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W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW), headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services. Valued at $45.8 billion by market cap, the company's products include motors, HVAC equipment, lighting, hand and power tools, pumps, packaging, material handling, adhesives, safety, janitorial, electrical, and metalworking equipment. The MRO giant is expected to announce its fiscal third-quarter earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Friday, Oct. 31.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect GWW to report a profit of $9.93 per share on a diluted basis, up marginally from $9.87 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company missed the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while surpassing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect GWW to report EPS of $39.51, up 1.4% from $38.96 in fiscal 2024. Its EPS is expected to rise 11% year over year to $43.86 in fiscal 2026.
GWW stock has significantly underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 14.7% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 11.8% during this period. Similarly, it considerably underperformed the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLI)10.4% rise over the same time frame.
On Aug. 1, GWW shares closed down more than 10% after reporting its Q2 results. Its adjusted EPS of $9.97 fell short of Wall Street expectations of $10. The company’s revenue was $4.6 billion, topping Wall Street's $4.5 billion forecast. GWW expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $38.50 to $40.25 and revenue in the range of $17.9 billion to $18.2 billion.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on GWW stock is cautious, with a “Hold” rating overall. Out of 18 analysts covering the stock, three advise a “Strong Buy” rating, 12 give a “Hold,” one recommends a “Moderate Sell,” and two advocate a “Strong Sell.” GWW’s average analyst price target is $1,043.50, indicating a potential upside of 8.9% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
