W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) Coverage Initiated at Sanford C. Bernstein

Investment analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on shares of W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm set a “market perform” rating and a $975.00 price target on the industrial products company’s stock. Sanford C. Bernstein’s price objective points to a potential upside of 3.02% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $1,035.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,006.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $963.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Loop Capital cut their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $1,050.75.

W.W. Grainger Stock Performance

Shares of GWW opened at $946.45 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.02, a P/E/G ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 2.82. W.W. Grainger has a 1 year low of $893.99 and a 1 year high of $1,227.44. The company’s fifty day moving average is $971.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $1,013.92.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The industrial products company reported $10.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.95 by $0.26. W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 10.99% and a return on equity of 49.63%. The business had revenue of $4.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.64 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $9.87 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. W.W. Grainger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 39.000-39.750 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that W.W. Grainger will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Jonny M. Leroy sold 500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $992.86, for a total value of $496,430.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 1,771 shares in the company, valued at $1,758,355.06. The trade was a 22.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 6.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On W.W. Grainger

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger in the first quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Hilltop National Bank acquired a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Quaker Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in W.W. Grainger by 196.0% in the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 24 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. acquired a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Finally, Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. grew its holdings in W.W. Grainger by 316.7% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 25 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 19 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.70% of the company’s stock.

About W.W. Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.