IFF vs. SHW
IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.) and SHW (The Sherwin-Williams Company) are both stocks. Both operate in the Specialty Chemicals industry within the Basic Materials sector. Over the past 10 years, IFF returned -4.12%/yr vs 12.72%/yr for SHW. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IFF vs. SHW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IFF achieves a 9.32% return, which is significantly higher than SHW's -9.14% return. Over the past 10 years, IFF has underperformed SHW with an annualized return of -4.12%, while SHW has yielded a comparatively higher 12.72% annualized return.
IFF
- 1D
- -1.37%
- 1M
- 3.43%
- YTD
- 9.32%
- 6M
- 8.15%
- 1Y
- -0.91%
- 3Y*
- -0.35%
- 5Y*
- -10.11%
- 10Y*
- -4.12%
SHW
- 1D
- -0.63%
- 1M
- -7.62%
- YTD
- -9.14%
- 6M
- -12.77%
- 1Y
- -16.80%
- 3Y*
- 7.70%
- 5Y*
- 1.64%
- 10Y*
- 12.72%
IFF vs. SHW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IFF International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. | 9.32% | -18.43% | 6.26% | -19.47% | -28.35% | 41.55% | -15.64% | -3.91% | -12.02% | 29.52% |
SHW The Sherwin-Williams Company | -9.14% | -3.83% | 9.90% | 32.73% | -31.96% | 44.90% | 27.05% | 49.70% | -3.23% | 54.11% |
Correlation
The correlation between IFF and SHW is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.52 |
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 | 0.47 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 2, 1985 | 0.38 |
The correlation between IFF and SHW shifts across timeframes, from 0.38 (all time) to 0.52 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
IFF:
$4.35
SHW:
$10.42
IFF:
16.83
SHW:
28.12
IFF:
1.31
SHW:
3.05
IFF:
$10.79B
SHW:
$23.94B
IFF:
$3.79B
SHW:
$11.76B
IFF:
$1.77B
SHW:
$4.29B
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Return for Risk
IFF vs. SHW — Risk / Return Rank
IFF
SHW
IFF vs. SHW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) and The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW). 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.
| IFF | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.03 | -0.68 | +0.66 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.22 | -0.91 | +1.13 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 0.90 | +0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.08 | -0.82 | +0.74 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.15 | -1.78 | +1.63 |
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
| IFF | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.03 | -0.68 | +0.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.32 | 0.06 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.14 | 0.48 | -0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.12 | 0.54 | -0.42 |
Drawdowns
IFF vs. SHW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IFF drawdown since its inception was -87.25%, which is greater than SHW's maximum drawdown of -52.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IFF and SHW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IFF | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.25% | -52.02% | -35.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.03% | -21.36% | -2.67% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -42.63% | -25.69% | -16.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -57.42% | -42.46% | -14.96% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -57.42% | -42.46% | -14.96% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -46.85% | -25.69% | -21.16% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -37.28% | -11.62% | -25.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.51% | 9.89% | +3.62% |
Volatility
IFF vs. SHW - Volatility Comparison
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) has a higher volatility of 19.59% compared to The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW) at 7.64%. This indicates that IFF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SHW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IFF | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 19.59% | 7.64% | +11.95% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 27.61% | 18.36% | +9.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.73% | 24.64% | +9.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 31.69% | 26.12% | +5.57% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.36% | 26.51% | +3.85% |
Dividends
IFF vs. SHW - Dividend Comparison
IFF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.18%, more than SHW's 1.09% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IFF International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. | 2.18% | 2.37% | 1.89% | 4.00% | 3.05% | 2.07% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SHW The Sherwin-Williams Company | 1.09% | 0.98% | 0.84% | 0.78% | 1.01% | 0.62% | 0.73% | 0.77% | 0.87% | 0.83% | 1.25% | 1.03% |
Financials
IFF vs. SHW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and The Sherwin-Williams Company. 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
IFF vs. SHW - Profitability Comparison
IFF - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.02B and revenue of 2.74B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.1%.
SHW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Sherwin-Williams Company reported a gross profit of 2.78B and revenue of 5.67B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 49.1%.
IFF - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. reported an operating income of 273.00M and revenue of 2.74B, resulting in an operating margin of 10.0%.
SHW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Sherwin-Williams Company reported an operating income of 810.90M and revenue of 5.67B, resulting in an operating margin of 14.3%.
IFF - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. reported a net income of 169.00M and revenue of 2.74B, resulting in a net margin of 6.2%.
SHW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Sherwin-Williams Company reported a net income of 534.70M and revenue of 5.67B, resulting in a net margin of 9.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IFF and SHW have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IFF has higher volatility (19.59%) compared to SHW (7.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IFF dropped -87.25% vs SHW's -52.02%.
IFF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.03 vs -0.68), 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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