International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) vs The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW)
SHW leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics, though IFF is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of International Flavors & Fragrances 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).
IFF
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
$78.27Basic Materials
SHW
The Sherwin-Williams Company
$317.30Basic Materials
Total return — IFF vs SHW
growth of $100 · last 30yIFF +57.3%SHW +4300.8%SHW compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
IFF SHW
IFF vs SHW: by the numbers
- •SHW is the larger company ($78.26B vs $19.98B market cap).
- •IFF trades at the lower earnings multiple (23.94 vs 30.45 P/E).
- •SHW converts more revenue to profit (10.86% vs 7.90% net margin).
- •IFF grew revenue faster over the past five years (11.71% vs 4.87% CAGR).
- •IFF pays the higher dividend yield (2.04% vs 1.00%).
Which is better, IFF or SHW?
Metric tally: IFF 8 · SHW 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueIFF(lower P/E)
GrowthIFF(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeIFF(higher dividend yield)
QualitySHW(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | IFF | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 23.94● | 30.45 |
| Forward P/E | 17.64● | 27.07 |
| P/S ratio | 1.86● | 3.29 |
| P/B ratio | 1.42● | 17.77 |
| PEG ratio | 0.19● | 4.52 |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.72● | 20.64 |
| FCF yield | 1.98% | 3.69%● |
Profitability
| Metric | IFF | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 36.35% | 49.12%● |
| Operating margin | 7.56% | 16.13%● |
| Net margin | 7.90% | 10.86%● |
| ROE | 6.03% | 58.66%● |
| ROIC | 3.19% | 15.21%● |
Dividends
| Metric | IFF | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.04%● | 1.00% |
| Payout ratio | — | 30.64% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | IFF | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 11.71%● | 4.87% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -25.13% | 6.74%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -13.45% | -2.44%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -9.54% | 3.70%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, IFF or SHW?
- It depends on your goal. value: IFF (lower P/E); growth: IFF (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: IFF (higher dividend yield); quality: SHW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, SHW leads 9 to 8.
- Is IFF or SHW cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, IFF is cheaper: IFF trades at a 23.94 P/E and SHW at 30.45.
- Which has grown faster, IFF or SHW?
- Over the past five years, IFF grew revenue faster — IFF at a 11.71% CAGR versus SHW at 4.87%.
- Does IFF or SHW pay a bigger dividend?
- IFF yields 2.04% and SHW yields 1.00% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is IFF or SHW more profitable?
- SHW runs the higher net margin — IFF at 7.90% versus SHW at 10.86%.
- Which has been the better investment, IFF or SHW?
- Over the past 10-year, SHW delivered the higher annualized total return — IFF at -2.51% versus SHW at 13.58%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
International Flavors & Fragrances P/E ratioSherwin-Williams P/E ratioInternational Flavors & Fragrances dividend yieldSherwin-Williams dividend yieldInternational Flavors & Fragrances ROESherwin-Williams ROEInternational Flavors & Fragrances operating marginSherwin-Williams operating marginInternational Flavors & Fragrances revenue growthSherwin-Williams revenue growthInternational Flavors & Fragrances free cash flowSherwin-Williams free cash flow
International Flavors & Fragrances & 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.