W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) earnings on May 7, 2026
More W.W. Grainger, Inc. earnings
Prior outlook: Optimistic Outcome: Accurate
The stock price rose after the company reported better-than-expected earnings and increased its future outlook. This positive news confirmed investor optimism.
GWW price around the earnings
1231.00
Change: +5.2%
2026-05-07, 23:24 UTC
- Price: green if it ends above the starting price; red if it ends below
- End of the measured window
- Market open
- No trading (market closed)
- Starting price
Prior thesis
Prior outlook: Optimistic Outcome: Accurate
- Thesis published
Earnings and sales beat, guidance raised, moderate outlook.
The company reported better-than-expected earnings and sales for its first quarter and increased its financial outlook for fiscal year 2026. This occurred despite the stock underperforming the market recently, suggesting expectations weren't overly high going into the report.
Context analyzed before publication
- Summary
- Mixed outlook, the scenario is neutral.
- Reasoning
- While the company increased its dividend, its stock performance lags behind the broader market and analysts have mixed opinions, suggesting a neutral outlook.
- Playbook
- Given the mixed analyst views and underperformance relative to the market, a cautious scenario is indicated. Stronger market trends or clearer analyst conviction are key factors.
- Trend
- Moderate optimistic momentum, dividend hike.
Analysts
Drivers
-
Analysts
Neutral
Analyst sentiment is divided, with a 'Hold' consensus and a minimally optimistic scenario, alongside recent mixed rating changes.
Evidence
- Analyst consensus
- Hold
- Consensus average (1-5)
- 2.78
- Analysts covering the stock
- 14
- Average price target
- 1,173.5
- Lowest price target
- 930
- Highest price target
- 1,342
- Upside to price target
- 0.8%
- Quarterly earnings growth
- -5.1%
- Revenue growth
- 4.5%
- Forward EPS
- 48.56
- Trailing EPS
- 35.41
- Analyst moves in the last 60 days
- 2
- Strong buy: 0
- Buy: 4
- Hold: 11
- Sell: 1
- Strong sell: 2
- Strong buy
- 0
- Buy
- 4
- Hold
- 11
- Sell
- 1
- Strong sell
- 2
- April 21, 2026 · Bernstein: Maintains rating (Market Perform → Market Perform)
- March 16, 2026 · Barclays: Maintains rating (Underweight → Underweight)
News and sentiment
Drivers
-
News & sentiment
Positive
The company increased its quarterly dividend, signaling financial stability and a commitment to returning value to shareholders.
Evidence
Sentiment
- Sentiment
- Constructive
- Mention volume
- Low
- Normalized volume
- 33%
News
Sources (2)
- W.W. Grainger Raises Quarterly Dividend From $2.26 To $2.49/Share — Benzinga
- Bernstein Maintains Market Perform on W.W. Grainger, Raises Price Target to $1125 — Benzinga
Technicals
Drivers
-
Technical
Negative
The stock's recent performance is weaker compared to the overall market index, indicating relative underperformance.
Evidence
- Average true range (ATR)
- 2%
- Distance to 52-week high
- -4.4%
- 14-day change (14d)
- -0.0%
- 30-day change
- +8.2%
- 30-day relative strength
- -3.8%
- Benchmark change
- +12.0%
- Nearest support
- 1,050.13
- Nearest resistance
- 1,182.43
- Volume accumulation ratio
- 0.94
Trends
Evidence
- Average earnings surprise
- +1.3%
- February 3, 2026: actual EPS 9.44 vs estimate 9.46 (surprise -0.2%)
- October 31, 2025: actual EPS 10.21 vs estimate 9.95 (surprise +2.6%)
- August 1, 2025: actual EPS 9.97 vs estimate 10.07 (surprise -1.0%)
- May 1, 2025: actual EPS 9.86 vs estimate 9.48 (surprise +4.0%)
Expected move
Drivers
-
Past earnings
Neutral
The company has a history of meeting earnings expectations closely, with small average surprises, showing steady but not outstanding results.
There is no implied-move data available for this event.
Reactions over its last 19 earnings
- Median move
- 4.8%
- 75th percentile move
- 6.3%
- 90th percentile move
- 8.7%
- Up / down moves
- 13 / 6
- Average up move
- +5.1%
- Average down move
- -4.8%
Monitoring and close
What W.W. Grainger, Inc. reported
There is no monitoring data available for this event.
Pre-market second reading after the results
There is no second reading available for this event.
How the stock reacted
- Outcome
- Accurate
- Consolidated
- +5.5%
- Max favorable move (MFE)
- 11%
- Max adverse move (MAE)
- 0%