 24
23.0%
15.0%
Q3 24
24.7%
15.6%
Q2 24
14.7%
15.1%
Net Margin
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
11.7%
Q4 25
12.0%
10.2%
Q3 25
16.8%
6.3%
Q2 25
25.5%
10.6%
Q1 25
14.2%
11.1%
Q4 24
14.0%
11.2%
Q3 24
17.6%
11.1%
Q2 24
7.4%
10.9%
EPS (diluted)
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$11.65
Q4 25
$1.06
$9.45
Q3 25
$1.81
$6.12
Q2 25
$2.29
$9.97
Q1 25
$1.50
$9.86
Q4 24
$1.24
$9.71
Q3 24
$1.80
$9.87
Q2 24
$0.64
$9.51

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$417.0M
$695.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$47.3B
$2.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$31.1B
$4.3B
Total Assets
$114.5B
$9.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.52×
0.55×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$695.0M
Q4 25
$417.0M
$585.0M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$535.0M
Q2 25
$439.3M
$597.0M
Q1 25
$463.6M
$666.0M
Q4 24
$418.3M
$1.0B
Q3 24
$474.4M
$1.4B
Q2 24
$428.2M
$769.0M
Total Debt
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$2.4B
Q4 25
$47.3B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$46.1B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$44.5B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$43.0B
$2.3B
Q4 24
$42.6B
$2.8B
Q3 24
$42.0B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$42.1B
$1.8B
Stockholders' Equity
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$4.3B
Q4 25
$31.1B
$3.7B
Q3 25
$30.4B
$3.6B
Q2 25
$29.9B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$27.3B
$3.5B
Q4 24
$26.9B
$3.4B
Q3 24
$26.6B
$3.5B
Q2 24
$26.1B
$3.3B
Total Assets
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$9.5B
Q4 25
$114.5B
$9.0B
Q3 25
$110.3B
$8.8B
Q2 25
$107.8B
$8.9B
Q1 25
$104.4B
$8.7B
Q4 24
$103.1B
$8.8B
Q3 24
$100.1B
$9.1B
Q2 24
$99.6B
$8.4B
Debt / Equity
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
0.55×
Q4 25
1.52×
0.67×
Q3 25
1.52×
0.67×
Q2 25
1.49×
0.64×
Q1 25
1.57×
0.66×
Q4 24
1.58×
0.83×
Q3 24
1.58×
0.65×
Q2 24
1.61×
0.54×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.8B
$739.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$569.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.00×
1.33×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.4B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$739.0M
Q4 25
$1.8B
$395.0M
Q3 25
$2.5B
$597.0M
Q2 25
$1.2B
$377.0M
Q1 25
$1.4B
$646.0M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$428.0M
Q3 24
$2.2B
$611.0M
Q2 24
$1.5B
$411.0M
Free Cash Flow
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
$569.0M
Q4 25
$269.0M
Q3 25
$2.2B
$339.0M
Q2 25
$202.0M
Q1 25
$521.0M
Q4 24
$170.0M
Q3 24
$523.0M
Q2 24
$335.0M
FCF Margin
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
12.0%
Q4 25
6.1%
Q3 25
36.3%
7.3%
Q2 25
4.4%
Q1 25
12.1%
Q4 24
4.0%
Q3 24
11.9%
Q2 24
7.8%
Capex Intensity
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
3.6%
Q4 25
2.8%
Q3 25
5.0%
5.5%
Q2 25
3.8%
Q1 25
2.9%
Q4 24
6.1%
Q3 24
0.0%
2.0%
Q2 24
1.8%
Cash Conversion
AEP
AEP
GWW
GWW
Q1 26
1.33×
Q4 25
3.00×
0.88×
Q3 25
2.46×
2.03×
Q2 25
0.95×
0.78×
Q1 25
1.81×
1.35×
Q4 24
2.59×
0.90×
Q3 24
2.26×
1.26×
Q2 24
4.27×
0.87×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AEP
AEP

Transmissionand Distribution Utilities Revenues$1.5B29%
Electric Generation Transmission Distribution Revenues$956.6M19%
Electricity Transmission And Distribution Revenues$931.8M18%
Industrial$685.8M14%
Marketing Competitive Retailand Renewable$438.3M9%
Wholesale Generation$231.1M5%
Wholesale Transmission$113.6M2%
Other$110.2M2%
Electric Transmission$103.4M2%
Other Retail$60.1M1%

GWW
GWW

Segment breakdown not available.

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