LECO vs. GGG

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

LECO (Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.) and GGG (Graco Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — LECO in Tools & Accessories, GGG in Specialty Industrial Machinery. Over the past 10 years, LECO returned 17.53%/yr vs 12.04%/yr for GGG. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

LECO vs. GGG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) and Graco Inc. (GGG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LECO achieves a 6.45% return, which is significantly higher than GGG's -9.05% return. Over the past 10 years, LECO has outperformed GGG with an annualized return of 17.53%, while GGG has yielded a comparatively lower 12.04% annualized return.

LECO

• 1D: 0.84%
• 1M: -4.50%
• YTD: 6.45%
• 6M: 7.79%
• 1Y: 35.08%
• 3Y*: 13.40%
• 5Y*: 16.09%
• 10Y*: 17.53%

GGG

• 1D: 0.12%
• 1M: -6.49%
• YTD: -9.05%
• 6M: -9.61%
• 1Y: -10.41%
• 3Y*: -1.23%
• 5Y*: 1.16%
• 10Y*: 12.04%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

LECO vs. GGG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
LECO Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.	6.45%	29.63%	-12.55%	52.61%	5.42%	21.89%	22.97%	25.41%	-12.24%	21.37%
GGG Graco Inc.	-9.05%	-1.46%	-1.68%	30.62%	-15.48%	12.56%	40.97%	25.94%	-6.34%	65.60%

Correlation

The correlation between LECO and GGG is 0.65, 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	0.65
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.69
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 14, 1995	0.51

The correlation between LECO and GGG shifts across timeframes, from 0.51 (all time) to 0.71 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

EPS LECO : $9.68 GGG : $4.09
PE Ratio LECO : 26.26 GGG : 18.12
PEG Ratio LECO : 1.14 GGG : 3.56
PS Ratio LECO : 3.25 GGG : 4.16
Total Revenue (TTM) LECO : $4.35B GGG : $2.25B
Gross Profit (TTM) LECO : $1.57B GGG : $1.18B
EBITDA (TTM) LECO : $807.88M GGG : $712.41M

Return for Risk

LECO vs. GGG — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

LECO

LECO Risk / Return Rank: 74
LECO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
LECO Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
LECO Omega Ratio Rank: 71
LECO Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
LECO Martin Ratio Rank: 73

GGG

GGG Risk / Return Rank: 16
GGG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
GGG Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
GGG Omega Ratio Rank: 17
GGG Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
GGG Martin Ratio Rank: 7

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

LECO vs. GGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) and Graco Inc. (GGG). 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.

	LECO	GGG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.33	-0.55	+1.88
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.05	-0.67	+2.72
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	0.92	+0.32
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.65	-0.52	+2.17
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.53	-1.41	+5.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LECO vs. GGG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LECO Sharpe Ratio is 1.33, which is higher than the GGG Sharpe Ratio of -0.55. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LECO and GGG, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	LECO	GGG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.33	-0.55	+1.88
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61	0.05	+0.56
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	0.49	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.43	-0.01

Drawdowns

LECO vs. GGG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LECO drawdown since its inception was -68.89%, roughly equal to the maximum GGG drawdown of -68.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LECO and GGG.

Drawdown Indicators

	LECO	GGG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-68.89%	-68.77%	-0.12%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-20.09%	-21.74%	+1.65%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-34.29%	-21.74%	-12.55%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.29%	-28.98%	-5.31%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.89%	-30.60%	-8.29%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-14.65%	-21.64%	+6.99%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.51%	-12.10%	-1.41%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.31%	8.05%	-0.74%

Volatility

LECO vs. GGG - Volatility Comparison

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) has a higher volatility of 7.27% compared to Graco Inc. (GGG) at 4.73%. This indicates that LECO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	LECO	GGG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.27%	4.73%	+2.54%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.77%	14.17%	+5.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.52%	19.02%	+7.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.54%	22.63%	+3.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.39%	24.76%	+2.63%

Dividends

LECO vs. GGG - Dividend Comparison

LECO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.21%, less than GGG's 1.54% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GGG Graco Inc.	1.54%	1.34%	1.21%	1.08%	1.25%	0.93%	0.97%	1.23%	1.27%	1.06%	1.59%	1.67%
LECO Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.	1.21%	1.27%	1.54%	1.21%	1.61%	1.50%	1.70%	1.96%	2.08%	1.57%	1.71%	2.29%

Financials

LECO vs. GGG - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. and Graco Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

LECO - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 399.13M and revenue of 1.12B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 35.6%.

GGG - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Graco Inc. reported a gross profit of 280.64M and revenue of 540.14M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 52.0%.

LECO - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 186.16M and revenue of 1.12B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.6%.

GGG - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Graco Inc. reported an operating income of 137.78M and revenue of 540.14M, resulting in an operating margin of 25.5%.

LECO - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 136.38M and revenue of 1.12B, resulting in a net margin of 12.2%.

GGG - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Graco Inc. reported a net income of 118.51M and revenue of 540.14M, resulting in a net margin of 21.9%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LECO and GGG in my portfolio?

LECO and GGG have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LECO or GGG?

LECO has higher volatility (7.27%) compared to GGG (4.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LECO dropped -68.89% vs GGG's -68.77%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

LECO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.33 vs -0.55), 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.