W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) vs United Rentals, Inc. (URI)
URI leads on 10 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of W.W. Grainger, Inc. and United Rentals, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 30, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — GWW vs URI
growth of $100 · last 29yGWW +2743.6%URI +7384.5%URI compounded faster
GWW URI
GWW vs URI: by the numbers
- •URI is the larger company ($70.33B vs $63.89B market cap).
- •URI trades at the lower earnings multiple (28.75 vs 36.38 P/E).
- •URI converts more revenue to profit (15.32% vs 9.70% net margin).
- •URI grew revenue faster over the past five years (14.10% vs 9.12% CAGR).
- •GWW pays the higher dividend yield (0.74% vs 0.70%).
Which is better, GWW or URI?
Metric tally: GWW 7 · URI 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueURI(lower P/E)
GrowthURI(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeGWW(higher dividend yield)
QualityGWW(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 36.38 | 28.75● |
| Forward P/E | 29.67 | 23.90● |
| P/S ratio | 3.49● | 4.36 |
| P/B ratio | 16.32 | 7.96● |
| PEG ratio | 1.64 | 1.11● |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.07 | 13.26● |
| FCF yield | 2.15%● | 0.93% |
Profitability
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 39.15%● | 36.25% |
| Operating margin | 14.23% | 24.67%● |
| Net margin | 9.70% | 15.32%● |
| ROE | 45.34%● | 27.95% |
| ROIC | 27.73%● | 10.75% |
Dividends
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.74%● | 0.70% |
| Payout ratio | 28.08% | 20.36% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.12% | 14.10%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 22.25% | 25.88%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 7.67%● | -15.74% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 26.01% | 29.89%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, GWW or URI?
- It depends on your goal. value: URI (lower P/E); growth: URI (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: GWW (higher dividend yield); quality: GWW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, URI leads 10 to 7.
- Is GWW or URI cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, URI is cheaper: GWW trades at a 36.38 P/E and URI at 28.75.
- Which has grown faster, GWW or URI?
- Over the past five years, URI grew revenue faster — GWW at a 9.12% CAGR versus URI at 14.10%.
- Does GWW or URI pay a bigger dividend?
- GWW yields 0.74% and URI yields 0.70% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is GWW or URI more profitable?
- URI runs the higher net margin — GWW at 9.70% versus URI at 15.32%.
- Which has been the better investment, GWW or URI?
- Over the past 10-year, URI delivered the higher annualized total return — GWW at 21.80% versus URI at 33.35%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
W.W. Grainger P/E ratioUnited Rentals P/E ratioW.W. Grainger dividend yieldUnited Rentals dividend yieldW.W. Grainger ROEUnited Rentals ROEW.W. Grainger operating marginUnited Rentals operating marginW.W. Grainger revenue growthUnited Rentals revenue growthW.W. Grainger free cash flowUnited Rentals free cash flow
W.W. Grainger & United Rentals 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 30, 2026.