CAT vs. GWW
CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) and GWW (W.W. Grainger, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — CAT in Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery, GWW in Industrial Distribution. Over the past 10 years, CAT returned 31.20%/yr vs 21.17%/yr for GWW. At a 0.43 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CAT vs. GWW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CAT achieves a 60.51% return, which is significantly higher than GWW's 29.79% return. Over the past 10 years, CAT has outperformed GWW with an annualized return of 31.20%, while GWW has yielded a comparatively lower 21.17% annualized return.
CAT
- 1D
- 1.26%
- 1M
- 2.03%
- YTD
- 60.51%
- 6M
- 54.15%
- 1Y
- 161.94%
- 3Y*
- 59.74%
- 5Y*
- 33.67%
- 10Y*
- 31.20%
GWW
- 1D
- 0.35%
- 1M
- 5.96%
- YTD
- 29.79%
- 6M
- 36.56%
- 1Y
- 20.24%
- 3Y*
- 23.74%
- 5Y*
- 24.53%
- 10Y*
- 21.17%
CAT vs. GWW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 60.51% | 60.30% | 24.66% | 25.95% | 18.60% | 15.95% | 26.97% | 19.51% | -17.56% | 75.03% |
GWW W.W. Grainger, Inc. | 29.79% | -3.41% | 28.21% | 50.53% | 8.75% | 28.80% | 22.85% | 22.25% | 21.69% | 4.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between CAT and GWW is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 18, 1984 | 0.43 |
The correlation between CAT and GWW has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.43 to 0.50 - a consistent structural relationship.
Fundamentals
CAT:
$426.51B
GWW:
$61.84B
CAT:
$20.07
GWW:
$37.26
CAT:
45.62
GWW:
35.01
CAT:
3.02
GWW:
2.02
CAT:
6.07
GWW:
3.39
CAT:
22.86
GWW:
15.73
CAT:
$70.76B
GWW:
$18.38B
CAT:
$23.01B
GWW:
$7.20B
CAT:
$15.31B
GWW:
$2.82B
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Return for Risk
CAT vs. GWW — Risk / Return Rank
CAT
GWW
CAT vs. GWW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| CAT | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.94 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +4.21 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.69 | 1.18 | +0.51 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 11.74 | 1.36 | +10.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 38.95 | 2.60 | +36.35 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| CAT | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.76 | 0.82 | +3.94 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.10 | 1.00 | +0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.01 | 0.74 | +0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.35 | 0.56 | -0.20 |
Drawdowns
CAT vs. GWW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CAT drawdown since its inception was -73.43%, which is greater than GWW's maximum drawdown of -56.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAT and GWW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CAT | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.43% | -56.73% | -16.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -15.00% | +1.12% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.05% | -24.50% | -9.55% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.05% | -24.50% | -9.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.36% | -41.60% | -1.76% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.64% | 0.00% | -2.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.74% | -11.01% | -8.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.18% | 8.29% | -4.11% |
Volatility
CAT vs. GWW - Volatility Comparison
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has a higher volatility of 10.77% compared to W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) at 4.56%. This indicates that CAT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GWW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CAT | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.77% | 4.56% | +6.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.35% | 18.19% | +9.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 34.31% | 24.80% | +9.51% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.67% | 24.67% | +6.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.89% | 28.54% | +2.35% |
Dividends
CAT vs. GWW - Dividend Comparison
CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.66%, less than GWW's 0.71% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT Caterpillar Inc. | 0.66% | 1.02% | 1.49% | 1.69% | 1.93% | 2.07% | 2.26% | 2.56% | 2.58% | 1.97% | 3.32% | 4.33% |
GWW W.W. Grainger, Inc. | 0.71% | 0.88% | 0.76% | 0.88% | 1.22% | 1.23% | 1.45% | 1.68% | 1.90% | 2.14% | 2.08% | 2.27% |
Financials
CAT vs. GWW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Caterpillar Inc. and W.W. Grainger, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CAT vs. GWW - Profitability Comparison
CAT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a gross profit of 6.11B and revenue of 17.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.1%.
GWW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, W.W. Grainger, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.90B and revenue of 4.74B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 40.0%.
CAT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported an operating income of 3.09B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.7%.
GWW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, W.W. Grainger, Inc. reported an operating income of 793.00M and revenue of 4.74B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.7%.
CAT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Caterpillar Inc. reported a net income of 2.55B and revenue of 17.42B, resulting in a net margin of 14.6%.
GWW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, W.W. Grainger, Inc. reported a net income of 555.00M and revenue of 4.74B, resulting in a net margin of 11.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAT and GWW have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CAT has higher volatility (10.77%) compared to GWW (4.56%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAT dropped -73.43% vs GWW's -56.73%.
CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.76 vs 0.82), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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