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 7yDOW -32.0%SHW +121.7%SHW compounded faster
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 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthSHW(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeDOW(higher dividend yield)
QualitySHW(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | DOW | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 30.45 |
| Forward P/E | 10.56● | 27.07 |
| P/S ratio | 0.62● | 3.29 |
| P/B ratio | 1.60● | 17.77 |
| PEG ratio | — | 4.52 |
| EV / EBITDA | 47.54 | 20.64● |
| FCF yield | — | 3.69% |
Profitability
| Metric | DOW | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 6.16% | 49.12%● |
| Operating margin | -2.31% | 16.13%● |
| Net margin | -7.02% | 10.86%● |
| ROE | -18.11% | 58.66%● |
| ROIC | 0.51% | 15.21%● |
Dividends
| Metric | DOW | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 4.14%● | 1.00% |
| Payout ratio | — | 30.64% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | DOW | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Dow P/E ratioSherwin-Williams P/E ratioDow dividend yieldSherwin-Williams dividend yieldDow ROESherwin-Williams ROEDow operating marginSherwin-Williams operating marginDow revenue growthSherwin-Williams revenue growthDow free cash flowSherwin-Williams free cash flow
Dow & Sherwin-Williams appear in these rankings
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.