What is GWW's Intrinsic value?

W W Grainger Inc (GWW) Intrinsic Value Analysis

Executive Summary

As of May 22, 2025, W W Grainger Inc's estimated intrinsic value ranges from $407.89 to $1165.10 per share, depending on the valuation methodology applied.

Valuation Method Fair Value (USD) Implied Upside/Downside
Discounted Cash Flow (10Y) $1165.10 +7.7%
Discounted Cash Flow (5Y) $993.25 -8.2%
Dividend Discount Model (Multi-Stage) $807.53 -25.3%
Dividend Discount Model (Stable) $638.36 -41.0%
Earnings Power Value $407.89 -62.3%

Is W W Grainger Inc (GWW) undervalued or overvalued?

With the current market price at $1081.38, the stock appears to be moderately overvalued.

Understanding Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic value represents the "true" worth of a company based on its fundamentals rather than market sentiment. We've employed multiple methodologies to triangulate W W Grainger Inc's intrinsic value, including:

  1. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF): Values the company based on projected future cash flows
  2. Dividend Discount Model (DDM): Values the company based on expected future dividend payments
  3. Earnings Power Value (EPV): Values the company based on its current earnings power, assuming no growth

Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)

The cost of capital is a critical factor in valuation models, representing the required return for investors.

WACC Component Low High
Long-term bond rate 3.9% 4.4%
Equity market risk premium 4.6% 5.6%
Adjusted beta 0.87 0.89
Cost of equity 7.9% 9.8%
Cost of debt 4.3% 4.5%
Tax rate 23.5% 24.3%
Debt/Equity ratio 0.05 0.05
After-tax WACC 7.6% 9.5%

Valuation Methods

1. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation

Our DCF model projects cash flows over 5-year and 10-year horizons, with the following key assumptions:

  • Forecast Period: 5-year DCF and 10-year DCF
  • Terminal Growth Rate: 0.0% (range: 3.0% - 5.0%)
  • Discount Rate: 8.6% (range: 0.0% - 9.3%)

Key Projections:

  • Revenue growth from $17,168 (FY12-2024) to $30,208 (FY12-2034)
  • Net profit margin expansion from 12% to 16%
  • Capital expenditures maintained at approximately 2% of revenue
DCF Model Fair Value Enterprise Value % from Terminal Value
5-Year Growth $993 $49,460M 78.3%
10-Year Growth $1,165 $57,738M 62.2%
5-Year EBITDA $777 $39,038M 72.5%
10-Year EBITDA $967 $48,177M 54.7%

2. Dividend Discount Model (DDM)

The DDM values a company based on its expected future dividend payments. We used two approaches:

Multi-Stage DDM:

  • Current payout ratio: 22.6%
  • Stable payout ratio: 90.0%
  • Growth transition: 5 years
  • Cost of equity: 8.9%
  • Long-term growth rate: 3.0%
  • Fair value: $807.53 (-25.3% from current price)

Stable DDM:

  • Stable payout ratio: 70% (Low) to 90% (High)
  • Cost of equity: 9.8% (Low) to 7.9% (High)
  • Long-term growth rate: 2.0% (Low) to 4.0% (High)
  • Fair value range: $354 to $923
  • Selected fair value: $638.36 (-41.0% from current price)

3. Earnings Power Value (EPV)

EPV assesses a company's value based on its current normalized earnings power, assuming no growth.

EPV Component Value
Normalized Earnings $1,802M
Discount Rate (WACC) 9.5% - 7.6%
Enterprise Value $18,927M - $23,598M
Net Debt $1,615M
Equity Value $17,312M - $21,983M
Outstanding Shares 48M
Fair Value $359 - $456
Selected Fair Value $407.89

Key Financial Metrics

Metric Value
Market Capitalization $52090M
Enterprise Value $53705M
Trailing P/E 27.27
Forward P/E 24.10
Trailing EV/EBITDA 8.75
Current Dividend Yield 81.22%
Dividend Growth Rate (5Y) 5.64%
Debt-to-Equity Ratio 0.05

Investment Decision Framework

To determine the most reliable intrinsic value estimate, we weigh each valuation method based on:

  1. Forecast Certainty: DCF methods rely on long-term projections, while earnings power value focuses on current normalized earnings
  2. Business Model Alignment: Dividend models are more appropriate for mature companies with established dividend policies
  3. Historical Accuracy: How well each method has predicted fair value historically

Valuation Weight Matrix

Valuation Method Weight Weighted Value
Discounted Cash Flow (10Y) 30% $349.53
Discounted Cash Flow (5Y) 25% $248.31
Dividend Discount Model (Multi-Stage) 20% $161.51
Dividend Discount Model (Stable) 15% $95.75
Earnings Power Value 10% $40.79
Weighted Average 100% $895.89

Investment Conclusion

Based on our comprehensive valuation analysis, W W Grainger Inc's weighted average intrinsic value is $895.89, which is approximately 17.2% below the current market price of $1081.38.

Key investment considerations:

  • Strong projected earnings growth (12% to 16% margin)
  • Consistent cash flow generation
  • Conservative capital structure (Debt/Equity of 0.05)
  • Historical dividend growth of 5.64%

Given these factors, we believe W W Grainger Inc is currently moderately overvalued with the potential for long-term appreciation based on the company's growth trajectory and financial strength.