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

W. W. Grainger is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.4B vs $3.6B, roughly 1.2× KOHLS Corp). W. W. Grainger runs the higher net margin — 10.2% vs 0.2%, a 10.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, W. W. Grainger posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.5% vs -3.6%). W. W. Grainger produced more free cash flow last quarter ($269.0M vs $16.0M). Over the past eight quarters, W. W. Grainger's revenue compounded faster (2.2% CAGR vs -22.5%).

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.

Kohl's Corporation is an American department store retail chain. It currently has 1,174 locations, operating stores in every U.S. state except Hawaii. The company was founded by Polish immigrant Maxwell Kohl, who opened a corner grocery store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1927. It went on to become a successful chain in the local area, and in 1962 the company branched out by opening its first department store. British American Tobacco Company took a controlling interest in the company in 1972 w...

GWW vs KSS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
GWW
GWW
1.2× larger
GWW
$4.4B
$3.6B
KSS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
GWW
GWW
+8.2% gap
GWW
4.5%
-3.6%
KSS
Higher net margin
GWW
GWW
10.0% more per $
GWW
10.2%
0.2%
KSS
More free cash flow
GWW
GWW
$253.0M more FCF
GWW
$269.0M
$16.0M
KSS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
GWW
GWW
Annualised
GWW
2.2%
-22.5%
KSS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Revenue
$4.4B
$3.6B
Net Profit
$451.0M
$8.0M
Gross Margin
39.5%
42.4%
Operating Margin
14.3%
2.0%
Net Margin
10.2%
0.2%
Revenue YoY
4.5%
-3.6%
Net Profit YoY
-5.1%
-63.6%
EPS (diluted)
$9.45
$0.07

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
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$4.4B
$3.6B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$3.5B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$3.2B
Q1 25
$4.3B
$5.4B
Q4 24
$4.2B
$3.7B
Q3 24
$4.4B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$3.4B
Q1 24
$4.2B
$6.0B
Net Profit
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$451.0M
$8.0M
Q3 25
$294.0M
$153.0M
Q2 25
$482.0M
$-15.0M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$48.0M
Q4 24
$475.0M
$22.0M
Q3 24
$486.0M
$66.0M
Q2 24
$470.0M
$-27.0M
Q1 24
$478.0M
$186.0M
Gross Margin
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
39.5%
42.4%
Q3 25
38.6%
43.3%
Q2 25
38.5%
43.3%
Q1 25
39.7%
35.6%
Q4 24
39.6%
42.4%
Q3 24
39.2%
43.0%
Q2 24
39.3%
43.1%
Q1 24
39.4%
35.2%
Operating Margin
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
14.3%
2.0%
Q3 25
11.0%
7.9%
Q2 25
14.9%
1.9%
Q1 25
15.6%
2.3%
Q4 24
15.0%
2.6%
Q3 24
15.6%
4.4%
Q2 24
15.1%
1.3%
Q1 24
15.8%
5.0%
Net Margin
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
10.2%
0.2%
Q3 25
6.3%
4.3%
Q2 25
10.6%
-0.5%
Q1 25
11.1%
0.9%
Q4 24
11.2%
0.6%
Q3 24
11.1%
1.8%
Q2 24
10.9%
-0.8%
Q1 24
11.3%
3.1%
EPS (diluted)
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$9.45
$0.07
Q3 25
$6.12
$1.35
Q2 25
$9.97
$-0.13
Q1 25
$9.86
$0.43
Q4 24
$9.71
$0.20
Q3 24
$9.87
$0.59
Q2 24
$9.51
$-0.24
Q1 24
$9.62
$1.67

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$585.0M
$144.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.7B
$3.9B
Total Assets
$9.0B
$14.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.67×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$585.0M
$144.0M
Q3 25
$535.0M
$174.0M
Q2 25
$597.0M
$153.0M
Q1 25
$666.0M
$134.0M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$174.0M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$231.0M
Q2 24
$769.0M
$228.0M
Q1 24
$804.0M
$183.0M
Total Debt
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$2.5B
Q3 25
$2.4B
Q2 25
$2.3B
Q1 25
$2.3B
Q4 24
$2.8B
Q3 24
$2.3B
Q2 24
$1.8B
Q1 24
$1.8B
Stockholders' Equity
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$3.7B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$3.5B
$3.8B
Q4 24
$3.4B
$3.8B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$3.8B
Q2 24
$3.3B
$3.8B
Q1 24
$3.2B
$3.9B
Total Assets
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$9.0B
$14.1B
Q3 25
$8.8B
$13.4B
Q2 25
$8.9B
$13.6B
Q1 25
$8.7B
$13.6B
Q4 24
$8.8B
$15.1B
Q3 24
$9.1B
$14.2B
Q2 24
$8.4B
$14.3B
Q1 24
$8.4B
$14.0B
Debt / Equity
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
0.67×
Q3 25
0.67×
Q2 25
0.64×
Q1 25
0.66×
Q4 24
0.83×
Q3 24
0.65×
Q2 24
0.54×
Q1 24
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
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$395.0M
$124.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$269.0M
$16.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
6.1%
0.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.8%
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.88×
15.50×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.3B
$819.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$395.0M
$124.0M
Q3 25
$597.0M
$598.0M
Q2 25
$377.0M
$-92.0M
Q1 25
$646.0M
$596.0M
Q4 24
$428.0M
$-195.0M
Q3 24
$611.0M
$254.0M
Q2 24
$411.0M
$-7.0M
Q1 24
$661.0M
$789.0M
Free Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
$269.0M
$16.0M
Q3 25
$339.0M
$508.0M
Q2 25
$202.0M
$-202.0M
Q1 25
$521.0M
$497.0M
Q4 24
$170.0M
$-323.0M
Q3 24
$523.0M
$141.0M
Q2 24
$335.0M
$-133.0M
Q1 24
$542.0M
$707.0M
FCF Margin
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
6.1%
0.4%
Q3 25
7.3%
14.3%
Q2 25
4.4%
-6.2%
Q1 25
12.1%
9.2%
Q4 24
4.0%
-8.7%
Q3 24
11.9%
3.8%
Q2 24
7.8%
-3.9%
Q1 24
12.8%
11.9%
Capex Intensity
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
2.8%
3.0%
Q3 25
5.5%
2.5%
Q2 25
3.8%
3.4%
Q1 25
2.9%
1.8%
Q4 24
6.1%
3.5%
Q3 24
2.0%
3.0%
Q2 24
1.8%
3.7%
Q1 24
2.8%
1.4%
Cash Conversion
GWW
GWW
KSS
KSS
Q4 25
0.88×
15.50×
Q3 25
2.03×
3.91×
Q2 25
0.78×
Q1 25
1.35×
12.42×
Q4 24
0.90×
-8.86×
Q3 24
1.26×
3.85×
Q2 24
0.87×
Q1 24
1.38×
4.24×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GWW
GWW

Segment breakdown not available.

KSS
KSS

Products$3.4B95%
Other$168.0M5%
Gift Card$17.0M0%

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