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Side-by-side financial comparison of W. W. Grainger (GWW) and Macy's, Inc. (M). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Macy's, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.7B vs $4.4B, roughly 1.1× W. W. Grainger). 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 -0.6%). W. W. Grainger produced more free cash flow last quarter ($269.0M vs $-101.0M). Over the past eight quarters, W. W. Grainger's revenue compounded faster (2.2% CAGR vs -23.8%).

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.

Macy's, Inc. is an American holding company of department stores. Upon its establishment in 1929, Federated held ownership of the regional department store chains Abraham & Straus, Lazarus, Filene's, and Shillito's. Bloomingdale's joined Federated Department Stores the next year. Throughout its early history, frequent acquisitions and divestitures saw the company operate a number of nameplates. In 1994, Federated took over Macy's, the old department store chain originally founded in 1858 by A...

GWW vs M — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
M
M
1.1× larger
M
$4.7B
$4.4B
GWW
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
GWW
GWW
+5.1% gap
GWW
4.5%
-0.6%
M
Higher net margin
GWW
GWW
10.0% more per $
GWW
10.2%
0.2%
M
More free cash flow
GWW
GWW
$370.0M more FCF
GWW
$269.0M
$-101.0M
M
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
GWW
GWW
Annualised
GWW
2.2%
-23.8%
M

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
GWW
GWW
M
M
Revenue
$4.4B
$4.7B
Net Profit
$451.0M
$11.0M
Gross Margin
39.5%
39.4%
Operating Margin
14.3%
0.9%
Net Margin
10.2%
0.2%
Revenue YoY
4.5%
-0.6%
Net Profit YoY
-5.1%
-60.7%
EPS (diluted)
$9.45
$0.04

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
M
M
Q4 25
$4.4B
$4.7B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$4.8B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$4.3B
$7.8B
Q4 24
$4.2B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$4.4B
$4.9B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$4.8B
Q1 24
$4.2B
$8.1B
Net Profit
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$451.0M
$11.0M
Q3 25
$294.0M
$87.0M
Q2 25
$482.0M
$38.0M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$342.0M
Q4 24
$475.0M
$28.0M
Q3 24
$486.0M
$150.0M
Q2 24
$470.0M
$62.0M
Q1 24
$478.0M
$-71.0M
Gross Margin
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
39.5%
39.4%
Q3 25
38.6%
39.7%
Q2 25
38.5%
39.2%
Q1 25
39.7%
35.7%
Q4 24
39.6%
39.6%
Q3 24
39.2%
40.5%
Q2 24
39.3%
39.2%
Q1 24
39.4%
37.5%
Operating Margin
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
14.3%
0.9%
Q3 25
11.0%
3.1%
Q2 25
14.9%
2.0%
Q1 25
15.6%
6.4%
Q4 24
15.0%
1.3%
Q3 24
15.6%
4.5%
Q2 24
15.1%
2.6%
Q1 24
15.8%
-0.9%
Net Margin
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
10.2%
0.2%
Q3 25
6.3%
1.8%
Q2 25
10.6%
0.8%
Q1 25
11.1%
4.4%
Q4 24
11.2%
0.6%
Q3 24
11.1%
3.0%
Q2 24
10.9%
1.3%
Q1 24
11.3%
-0.9%
EPS (diluted)
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$9.45
$0.04
Q3 25
$6.12
$0.31
Q2 25
$9.97
$0.13
Q1 25
$9.86
$1.22
Q4 24
$9.71
$0.10
Q3 24
$9.87
$0.53
Q2 24
$9.51
$0.22
Q1 24
$9.62
$-0.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
GWW
GWW
M
M
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$585.0M
$447.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.5B
$2.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.7B
$4.3B
Total Assets
$9.0B
$17.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.67×
0.56×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$585.0M
$447.0M
Q3 25
$535.0M
$829.0M
Q2 25
$597.0M
$932.0M
Q1 25
$666.0M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$1.0B
$315.0M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$646.0M
Q2 24
$769.0M
$876.0M
Q1 24
$804.0M
$1.0B
Total Debt
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$2.5B
$2.4B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$2.8B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$2.8B
Q3 24
$2.3B
$3.0B
Q2 24
$1.8B
$3.0B
Q1 24
$1.8B
$3.0B
Stockholders' Equity
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$3.7B
$4.3B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$4.5B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$4.5B
Q1 25
$3.5B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$3.4B
$4.1B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$4.3B
Q2 24
$3.3B
$4.2B
Q1 24
$3.2B
$4.1B
Total Assets
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$9.0B
$17.1B
Q3 25
$8.8B
$15.6B
Q2 25
$8.9B
$16.1B
Q1 25
$8.7B
$16.4B
Q4 24
$8.8B
$17.3B
Q3 24
$9.1B
$15.8B
Q2 24
$8.4B
$16.4B
Q1 24
$8.4B
$16.2B
Debt / Equity
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
0.67×
0.56×
Q3 25
0.67×
0.55×
Q2 25
0.64×
0.62×
Q1 25
0.66×
0.61×
Q4 24
0.83×
0.67×
Q3 24
0.65×
0.70×
Q2 24
0.54×
0.72×
Q1 24
0.56×
0.72×

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
M
M
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$395.0M
$-8.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$269.0M
$-101.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
6.1%
-2.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.8%
2.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.88×
-0.73×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.3B
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$395.0M
$-8.0M
Q3 25
$597.0M
$319.0M
Q2 25
$377.0M
$-64.0M
Q1 25
$646.0M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$428.0M
$-167.0M
Q3 24
$611.0M
$8.0M
Q2 24
$411.0M
$129.0M
Q1 24
$661.0M
$1.1B
Free Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
$269.0M
$-101.0M
Q3 25
$339.0M
$240.0M
Q2 25
$202.0M
$-164.0M
Q1 25
$521.0M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$170.0M
$-295.0M
Q3 24
$523.0M
$-109.0M
Q2 24
$335.0M
$-25.0M
Q1 24
$542.0M
$1.0B
FCF Margin
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
6.1%
-2.1%
Q3 25
7.3%
5.0%
Q2 25
4.4%
-3.6%
Q1 25
12.1%
15.3%
Q4 24
4.0%
-6.2%
Q3 24
11.9%
-2.2%
Q2 24
7.8%
-0.5%
Q1 24
12.8%
12.3%
Capex Intensity
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
2.8%
2.0%
Q3 25
5.5%
1.6%
Q2 25
3.8%
2.2%
Q1 25
2.9%
1.5%
Q4 24
6.1%
2.7%
Q3 24
2.0%
2.4%
Q2 24
1.8%
3.2%
Q1 24
2.8%
1.8%
Cash Conversion
GWW
GWW
M
M
Q4 25
0.88×
-0.73×
Q3 25
2.03×
3.67×
Q2 25
0.78×
-1.68×
Q1 25
1.35×
3.82×
Q4 24
0.90×
-5.96×
Q3 24
1.26×
0.05×
Q2 24
0.87×
2.08×
Q1 24
1.38×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GWW
GWW

Segment breakdown not available.

M
M

Womens Accessories Shoes Cosmetics And Fragrances$1.9B41%
Womens Apparel$1.1B23%
Mens And Kids$1.0B22%
Home Other$638.0M14%
Credit Card Revenues Net$158.0M3%
Macys Media Network Revenue Net$42.0M1%

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