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

W. W. Grainger is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.4B vs $3.8B, roughly 1.2× FirstEnergy). W. W. Grainger runs the higher net margin — 10.2% vs -1.3%, a 11.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FirstEnergy posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (19.6% vs 4.5%). W. W. Grainger produced more free cash flow last quarter ($269.0M vs $-30.0M). Over the past eight quarters, FirstEnergy's revenue compounded faster (7.5% CAGR vs 2.2%).

FirstEnergy Corp. is an electric utility headquartered in Akron, Ohio. It was established when Ohio Edison merged with Centerior Energy in 1997.

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.

FE vs GWW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
GWW
GWW
1.2× larger
GWW
$4.4B
$3.8B
FE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FE
FE
+15.0% gap
FE
19.6%
4.5%
GWW
Higher net margin
GWW
GWW
11.5% more per $
GWW
10.2%
-1.3%
FE
More free cash flow
GWW
GWW
$299.0M more FCF
GWW
$269.0M
$-30.0M
FE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FE
FE
Annualised
FE
7.5%
2.2%
GWW

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Revenue
$3.8B
$4.4B
Net Profit
$-49.0M
$451.0M
Gross Margin
39.5%
Operating Margin
-0.6%
14.3%
Net Margin
-1.3%
10.2%
Revenue YoY
19.6%
4.5%
Net Profit YoY
-118.8%
-5.1%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.08
$9.45

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
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$3.8B
$4.4B
Q3 25
$4.1B
$4.7B
Q2 25
$3.4B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$3.8B
$4.3B
Q4 24
$3.2B
$4.2B
Q3 24
$3.7B
$4.4B
Q2 24
$3.3B
$4.3B
Q1 24
$3.3B
$4.2B
Net Profit
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$-49.0M
$451.0M
Q3 25
$441.0M
$294.0M
Q2 25
$268.0M
$482.0M
Q1 25
$360.0M
$479.0M
Q4 24
$261.0M
$475.0M
Q3 24
$419.0M
$486.0M
Q2 24
$45.0M
$470.0M
Q1 24
$253.0M
$478.0M
Gross Margin
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
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%
Q1 24
39.4%
Operating Margin
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
-0.6%
14.3%
Q3 25
20.0%
11.0%
Q2 25
19.1%
14.9%
Q1 25
20.0%
15.6%
Q4 24
19.3%
15.0%
Q3 24
19.5%
15.6%
Q2 24
12.9%
15.1%
Q1 24
18.6%
15.8%
Net Margin
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
-1.3%
10.2%
Q3 25
10.6%
6.3%
Q2 25
7.9%
10.6%
Q1 25
9.6%
11.1%
Q4 24
8.2%
11.2%
Q3 24
11.2%
11.1%
Q2 24
1.4%
10.9%
Q1 24
7.7%
11.3%
EPS (diluted)
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$-0.08
$9.45
Q3 25
$0.76
$6.12
Q2 25
$0.46
$9.97
Q1 25
$0.62
$9.86
Q4 24
$0.45
$9.71
Q3 24
$0.73
$9.87
Q2 24
$0.08
$9.51
Q1 24
$0.44
$9.62

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$57.0M
$585.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$25.5B
$2.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$12.5B
$3.7B
Total Assets
$55.9B
$9.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
2.04×
0.67×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$57.0M
$585.0M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$535.0M
Q2 25
$569.0M
$597.0M
Q1 25
$132.0M
$666.0M
Q4 24
$111.0M
$1.0B
Q3 24
$439.0M
$1.4B
Q2 24
$60.0M
$769.0M
Q1 24
$888.0M
$804.0M
Total Debt
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$25.5B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$25.5B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$23.7B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$21.2B
$2.3B
Q4 24
$22.5B
$2.8B
Q3 24
$21.6B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$20.8B
$1.8B
Q1 24
$21.7B
$1.8B
Stockholders' Equity
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$12.5B
$3.7B
Q3 25
$12.8B
$3.6B
Q2 25
$12.9B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$12.6B
$3.5B
Q4 24
$12.5B
$3.4B
Q3 24
$12.4B
$3.5B
Q2 24
$12.5B
$3.3B
Q1 24
$12.4B
$3.2B
Total Assets
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$55.9B
$9.0B
Q3 25
$55.9B
$8.8B
Q2 25
$54.2B
$8.9B
Q1 25
$52.8B
$8.7B
Q4 24
$52.0B
$8.8B
Q3 24
$50.8B
$9.1B
Q2 24
$51.0B
$8.4B
Q1 24
$51.3B
$8.4B
Debt / Equity
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
2.04×
0.67×
Q3 25
1.99×
0.67×
Q2 25
1.85×
0.64×
Q1 25
1.69×
0.66×
Q4 24
1.81×
0.83×
Q3 24
1.74×
0.65×
Q2 24
1.67×
0.54×
Q1 24
1.75×
0.56×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.1B
$395.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-30.0M
$269.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-0.8%
6.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
30.7%
2.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.88×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-1.0B
$1.3B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$1.1B
$395.0M
Q3 25
$845.0M
$597.0M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$377.0M
Q1 25
$637.0M
$646.0M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$428.0M
Q3 24
$775.0M
$611.0M
Q2 24
$1.1B
$411.0M
Q1 24
$-40.0M
$661.0M
Free Cash Flow
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
$-30.0M
$269.0M
Q3 25
$-471.0M
$339.0M
Q2 25
$-136.0M
$202.0M
Q1 25
$-368.0M
$521.0M
Q4 24
$-250.0M
$170.0M
Q3 24
$-229.0M
$523.0M
Q2 24
$170.0M
$335.0M
Q1 24
$-830.0M
$542.0M
FCF Margin
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
-0.8%
6.1%
Q3 25
-11.4%
7.3%
Q2 25
-4.0%
4.4%
Q1 25
-9.8%
12.1%
Q4 24
-7.9%
4.0%
Q3 24
-6.1%
11.9%
Q2 24
5.2%
7.8%
Q1 24
-25.3%
12.8%
Capex Intensity
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
30.7%
2.8%
Q3 25
31.7%
5.5%
Q2 25
36.0%
3.8%
Q1 25
26.7%
2.9%
Q4 24
40.7%
6.1%
Q3 24
26.9%
2.0%
Q2 24
28.7%
1.8%
Q1 24
24.0%
2.8%
Cash Conversion
FE
FE
GWW
GWW
Q4 25
0.88×
Q3 25
1.92×
2.03×
Q2 25
4.04×
0.78×
Q1 25
1.77×
1.35×
Q4 24
4.00×
0.90×
Q3 24
1.85×
1.26×
Q2 24
24.71×
0.87×
Q1 24
-0.16×
1.38×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

FE
FE

Integrated Segment$1.4B37%
Other$1.4B36%
Stand Alone Transmission Segment$466.0M12%
Industrial Customers$167.0M4%
Mid Atlantic Interstate Transmission LLC$118.0M3%
Transmission$105.0M3%
Transmission Segment$68.0M2%
Tr AIL$63.0M2%
Internal Customers$10.0M0%
Wholesale Sales$6.0M0%

GWW
GWW

Segment breakdown not available.

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