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

W. W. Grainger is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.4B vs $3.9B, roughly 1.1× PPG Industries). W. W. Grainger runs the higher net margin — 10.2% vs 9.8%, a 0.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, PPG Industries posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.7% vs 4.5%). Over the past eight quarters, W. W. Grainger's revenue compounded faster (2.2% CAGR vs -9.5%).

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.

PPG Industries, Inc. is an American supplier of paints, coatings, and specialty materials based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It operates in more than 70 countries globally. A member of the Fortune 500, PPG is the second largest coatings company in the world by revenue, behind Sherwin-Williams. It is headquartered in PPG Place, an office and retail complex in downtown Pittsburgh, and is known for its glass facade designed by Postmodern architect Philip Johnson.

GWW vs PPG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
GWW
GWW
1.1× larger
GWW
$4.4B
$3.9B
PPG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PPG
PPG
+2.1% gap
PPG
6.7%
4.5%
GWW
Higher net margin
GWW
GWW
0.4% more per $
GWW
10.2%
9.8%
PPG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
GWW
GWW
Annualised
GWW
2.2%
-9.5%
PPG

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Revenue
$4.4B
$3.9B
Net Profit
$451.0M
$385.0M
Gross Margin
39.5%
Operating Margin
14.3%
Net Margin
10.2%
9.8%
Revenue YoY
4.5%
6.7%
Net Profit YoY
-5.1%
1.9%
EPS (diluted)
$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
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
$3.9B
Q4 25
$4.4B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$4.1B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$4.2B
Q1 25
$4.3B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$4.2B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$4.4B
$4.6B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$4.8B
Net Profit
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
$385.0M
Q4 25
$451.0M
$300.0M
Q3 25
$294.0M
$453.0M
Q2 25
$482.0M
$450.0M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$373.0M
Q4 24
$475.0M
$-280.0M
Q3 24
$486.0M
$468.0M
Q2 24
$470.0M
$528.0M
Gross Margin
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
39.5%
40.8%
Q3 25
38.6%
40.6%
Q2 25
38.5%
42.0%
Q1 25
39.7%
41.9%
Q4 24
39.6%
34.9%
Q3 24
39.2%
41.8%
Q2 24
39.3%
43.0%
Operating Margin
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
14.3%
9.9%
Q3 25
11.0%
16.9%
Q2 25
14.9%
17.7%
Q1 25
15.6%
16.5%
Q4 24
15.0%
0.5%
Q3 24
15.6%
15.6%
Q2 24
15.1%
17.3%
Net Margin
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
9.8%
Q4 25
10.2%
7.7%
Q3 25
6.3%
11.1%
Q2 25
10.6%
10.7%
Q1 25
11.1%
10.1%
Q4 24
11.2%
-12.9%
Q3 24
11.1%
10.2%
Q2 24
10.9%
11.0%
EPS (diluted)
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$9.45
$1.33
Q3 25
$6.12
$2.00
Q2 25
$9.97
$1.98
Q1 25
$9.86
$1.63
Q4 24
$9.71
$-1.18
Q3 24
$9.87
$2.00
Q2 24
$9.51
$2.24

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$585.0M
$1.6B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.5B
$6.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.7B
Total Assets
$9.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.67×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$585.0M
$2.2B
Q3 25
$535.0M
$1.9B
Q2 25
$597.0M
$1.6B
Q1 25
$666.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.0B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$1.4B
$1.3B
Q2 24
$769.0M
$1.2B
Total Debt
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
$6.4B
Q4 25
$2.5B
$7.3B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$7.3B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$7.3B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$7.2B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$5.8B
Q3 24
$2.3B
$6.5B
Q2 24
$1.8B
$6.4B
Stockholders' Equity
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$3.7B
$7.9B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$7.8B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$7.6B
Q1 25
$3.5B
$6.9B
Q4 24
$3.4B
$6.8B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$7.8B
Q2 24
$3.3B
$7.8B
Total Assets
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$9.0B
$22.1B
Q3 25
$8.8B
$22.1B
Q2 25
$8.9B
$22.1B
Q1 25
$8.7B
$21.1B
Q4 24
$8.8B
$19.4B
Q3 24
$9.1B
$21.9B
Q2 24
$8.4B
$21.7B
Debt / Equity
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.67×
0.92×
Q3 25
0.67×
0.94×
Q2 25
0.64×
0.97×
Q1 25
0.66×
1.05×
Q4 24
0.83×
0.86×
Q3 24
0.65×
0.83×
Q2 24
0.54×
0.82×

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
PPG
PPG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$395.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$269.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
6.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.8%
5.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.88×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.3B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$395.0M
$887.0M
Q3 25
$597.0M
$685.0M
Q2 25
$377.0M
$387.0M
Q1 25
$646.0M
$-18.0M
Q4 24
$428.0M
$346.0M
Q3 24
$611.0M
$769.0M
Q2 24
$411.0M
$365.0M
Free Cash Flow
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$269.0M
$586.0M
Q3 25
$339.0M
$538.0M
Q2 25
$202.0M
$266.0M
Q1 25
$521.0M
$-227.0M
Q4 24
$170.0M
$148.0M
Q3 24
$523.0M
$620.0M
Q2 24
$335.0M
$247.0M
FCF Margin
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
6.1%
15.0%
Q3 25
7.3%
13.2%
Q2 25
4.4%
6.3%
Q1 25
12.1%
-6.2%
Q4 24
4.0%
6.8%
Q3 24
11.9%
13.6%
Q2 24
7.8%
5.2%
Capex Intensity
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
5.0%
Q4 25
2.8%
7.7%
Q3 25
5.5%
3.6%
Q2 25
3.8%
2.9%
Q1 25
2.9%
5.7%
Q4 24
6.1%
9.1%
Q3 24
2.0%
3.3%
Q2 24
1.8%
2.5%
Cash Conversion
GWW
GWW
PPG
PPG
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.88×
2.96×
Q3 25
2.03×
1.51×
Q2 25
0.78×
0.86×
Q1 25
1.35×
-0.05×
Q4 24
0.90×
Q3 24
1.26×
1.64×
Q2 24
0.87×
0.69×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GWW
GWW

Segment breakdown not available.

PPG
PPG

Industrial Coatings$1.6B42%
Performance Coatings$1.3B34%
Global Architectural Coatings$965.0M25%

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