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W.W. Grainger posted a strong first quarter, with sales up 10.1% and adjusted for currency and timing up 12.2%, while diluted EPS rose 18.2% to $11.65. Management said improved MRO demand, pricing, and execution drove the outperformance.
Both business segments grew: High-Touch Solutions saw sales rise 10.5% and margin improve, while Endless Assortment posted a 19.6% sales increase and a notable operating margin gain. Management pointed to broad-based demand across manufacturing, government and contractor customers.
Grainger raised full-year 2026 guidance, now expecting daily organic constant-currency sales growth of 9.5% to 12% and EPS of $44.25 to $46.25. The company also lifted its dividend by 10% and flagged tariffs, fuel costs and private label inventory expenses as ongoing margin pressures.
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W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) reported a stronger-than-expected start to fiscal 2026, with management citing improved MRO market demand, price realization and execution across both of its business segments.
Chairman and CEO D.G. Macpherson said the company delivered “a strong quarter of profitable growth” despite tariff uncertainty and geopolitical risks. He said the broader maintenance, repair and operations market gained momentum through the quarter and that the strength appeared to continue into April.
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Total company sales rose 10.1% in the first quarter, or 12.2% on a daily organic constant currency basis. Operating margin was 16.7%, and diluted earnings per share rose 18.2% year over year to $11.65. Operating cash flow totaled $739 million, while Grainger returned $345 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Macpherson also noted that Grainger recently announced a 10% increase to its quarterly dividend, marking its 55th consecutive year of dividend increases.
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Senior Vice President and CFO Dee Merriwether said the High-Touch Solutions segment generated reported sales growth of 10.5%, or 10% on a daily constant currency basis. She said the sales growth reflected “roughly equal contributions from price and volume.”
Within High-Touch, Merriwether said Grainger saw broad-based acceleration across end markets, with strong contributions from manufacturing, government and contractor customers. Segment gross margin was 42.6%, up 20 basis points from the prior year, while operating margin rose 60 basis points to 18.3%.
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The Endless Assortment segment posted reported sales growth of 19.6%, or 21.9% on a daily organic constant currency basis, adjusted for the closure of Zoro U.K. and currency effects. Merriwether said Zoro U.S. grew 18.7% on a daily basis, while MonotaRO grew 24.3% in local days and local constant currency.
At Zoro, she cited strong growth from core B2B customers and improving retention rates. At MonotaRO, she pointed to growth from enterprise customers as well as solid acquisition and repeat purchase rates among small and midsized businesses. MonotaRO also benefited from increased web traffic tied to a competitor cyber outage, though Merriwether said that tailwind waned as the quarter progressed.
Endless Assortment operating margin rose 190 basis points to 10.6%. MonotaRO’s margin was 12.9%, up 90 basis points, and Zoro’s margin improved 210 basis points to 7.3%.
Grainger executives spent part of the call addressing inflationary pressures, tariffs and supply chain risks. Merriwether said the company continues to manage toward price-cost neutrality over time. She said Grainger implemented further price increases in January tied to previously delayed tariff inflation and supplier cost increases, while May pricing actions were neutral overall.
Merriwether said the company expects only a modest impact from the recent Supreme Court ruling on IEEPA tariffs because the tariff rate differential with prevailing Section 122 duties is minimal. She said Grainger adjusted prices where it saw modest cost reductions on products it imports directly and is working with suppliers to assess additional cost reduction opportunities.
Fuel costs are also pressuring margins, Merriwether said, particularly because some large customers do not fully pay for partial shipping. She said the effect is currently modest but has been included in updated guidance.
Management also said it is monitoring raw material pressures related to the conflict in the Middle East. Merriwether said the impact is minimal in the U.S. business so far, but the Japanese market is seeing more strain because of the region’s reliance on energy inputs moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Macpherson later said MonotaRO saw some price pressure and limited buying ahead on products considered at risk, but that the impact had not been material.
Grainger raised its full-year 2026 outlook. The company now expects daily organic constant currency sales growth of 9.5% to 12%. Merriwether said the updated forecast reflects first-quarter strength, continued execution and improved MRO market demand.
The company now expects full-year EPS of $44.25 to $46.25, representing nearly 15% year-over-year growth at the midpoint. Merriwether said that midpoint is $1.75 higher than the prior guidance range. The company also increased its operating cash flow outlook.
For the second quarter, Merriwether said preliminary April sales were up more than 13% on a daily organic constant currency basis. Grainger expects second-quarter sales north of $4.9 billion, or approaching 12% growth on a daily organic constant currency basis. Reported growth will be 330 basis points lower after adjusting for the U.K. market exit and currency headwinds.
However, management expects operating margin to decline sequentially in the second quarter to the low 15% range. Merriwether said the decline reflects normal seasonality, higher fuel costs and increased costs tied to private label inventory that had been expected to affect the first quarter but is now flowing through in the second quarter.
During the question-and-answer session, analysts focused heavily on pricing, gross margin and whether the first-quarter performance could continue. Asked by Baird analyst David Manthey about price contribution, Merriwether said North America saw about five points of price.
Macpherson said the revenue upside in the quarter reflected three factors: improving end-market demand, better-than-expected price realization and strong share gains. He said market volume had been negative for several years but appeared to have turned slightly positive.
Asked about the full-year outlook, Macpherson said Grainger’s guidance assumes market volume growth of “0 to 1-ish” and price contribution that moderates from about five points in the first quarter to roughly four points for the year.
Merriwether said margins are now expected to follow more of a “U shape” during the year. She said first-quarter gross margin benefited from stronger price realization and delayed private label cost pressure, while the second quarter will reflect normal seasonal margin decline, about 20 basis points of private label inventory cost pressure and some fuel-related leakage.
Macpherson said Grainger has not seen customers in North America pull forward inventory purchases due to uncertainty, nor has it seen customers stop projects. He also said the company has not observed unusual competitor behavior or product availability issues in the U.S.
Macpherson closed the call by saying the company remains focused on performing through uncertainty while building for the future. “We feel like we’re a business that is very resilient and we’re in good shape,” he said.
W.W. Grainger, Inc (NYSE: GWW) is an industrial supply distributor founded in 1927 and headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois. The company supplies maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services to businesses, institutions and government customers. Over its long history Grainger has developed a broad product assortment and a national distribution network that supports operations across a range of end markets, including manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, transportation and public sector organizations.
Grainger's product portfolio spans core categories such as electrical and lighting, safety and personal protective equipment, material handling, motors and power transmission, plumbing and HVAC, fasteners and adhesives, hand and power tools, and janitorial and facility supplies.
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The article "W.W. Grainger Q1 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat.
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