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AIT vs GWW
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both AIT and GWW operate in the industrial distribution sector but pursue distinctly different strategies — AIT emphasizes specialized engineered solutions and automation, while GWW leverages massive scale as a broad-line MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) distributor.
- AIT has demonstrated notably stronger price momentum over the trailing twelve months, with approximately 29–35% gains compared to GWW's roughly 8–14% over comparable periods through mid-2026.
- GWW offers a market capitalization of roughly $63–66 billion alongside 55 consecutive years of dividend increases, making it the clear choice for income-oriented and stability-seeking investors.
- Year-to-date in 2026, both stocks have posted strong double-digit returns, with GWW gaining approximately 39% and AIT advancing roughly 31–32%, signaling broad sector strength.
- AIT trades at a lower P/E (Price-to-Earnings) ratio and P/S (Price-to-Sales) multiple than GWW, a factor that may appeal to value-conscious investors.
- Analyst sentiment has recently favored AIT with upward price target revisions, while GWW has navigated tariff-related margin headwinds that prompted adjustments to full-year earnings guidance.
Introduction
Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) and W.W. Grainger (GWW) sit at the heart of the industrial supply chain, distributing everything from bearings and fluid power components to safety equipment and facility maintenance supplies. Though both companies serve the vast MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) markets, their approaches differ in scale, specialization, and growth trajectory. For investors and traders evaluating the industrial distribution space, understanding these contrasts is essential — particularly at a time when reshoring trends, automation investment, and tariff uncertainty are reshaping competitive dynamics across the sector. This comparison examines how these two stocks stack up in the current market environment.
AIT Overview and Recent Performance
Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT), headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is a value-added distributor and technical solutions provider specializing in industrial motion, fluid power, flow control, and automation technologies. The company operates through two segments: Service Center Based Distribution and Engineered Solutions. In recent market activity, AIT has exhibited strong upward momentum, with shares trading near $336 and a market capitalization of approximately $12.4 billion as of mid-2026. The company closed its fiscal 2025 (ended June 30, 2025) with net sales of $4.6 billion and EPS (Earnings Per Share) of $10.12, while issuing fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $10.00 to $10.75 on projected organic sales growth of 1% to 4%. Sentiment has been buoyed by resilient demand in automation applications, the integration of acquisitions such as Hydradyne, and analyst upgrades — including one firm raising its price target to $350. The Engineered Solutions segment has been a particular bright spot, with orders for automation products including vision, robotics, and control solutions surging approximately 30% year over year in recent quarters.
GWW Overview and Recent Performance
W.W. Grainger (GWW), based in Lake Forest, Illinois, is among the largest broad-line distributors of MRO products globally, serving customers across government, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and commercial sectors. The company operates two reportable segments: High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment (which includes the Zoro and MonotaRO e-commerce platforms). GWW generated full-year 2025 sales of $17.9 billion with adjusted diluted EPS of $39.48, reflecting 4.5% top-line growth. The company has navigated a complex environment marked by tariff-related cost pressures and LIFO (Last-In, First-Out) inventory accounting headwinds, which compressed gross margin in its High-Touch Solutions segment. In response, management updated full-year 2025 guidance, trimming adjusted EPS expectations to a range of $38.50 to $40.25. On a positive note, the Endless Assortment segment has been a standout performer, delivering double-digit sales growth driven by strong results at both MonotaRO in Japan and Zoro in North America. GWW also continued its remarkable dividend growth streak, announcing a 10% quarterly dividend increase — marking 55 consecutive years of dividend raises.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
When comparing AIT and GWW side by side, several structural contrasts emerge. Scale and Market Reach: GWW dwarfs AIT in absolute terms — its $18 billion-plus revenue base is roughly four times larger, and its $63–66 billion market cap reflects deep institutional entrenchment. AIT, at roughly $12.4 billion in market cap, operates with greater agility and a more concentrated focus on technical, engineered solutions. Growth Drivers: AIT's growth is closely tied to automation investment cycles and fluid power demand, areas currently benefiting from reshoring and industrial modernization. GWW, by contrast, derives momentum from e-commerce expansion through its Endless Assortment segment, where digital platforms Zoro and MonotaRO have consistently outpaced the legacy High-Touch business. Profitability and Margins: GWW boasts a higher net profit margin (approximately 9.5% versus 8.5%) and a substantially higher ROE (Return on Equity) of around 48%, though AIT carries less debt relative to its size and maintains a stronger current ratio. Valuation: AIT trades at a lower P/E multiple (roughly 32 versus 36) and a lower price-to-sales ratio, which may attract value-conscious buyers. Risk Factors: Both companies face cyclical industrial demand exposure, but GWW's tariff sensitivity has been more pronounced in recent quarters due to its larger import-dependent product catalog. Meanwhile, AIT's acquisition-driven model introduces integration risk. Dividend Profile: GWW is the clear winner for income investors, with an unparalleled 55-year dividend growth streak, while AIT offers a more modest but growing payout.