W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) vs United Rentals, Inc. (URI)
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 August 14, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
GWW
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
$1,319.83IndustrialsDelayed quote: Aug 14, 2026, 10:05 AM EDT
URI
United Rentals, Inc.
$1,136.00IndustrialsDelayed quote: Aug 14, 2026, 10:05 AM EDT
Total return — GWW vs URI
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yGWW +597.5% (+21.4%/yr)URI +1340.7% (+30.6%/yr)URI compounded faster over this window
GWW URI
GWW vs URI: by the numbers
- •URI is the larger company ($70.71B vs $62.31B market cap).
- •URI trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (27.13 vs 33.72 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •URI converts more revenue to profit (15.67% vs 9.92% net margin).
- •URI grew revenue faster over the past five years (13.83% vs 9.00% CAGR).
- •GWW pays the higher dividend yield (0.72% vs 0.67%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 33.72 | 27.13 |
| Forward P/E | 28.57 | 22.81 |
| P/S ratio | 3.32 | 4.23 |
| P/B ratio | 15.13 | 7.73 |
| EV / EBITDA | 21.56 | 12.91 |
| FCF yield | 2.42% | 0.89% |
Profitability
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 39.40% | 37.07% |
| Operating margin | 14.57% | 24.79% |
| Net margin | 9.92% | 15.67% |
| ROE | 45.27% | 28.60% |
| ROIC | 27.73% | 10.75% |
Dividends
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.72% | 0.67% |
| Payout ratio | 26.78% | 19.43% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | GWW | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.00% | 13.83% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 22.25% | 25.88% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 9.51% | -11.55% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 25.91% | 26.95% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, GWW or URI?
- URI has the lower trailing P/E: GWW trades at 33.72 and URI at 27.13. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, GWW or URI?
- Over the past five years, URI grew revenue faster — GWW at a 9.00% CAGR versus URI at 13.83%.
- Does GWW or URI pay a bigger dividend?
- GWW yields 0.72% and URI yields 0.67% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is GWW or URI more profitable?
- URI runs the higher net margin — GWW at 9.92% versus URI at 15.67%.
- How have GWW and URI total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, GWW delivered 20.93% and URI delivered 30.97% annualized total return. 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 August 14, 2026.