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GWW vs WSO
Which Stock Would AI Choose? W.W. Grainger (GWW) vs. Watsco (WSO) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- GWW operates as a broad-line industrial maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products distributor with diversified North American exposure, while WSO specializes in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) distribution.
- Both companies reported results in late July 2026, with WSO missing consensus estimates on revenue and earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter, contributing to recent price pressure.
- GWW has maintained relatively stable trading patterns in recent market activity amid broader industrial sector resilience.
- WSO exhibits higher dividend yield characteristics compared to GWW, though both operate in cyclical distribution segments sensitive to construction and manufacturing demand.
- Market positioning differs markedly: GWW serves a wider array of end markets, whereas WSO maintains concentrated exposure to residential and light commercial HVAC replacement cycles.
- Relative performance in recent weeks has favored more diversified industrial distributors like GWW over HVAC-focused peers following earnings reactions.
Introduction
Investors and traders evaluating industrial distribution equities often compare GWW and WSO due to their shared exposure to North American supply chains and end-market demand for essential equipment and parts. This analysis examines their business models, recent price behavior, and relative positioning within the current market environment. The comparison is particularly relevant for those assessing sector rotation opportunities, dividend considerations, or momentum shifts in cyclical industrials. Data draws from verified market sources to highlight observable contrasts without forward-looking assumptions.
GWW Overview and Recent Performance
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) distributes maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products and services across North America, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Its operations span two primary segments: High-Touch Solutions North America and Endless Assortment, serving manufacturing, commercial, government, and healthcare customers with items ranging from safety equipment to plumbing supplies. In recent market activity, GWW shares have demonstrated resilience, closing at $1,382.22 on July 31, 2026. Broader industrial demand stability and inventory management efficiencies have supported sentiment, with the stock reflecting consistent trading volumes amid sector-wide economic indicators.
WSO Overview and Recent Performance
Watsco, Inc. (WSO) distributes air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration equipment along with related parts and supplies primarily across the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The company focuses on residential and light commercial HVAC replacement and new construction markets through a network serving contractors and dealers. Recent performance included second-quarter results released around July 29, 2026, showing revenue of approximately $2.10 billion and EPS of $4.00, both below consensus estimates. The stock closed at $309.30 on July 31, 2026, reflecting a modest daily decline and contributing to a pullback observed in prior weeks amid seasonal demand patterns.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
GWW and WSO both function as distributors but differ in scope and cyclical sensitivity. GWW offers broader MRO exposure across multiple industries, potentially buffering against single-sector slowdowns, whereas WSO concentrates on HVACR equipment with greater dependence on housing and climate-related replacement demand. Recent momentum has shown GWW maintaining steadier price levels compared to WSO’s post-earnings reaction. Risk factors include supply chain disruptions for both, though WSO carries additional exposure to refrigerant regulations and seasonal weather variability. Market sentiment appears supportive of diversified industrial names amid manufacturing indicators, while HVAC specialists face near-term margin pressures from reported quarterly results. Trade-offs center on GWW’s scale and diversification versus WSO’s specialized market position and higher dividend characteristics.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including trend consistency in recent weeks, relative stability following earnings releases, and broader sector positioning, Tickeron’s AI models currently assign a higher probabilistic preference to GWW over WSO. This assessment reflects GWW’s diversified end-market exposure and steadier price behavior amid mixed industrial data, contrasted with WSO’s recent estimate misses and concentrated HVAC cyclicality. Outcomes remain subject to evolving market conditions and individual bot parameters.
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 GWW is a StrongBuy and WSO 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).
GWW’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileWSO’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- GWW’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- WSO’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 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.
GWW’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WSO’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- GWW’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WSO’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
GWW (@Electronics Distributors) experienced а +1.74% price change this week, while WSO (@Electronics Distributors) price change was -7.12% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronics Distributors industry was +0.02%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +8.18%, and the average quarterly price growth was +5.93%.
Reported Earning Dates
GWW is expected to report earnings on Nov 04, 2026.
WSO is expected to report earnings on Oct 15, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronics Distributors (+0.02% 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.
| GWW | WSO | GWW / WSO | |
| Capitalization | 62.2B | 13B | 478% |
| EBITDA | 3.02B | 734M | 412% |
| Gain YTD | 30.078 | -5.901 | -510% |
| P/E Ratio | 33.68 | 26.70 | 126% |
| Revenue | 18.8B | 7.24B | 260% |
| Total Cash | 585M | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 2.78B | 486M | 572% |
GWW | WSO | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 55 | 55 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 85 Overvalued | 10 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 11 | 83 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 22 | 52 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 49 | 79 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 20 | 69 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 65 | 38 |
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.
WSO's Valuation (10) in the Building Products industry is significantly better than the same rating for GWW (85) in the Wholesale Distributors industry. This means that WSO’s stock grew significantly faster than GWW’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's Profit vs Risk Rating (11) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is significantly better than the same rating for WSO (83) in the Building Products industry. This means that GWW’s stock grew significantly faster than WSO’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's SMR Rating (22) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as WSO (52) in the Building Products industry. This means that GWW’s stock grew similarly to WSO’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's Price Growth Rating (49) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as WSO (79) in the Building Products industry. This means that GWW’s stock grew similarly to WSO’s over the last 12 months.
GWW's P/E Growth Rating (20) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WSO (69) in the Building Products industry. This means that GWW’s stock grew somewhat faster than WSO’s over the last 12 months.
| GWW | WSO | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 80% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 66% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 43% | N/A |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 7 days ago 69% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 63% | 2 days ago 64% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 59% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 10 days ago 71% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 48% | 2 days ago 69% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 52% |
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GWW and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, GWW has been loosely correlated with MSM. 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 MSM could also see price increases.
WSO and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WSO has been loosely correlated with AIT. These tickers have moved in lockstep 56% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if WSO jumps, then AIT could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To WSO | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSO | 100% | -2.98% | ||
| AIT - WSO | 56% Loosely correlated | -0.02% | ||
| FERG - WSO | 56% Loosely correlated | -2.52% | ||
| SITE - WSO | 53% Loosely correlated | -2.39% | ||
| QXO - WSO | 48% Loosely correlated | -3.34% | ||
| MSM - WSO | 46% Loosely correlated | -0.52% | ||
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