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

International Paper is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($6.0B vs $4.4B, roughly 1.3× W. W. Grainger). W. W. Grainger runs the higher net margin — 10.2% vs 1.0%, a 9.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, W. W. Grainger posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.5% vs -0.6%). W. W. Grainger produced more free cash flow last quarter ($269.0M vs $94.0M). Over the past eight quarters, International Paper's revenue compounded faster (12.3% CAGR vs 2.2%).

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.

The International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 39,000 employees, and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

GWW vs IP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
IP
IP
1.3× larger
IP
$6.0B
$4.4B
GWW
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
GWW
GWW
+5.1% gap
GWW
4.5%
-0.6%
IP
Higher net margin
GWW
GWW
9.2% more per $
GWW
10.2%
1.0%
IP
More free cash flow
GWW
GWW
$175.0M more FCF
GWW
$269.0M
$94.0M
IP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
IP
IP
Annualised
IP
12.3%
2.2%
GWW

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Revenue
$4.4B
$6.0B
Net Profit
$451.0M
$60.0M
Gross Margin
39.5%
Operating Margin
14.3%
Net Margin
10.2%
1.0%
Revenue YoY
4.5%
-0.6%
Net Profit YoY
-5.1%
157.1%
EPS (diluted)
$9.45
$0.14

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
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$6.0B
Q4 25
$4.4B
$4.7B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$6.2B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$6.8B
Q1 25
$4.3B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$4.2B
$4.6B
Q3 24
$4.4B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$4.7B
Net Profit
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$60.0M
Q4 25
$451.0M
$-2.4B
Q3 25
$294.0M
$-1.1B
Q2 25
$482.0M
$75.0M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$-105.0M
Q4 24
$475.0M
$-147.0M
Q3 24
$486.0M
$150.0M
Q2 24
$470.0M
$498.0M
Gross Margin
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
Q4 25
39.5%
32.2%
Q3 25
38.6%
31.1%
Q2 25
38.5%
27.9%
Q1 25
39.7%
27.8%
Q4 24
39.6%
29.0%
Q3 24
39.2%
28.7%
Q2 24
39.3%
29.0%
Operating Margin
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
Q4 25
14.3%
-56.4%
Q3 25
11.0%
-10.8%
Q2 25
14.9%
1.7%
Q1 25
15.6%
-2.3%
Q4 24
15.0%
-4.9%
Q3 24
15.6%
5.1%
Q2 24
15.1%
6.8%
Net Margin
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
1.0%
Q4 25
10.2%
-50.3%
Q3 25
6.3%
-17.7%
Q2 25
10.6%
1.1%
Q1 25
11.1%
-1.8%
Q4 24
11.2%
-3.2%
Q3 24
11.1%
3.2%
Q2 24
10.9%
10.5%
EPS (diluted)
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$0.14
Q4 25
$9.45
$-4.76
Q3 25
$6.12
$-2.09
Q2 25
$9.97
$0.14
Q1 25
$9.86
$-0.24
Q4 24
$9.71
$-0.42
Q3 24
$9.87
$0.42
Q2 24
$9.51
$1.41

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$585.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.5B
$8.2B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.7B
$14.8B
Total Assets
$9.0B
$36.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.67×
0.55×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$585.0M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$535.0M
$995.0M
Q2 25
$597.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$666.0M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.0B
$1.2B
Q3 24
$1.4B
$1.2B
Q2 24
$769.0M
$1.0B
Total Debt
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$8.2B
Q4 25
$2.5B
$8.8B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$9.0B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$9.7B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$9.2B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$5.4B
Q3 24
$2.3B
$5.3B
Q2 24
$1.8B
$5.3B
Stockholders' Equity
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$14.8B
Q4 25
$3.7B
$14.8B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$17.3B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$18.6B
Q1 25
$3.5B
$18.1B
Q4 24
$3.4B
$8.2B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$8.6B
Q2 24
$3.3B
$8.6B
Total Assets
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$36.4B
Q4 25
$9.0B
$38.0B
Q3 25
$8.8B
$40.6B
Q2 25
$8.9B
$42.4B
Q1 25
$8.7B
$41.2B
Q4 24
$8.8B
$22.8B
Q3 24
$9.1B
$23.2B
Q2 24
$8.4B
$23.1B
Debt / Equity
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
0.55×
Q4 25
0.67×
0.60×
Q3 25
0.67×
0.52×
Q2 25
0.64×
0.52×
Q1 25
0.66×
0.51×
Q4 24
0.83×
0.66×
Q3 24
0.65×
0.62×
Q2 24
0.54×
0.62×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$395.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$269.0M
$94.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
6.1%
1.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.8%
8.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.88×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.3B
$553.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$395.0M
$905.0M
Q3 25
$597.0M
$605.0M
Q2 25
$377.0M
$476.0M
Q1 25
$646.0M
$-288.0M
Q4 24
$428.0M
$397.0M
Q3 24
$611.0M
$521.0M
Q2 24
$411.0M
$365.0M
Free Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
$94.0M
Q4 25
$269.0M
$255.0M
Q3 25
$339.0M
$150.0M
Q2 25
$202.0M
$54.0M
Q1 25
$521.0M
$-618.0M
Q4 24
$170.0M
$137.0M
Q3 24
$523.0M
$309.0M
Q2 24
$335.0M
$167.0M
FCF Margin
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
1.6%
Q4 25
6.1%
5.4%
Q3 25
7.3%
2.4%
Q2 25
4.4%
0.8%
Q1 25
12.1%
-10.5%
Q4 24
4.0%
3.0%
Q3 24
11.9%
6.6%
Q2 24
7.8%
3.5%
Capex Intensity
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
8.7%
Q4 25
2.8%
13.7%
Q3 25
5.5%
7.3%
Q2 25
3.8%
6.2%
Q1 25
2.9%
5.6%
Q4 24
6.1%
5.7%
Q3 24
2.0%
4.5%
Q2 24
1.8%
4.2%
Cash Conversion
GWW
GWW
IP
IP
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.88×
Q3 25
2.03×
Q2 25
0.78×
6.35×
Q1 25
1.35×
Q4 24
0.90×
Q3 24
1.26×
3.47×
Q2 24
0.87×
0.73×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GWW
GWW

Segment breakdown not available.

IP
IP

Packaging Solutions North America$3.6B61%
Packaging Solutions EMEA$2.3B39%
Corporate and Inter-segment Sales$22.0M0%

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