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Side-by-side financial comparison of W. W. Grainger (GWW) and PPL Corporation (PPL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
W. W. Grainger is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.4B vs $2.3B, roughly 1.9× PPL Corporation). PPL Corporation runs the higher net margin — 11.3% vs 10.2%, a 1.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, PPL Corporation posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (7.2% vs 4.5%). W. W. Grainger produced more free cash flow last quarter ($269.0M vs $-614.0M). Over the past eight quarters, W. W. Grainger's revenue compounded faster (2.2% CAGR vs 1.0%).
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.
PPL Corporation is a leading US-based energy utility holding company headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It delivers electricity and natural gas to approximately 3.5 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Rhode Island, with core focuses on grid modernization, affordable clean energy transition, and reliable sustainable energy services for local communities.
GWW vs PPL — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $4.4B | $2.3B |
| Net Profit | $451.0M | $266.0M |
| Gross Margin | 39.5% | — |
| Operating Margin | 14.3% | 20.3% |
| Net Margin | 10.2% | 11.3% |
| Revenue YoY | 4.5% | 7.2% |
| Net Profit YoY | -5.1% | 50.3% |
| EPS (diluted) | $9.45 | $0.35 |
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.
| Q4 25 | $4.4B | $2.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.7B | $2.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.6B | $2.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.3B | $2.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $4.2B | $2.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.4B | $2.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.3B | $1.9B | ||
| Q1 24 | $4.2B | $2.3B |
| Q4 25 | $451.0M | $266.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $294.0M | $318.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $482.0M | $183.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $479.0M | $414.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $475.0M | $177.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $486.0M | $214.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $470.0M | $190.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $478.0M | $307.0M |
| 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% | — |
| Q4 25 | 14.3% | 20.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 11.0% | 25.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 14.9% | 19.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 15.6% | 26.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 15.0% | 17.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | 15.6% | 20.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 15.1% | 20.8% | ||
| Q1 24 | 15.8% | 23.7% |
| Q4 25 | 10.2% | 11.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.3% | 14.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.6% | 9.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 11.1% | 16.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 11.2% | 8.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.1% | 10.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 10.9% | 10.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | 11.3% | 13.3% |
| Q4 25 | $9.45 | $0.35 | ||
| Q3 25 | $6.12 | $0.43 | ||
| Q2 25 | $9.97 | $0.25 | ||
| Q1 25 | $9.86 | $0.56 | ||
| Q4 24 | $9.71 | $0.23 | ||
| Q3 24 | $9.87 | $0.29 | ||
| Q2 24 | $9.51 | $0.26 | ||
| Q1 24 | $9.62 | $0.42 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $585.0M | $1.1B |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $2.5B | $18.9B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $3.7B | $14.9B |
| Total Assets | $9.0B | $45.2B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.67× | 1.27× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $585.0M | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $535.0M | $1.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $597.0M | $294.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $666.0M | $312.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.0B | $306.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.4B | $542.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $769.0M | $282.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $804.0M | $276.0M |
| Q4 25 | $2.5B | $18.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.4B | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.3B | — | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.3B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.8B | $16.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.3B | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.8B | — | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.8B | — |
| Q4 25 | $3.7B | $14.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $3.6B | $14.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.7B | $14.3B | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.5B | $14.3B | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.4B | $14.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.5B | $14.1B | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.3B | $14.1B | ||
| Q1 24 | $3.2B | $14.1B |
| Q4 25 | $9.0B | $45.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $8.8B | $43.9B | ||
| Q2 25 | $8.9B | $42.4B | ||
| Q1 25 | $8.7B | $41.8B | ||
| Q4 24 | $8.8B | $41.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $9.1B | $40.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $8.4B | $39.8B | ||
| Q1 24 | $8.4B | $39.6B |
| Q4 25 | 0.67× | 1.27× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.67× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.64× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.66× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.83× | 1.17× | ||
| 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $395.0M | $548.0M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $269.0M | $-614.0M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 6.1% | -26.1% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 2.8% | 49.5% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 0.88× | 2.06× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $1.3B | $-1.4B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $395.0M | $548.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $597.0M | $966.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $377.0M | $602.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $646.0M | $513.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $428.0M | $511.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $611.0M | $781.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $411.0M | $766.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $661.0M | $282.0M |
| Q4 25 | $269.0M | $-614.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $339.0M | $-179.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $202.0M | $-328.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $521.0M | $-280.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $170.0M | $-349.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $523.0M | $102.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $335.0M | $96.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $542.0M | $-314.0M |
| Q4 25 | 6.1% | -26.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 7.3% | -8.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 4.4% | -16.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 12.1% | -11.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 4.0% | -15.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.9% | 4.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 7.8% | 5.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | 12.8% | -13.6% |
| Q4 25 | 2.8% | 49.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 5.5% | 51.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.8% | 45.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 2.9% | 31.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.1% | 39.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.0% | 32.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.8% | 35.8% | ||
| Q1 24 | 2.8% | 25.9% |
| Q4 25 | 0.88× | 2.06× | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.03× | 3.04× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.78× | 3.29× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.35× | 1.24× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.90× | 2.89× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.26× | 3.65× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.87× | 4.03× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.38× | 0.92× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
GWW
Segment breakdown not available.
PPL
| Rhode Island Regulated | $539.0M | 23% |
| Other | $532.0M | 23% |
| Residential | $451.0M | 19% |
| Nonrelated Party | $425.0M | 18% |
| Transmission | $228.0M | 10% |
| Commercial | $117.0M | 5% |
| Wholesale Other | $23.0M | 1% |
| Industrial | $14.0M | 1% |
| Related Party | $13.0M | 1% |
| Wholesale Municipal | $6.0M | 0% |
