Dow Inc. (DOW) vs The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW)

SHW leads on 10 of 14 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Dow Inc. and The Sherwin-Williams Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Total return — DOW vs SHW

growth of $100 · last 7y
DOW -32.0%SHW +121.7%SHW compounded faster
50100150200250Start $100202120232025$68$222
DOW SHW

DOW vs SHW: by the numbers

  • SHW is the larger company ($78.26B vs $24.40B market cap).
  • SHW is profitable (10.86% net margin) while DOW runs a net loss (-7.02%).
  • SHW grew revenue faster over the past five years (4.87% vs -0.66% CAGR).
  • DOW pays the higher dividend yield (4.14% vs 1.00%).

Which is better, DOW or SHW?

Metric tally: DOW 4 · SHW 10

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

GrowthSHW(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeDOW(higher dividend yield)
QualitySHW(higher ROIC)

Valuation

MetricDOWSHW
P/E ratio30.45
Forward P/E10.5627.07
P/S ratio0.623.29
P/B ratio1.6017.77
PEG ratio4.52
EV / EBITDA47.5420.64
FCF yield3.69%

Profitability

MetricDOWSHW
Gross margin6.16%49.12%
Operating margin-2.31%16.13%
Net margin-7.02%10.86%
ROE-18.11%58.66%
ROIC0.51%15.21%

Dividends

MetricDOWSHW
Dividend yield4.14%1.00%
Payout ratio30.64%

Growth (annualized)

MetricDOWSHW
Revenue CAGR (5Y)-0.66%4.87%
EPS CAGR (5Y)-20.06%6.74%
FCF CAGR (5Y)-24.60%-2.44%
Total return CAGR (5Y)-8.17%3.70%

Frequently asked

Which is better, DOW or SHW?
It depends on your goal. growth: SHW (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: DOW (higher dividend yield); quality: SHW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, SHW leads 10 to 4.
Which has grown faster, DOW or SHW?
Over the past five years, SHW grew revenue faster — DOW at a -0.66% CAGR versus SHW at 4.87%.
Does DOW or SHW pay a bigger dividend?
DOW yields 4.14% and SHW yields 1.00% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is DOW or SHW more profitable?
SHW runs the higher net margin — DOW at -7.02% versus SHW at 10.86%.
Which has been the better investment, DOW or SHW?
Over the past 5-year, SHW delivered the higher annualized total return — DOW at -8.17% versus SHW at 13.58%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 14, 2026.