HRL vs. GWW
HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation) and GWW (W.W. Grainger, Inc.) are both stocks. HRL operates in Packaged Foods (Consumer Defensive), while GWW operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, HRL returned -1.22%/yr vs 21.17%/yr for GWW. At a 0.23 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
HRL vs. GWW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HRL achieves a 2.45% return, which is significantly lower than GWW's 29.79% return. Over the past 10 years, HRL has underperformed GWW with an annualized return of -1.22%, while GWW has yielded a comparatively higher 21.17% annualized return.
HRL
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 15.66%
- YTD
- 2.45%
- 6M
- 1.81%
- 1Y
- -19.05%
- 3Y*
- -13.32%
- 5Y*
- -10.42%
- 10Y*
- -1.22%
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%
HRL vs. GWW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HRL Hormel Foods Corporation | 2.45% | -21.27% | 1.21% | -27.49% | -4.67% | 6.99% | 5.38% | 7.85% | 19.68% | 6.72% |
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 HRL and GWW is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 1990 | 0.23 |
Fundamentals
HRL:
$13.02B
GWW:
$61.84B
HRL:
$0.85
GWW:
$37.26
HRL:
27.88
GWW:
35.01
HRL:
1.07
GWW:
3.39
HRL:
1.20
GWW:
15.73
HRL:
$12.22B
GWW:
$18.38B
HRL:
$1.92B
GWW:
$7.20B
HRL:
$868.07M
GWW:
$2.82B
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Return for Risk
HRL vs. GWW — Risk / Return Rank
HRL
GWW
HRL vs. GWW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) 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.
| HRL | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.47 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.90 | 1.18 | -0.28 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.56 | 1.36 | -1.91 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.88 | 2.60 | -3.48 |
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
| HRL | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.65 | 0.82 | -1.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.43 | 1.00 | -1.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.05 | 0.74 | -0.80 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | 0.56 | -0.19 |
Drawdowns
HRL vs. GWW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HRL drawdown since its inception was -58.46%, roughly equal to the maximum GWW drawdown of -56.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HRL and GWW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HRL | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.46% | -56.73% | -1.73% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -34.29% | -15.00% | -19.29% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -46.94% | -24.50% | -22.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -58.46% | -24.50% | -33.96% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -58.46% | -41.60% | -16.86% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -50.26% | 0.00% | -50.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.86% | -11.01% | -0.85% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 21.78% | 8.29% | +13.49% |
Volatility
HRL vs. GWW - Volatility Comparison
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) has a higher volatility of 13.15% compared to W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) at 4.56%. This indicates that HRL'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
| HRL | GWW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.15% | 4.56% | +8.59% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.71% | 18.19% | +2.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.60% | 24.80% | +4.80% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.08% | 24.67% | -0.59% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.32% | 28.54% | -5.22% |
Dividends
HRL vs. GWW - Dividend Comparison
HRL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.93%, more than GWW's 0.71% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
HRL Hormel Foods Corporation | 4.93% | 4.89% | 3.60% | 3.43% | 2.28% | 2.01% | 2.00% | 1.86% | 1.76% | 1.87% | 1.67% | 1.26% |
Financials
HRL vs. GWW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Hormel Foods Corporation 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
HRL vs. GWW - Profitability Comparison
HRL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Hormel Foods Corporation reported a gross profit of 518.51M and revenue of 2.97B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 17.4%.
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%.
HRL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Hormel Foods Corporation reported an operating income of 217.11M and revenue of 2.97B, resulting in an operating margin of 7.3%.
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%.
HRL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Hormel Foods Corporation reported a net income of 157.50M and revenue of 2.97B, resulting in a net margin of 5.3%.
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
HRL and GWW have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
HRL has higher volatility (13.15%) compared to GWW (4.56%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HRL dropped -58.46% vs GWW's -56.73%.
GWW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.82 vs -0.65), 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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