Principal Financial Group Inc. Lowers Position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. $GWW

Principal Financial Group Inc. reduced its holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) by 5.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 52,121 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 2,758 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 0.11% of W.W. Grainger worth $49,669,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Hilltop National Bank purchased a new stake in W.W. Grainger in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Quaker Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of 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 worth $25,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P purchased a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger during the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Asset Dedication LLC lifted its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 136.4% during the 2nd quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 26 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.70% of the company’s stock.

W.W. Grainger Price Performance

GWW opened at $1,195.29 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 2.83 and a quick ratio of 1.59. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,029.21 and its 200 day simple moving average is $994.74. The firm has a market cap of $56.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.77, a PEG ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 1.10. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 1 year low of $893.99 and a 1 year high of $1,204.36.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The industrial products company reported $9.44 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $9.46 by ($0.02). W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 9.51% and a return on equity of 47.46%. The company had revenue of $4.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.39 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $9.71 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. W.W. Grainger has set its FY 2026 guidance at 42.250-44.750 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 9th will be issued a $2.26 dividend. This represents a $9.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 9th. W.W. Grainger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.35%.

Insider Transactions at W.W. Grainger

In related news, VP Krantz Nancy L. Berardinelli sold 195 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,023.93, for a total value of $199,666.35. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 3,174 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,249,953.82. This trade represents a 5.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Donald G. Macpherson sold 14,523 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $972.81, for a total value of $14,128,119.63. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 107,862 shares in the company, valued at approximately $104,929,232.22. This represents a 11.87% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 26,881 shares of company stock worth $26,157,155 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 6.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,045.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein started coverage on W.W. Grainger in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $975.00 price objective on the stock. Oppenheimer upped their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,250.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,150.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Two equities 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’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $1,052.00.

Key W.W. Grainger News

Here are the key news stories impacting W.W. Grainger this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue beat and sales growth — Grainger reported ~ $4.4B in Q4 sales, up ~4.5% year‑over‑year, and the top‑line beat consensus; the revenue strength (driven by Endless Assortment growth) is being cited as the main driver behind the stock rally. Grainger shares rise to 13-month high on revenue beat
• Positive Sentiment: Technology investments and market‑share gains cited by management — Analysts and company materials point to continued IT/fulfillment investments that improved customer mix and helped offset macro pressure, supporting medium‑term growth expectations. GWW Q4 Deep Dive: Technology Investments and Market Share Gains Drive Results Amid Macro Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support lifted — Oppenheimer raised its price target to $1,300 and maintained an “outperform” rating, adding incremental upside narrative for investors. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile endorsement — Ritholtz Wealth’s Josh Brown named GWW among his top stock picks, which can attract momentum flows and retail/manager interest. TRGP, GWW, and CTVA are the ‘best stocks in the market’ – Ritholtz Wealth’s Josh Brown
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance issued — Grainger set EPS guidance of $42.25–$44.75 and revenue guidance roughly in line with consensus; the range is broad, so investors will watch upcoming quarters for tighter trajectory. GRAINGER REPORTS RESULTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Conference call materials and transcripts available — Management commentary and the slide deck provide detail on margin drivers, cost actions and customer trends; active monitors should review the transcript/slides for guidance nuance. W.W. Grainger, Inc. 2025 Q4 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: Small EPS miss and margin pressure — Reported EPS of $9.44 was roughly flat-to‑slightly below some consensus prints (a $0.02 miss in some tallies); operating margin softened year‑over‑year, and full‑year reported EPS declined vs. prior year, which keeps an eye on near‑term profitability. W.W. Grainger Inc (GWW) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Growth Amidst Challenges

W.W. Grainger Company Profile

W.W. Grainger, Inc (NYSE: GWW) is an industrial supply distributor founded in 1927 and headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois. The company supplies maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services to businesses, institutions and government customers. Over its long history Grainger has developed a broad product assortment and a national distribution network that supports operations across a range of end markets, including manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, transportation and public sector organizations.

Grainger’s product portfolio spans core categories such as electrical and lighting, safety and personal protective equipment, material handling, motors and power transmission, plumbing and HVAC, fasteners and adhesives, hand and power tools, and janitorial and facility supplies.