Grainger beats Q2 sales estimates, lifts 2026 outlook

WW Grainger

04/08/2026 13:10

Overview
US distributor's Q2 net sales rose 10.3%, beating analyst expectations
Diluted EPS for Q2 rose 20.5% year-over-year
Company raised 2026 guidance on strong first-half performance and demand momentum

Outlook
Grainger raises 2026 net sales guidance to $19.4-$19.7 bln from $19.2-$19.6 bln
Company lifts 2026 diluted EPS outlook to $45.50-$47.25 from $44.25-$46.25
Company expects 2026 operating margin of 15.8%-16.2%, up from 15.6%-16.0% prior

Result Drivers
VOLUME AND PRICE INFLATION - Co said sales growth was driven by higher volumes and price inflation as tariff costs were passed through
ENDLESS ASSORTMENT GROWTH - Strong performance at MonotaRO and Zoro drove growth in the Endless Assortment segment

Company press release: ID:nPn17HZLja

Key Details
Metric
Beat/Miss
Actual
Consensus Estimate
Q2 Net Sales
Beat
$5.02 bln
$4.95 bln (17 Analysts)
Q2 EPS
 
$12.01
 

Analyst Coverage
The current average analyst rating on the shares is "hold" and the breakdown of recommendations is 4 "strong buy" or "buy", 13 "hold" and 3 "sell" or "strong sell"
The average consensus recommendation for the industrial machinery & equipment peer group is "buy."
Wall Street's median 12-month price target for WW Grainger Inc is $1,300.00, about 5.2% below its August 3 closing price of $1,371.25
The stock recently traded at 28 times the next 12-month earnings vs. a P/E of 26 three months ago

Reuters Recommended Reads
Aug 4 - Timken Q2 sales beat on higher volumes and pricing
Aug 3 - Hillman Solutions Q2 sales beat estimates on strong hardware demand
Aug 4 - Rockwell Automation raises 2026 profit forecast on strong industrial demand

For questions concerning the data in this report, contact Estimates.Support@lseg.com. For any other questions or feedback, contact reuters.support@thomsonreuters.com.

(This story was created using Reuters automation and AI based on LSEG and company data. It was checked and edited by a Reuters journalist prior to publication.)