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable trend consistency, relative momentum, and positioning within the current industrial landscape, Tickeron's AI analytical framework would likely express a near-term preference for AIT. The stock's superior trailing twelve-month performance, lower volatility (beta of approximately 0.81 versus 1.1 for GWW), and recent analyst upgrades suggest stronger trend continuity and positive sentiment alignment. AIT's exposure to secular growth themes — automation, robotics, and advanced fluid power — further supports its relative attractiveness in probabilistic terms. That said, GWW maintains a stronger fundamental scorecard on several metrics, including a higher FA (Fundamental Analysis) Score, superior profit margins, return on equity, and a commanding dividend track record. For traders prioritizing short-to-medium-term momentum and thematic exposure, AIT appears better positioned. For long-term, income-focused investors, GWW's scale advantage and compounding dividend reliability remain compelling. Ultimately, both stocks hold merit within a diversified portfolio, and the optimal choice depends on an individual's investment horizon and risk tolerance.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is AIT is a Buy and GWW is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
AIT’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileGWW’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s).
- AIT’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- GWW’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
AIT’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while GWW’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AIT’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 3 bearish.
- GWW’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
AIT (@Electronics Distributors) experienced а +3.60% price change this week, while GWW (@Electronics Distributors) price change was -2.47% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronics Distributors industry was -0.82%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.51%, and the average quarterly price growth was +1.18%.
Reported Earning Dates
AIT is expected to report earnings on Aug 06, 2026.
GWW is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronics Distributors (-0.82% weekly)Electronics distributors are companies that are involved in distribution of one or more of the following: electronic components, computer products/ peripherals and software products & services. Several electronics distributors are also becoming the point of contact for technical/pre- & post-sale support in many cases, in an attempt to bolster their position in the market. Tariffs and/or cross-border trade barriers are some of the potential threats to the electronics supply chain, but that could also potentially lead to re-directing to markets where tariffs/restrictions are lower depending on demand. The industry is also vulnerable in the event of economic slowdowns. Arrow Electronics, Inc., SYNNEX Corporation and Versum Materials, Inc. are some of the major electronics distributors in the U.S.
| AIT | GWW | AIT / GWW | |
| Capitalization | 12.6B | 64.6B | 20% |
| EBITDA | 612M | 2.88B | 21% |
| Gain YTD | 34.466 | 36.050 | 96% |
| P/E Ratio | 32.52 | 36.77 | 88% |
| Revenue | 4.84B | 18.4B | 26% |
| Total Cash | 172M | 695M | 25% |
| Total Debt | 365M | 2.78B | 13% |
AIT | GWW | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 25 | 70 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 80 Overvalued | 88 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 7 | 9 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 43 | 21 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 18 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 28 | 21 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
AIT's Valuation (80) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as GWW (88). This means that AIT’s stock grew similarly to GWW’s over the last 12 months.
AIT's Profit vs Risk Rating (7) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as GWW (9). This means that AIT’s stock grew similarly to GWW’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's SMR Rating (21) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as AIT (43). This means that GWW’s stock grew similarly to AIT’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's Price Growth Rating (18) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as AIT (43). This means that GWW’s stock grew similarly to AIT’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's P/E Growth Rating (21) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as AIT (28). This means that GWW’s stock grew similarly to AIT’s over the last 12 months.
| AIT | GWW | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 40% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 58% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | N/A |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 48% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 62% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 9 days ago 62% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 11 days ago 47% | 3 days ago 48% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 40% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 50% |
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AIT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AIT has been loosely correlated with WCC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 58% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if AIT jumps, then WCC could also see price increases.
GWW and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, GWW has been loosely correlated with AIT. These tickers have moved in lockstep 51% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if GWW jumps, then AIT could also see price increases.