Buyback yield (TTM)
1.94%
Shareholder yield (TTM)
2.83%
5Y share count change
-10.6%
Buyback spend (TTM)
$1B
Cumulative buybacks
$14B
Key takeaways
- W.W. Grainger (GWW) repurchased about $1B of stock over the trailing twelve months.
- Diluted share count is down 10.6% over the last ~5 fiscal years — buybacks are net-shrinking the share base.
- TTM buyback ÷ stock-based-comp ratio of 15.17× — repurchases more than cover SBC dilution.
- Cash buyback spend has compounded at +11.7% per year over the latest 5-year window.
- TTM repurchases used about 109% of free cash flow remaining after dividends.
Dividend & buyback yield over time for W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Stacked annual yields — buyback yield (TTM cash repurchases ÷ market cap) plus dividend yield from the same fiscal-year-end key-metrics period — show how total cash return per dollar of equity has evolved.
Diluted vs basic shares (annual) for W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Diluted weighted-average shares are the EPS denominator — a falling count means buybacks are outpacing SBC dilution.
Year-over-year change in diluted shares for W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Green is fewer shares vs the prior fiscal year (net repurchase); red is growth (dilution). The earliest year shown has no prior year to compare.
Cash buyback spend over time for W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Latest: $1.05B
Overview
In 2025, W.W. Grainger (GWW) buyback spend totalled $1.05B – declined 13.0% year-over-year.
W.W. Grainger buyback spend has grown on net over the period, with a +11.7% compound annual growth rate over 2020–2025 (5 years).
W.W. Grainger buyback spend declined from $1.4B in 2015 to $1.05B in 2025, a 25.4% drawdown.
The record annual buyback spend stands at $1.4B, reached in 2015; the historical low of $0.00 was recorded in 1994.
W.W. Grainger Buyback Spend 2025: $1.05B
W.W. Grainger buyback spend in 2025 was $1.05B, declined 13.0% below 2024.
W.W. Grainger Buyback Spend 2024: $1.2B
2024's buyback spend for W.W. Grainger came in at $1.2B, surged 41.3% from 2023.
W.W. Grainger Buyback Spend 2023: $850M
W.W. Grainger posted buyback spend of $850M in 2023, surged 41.0% from 2022.
W.W. Grainger Buyback Spend 2022: $603M
In 2022, W.W. Grainger reported buyback spend of $603M, declined 13.2% below 2021.
W.W. Grainger Buyback Spend 2021: $695M
W.W. Grainger buyback spend in 2021 was $695M.
See more financial history for W.W. Grainger (GWW).
Buyback, SBC & dilution history
Buyback spend, SBC, net dilution effect, and share count.
| 2025 | $1.05B | $64M | $981M | 2.18% | 48M | -2.0% | |
| 2024 | $1.2B | $62M | $1.14B | 2.34% | 49M | -2.2% | |
| 2023 | $850M | $62M | $788M | 2.07% | 50.1M | -2.0% | |
| 2022 | $603M | $48M | $555M | 2.15% | 51.1M | -2.1% | |
| 2021 | $695M | $42M | $653M | 2.61% | 52.2M | -2.8% | |
| 2020 | $601M | $46M | $555M | 2.76% | 53.7M | -2.2% | |
| 2019 | $700M | $40M | $660M | 3.84% | 54.9M | -2.9% | |
| 2018 | $425M | $47M | $378M | 2.69% | 56.5M | -2.5% | |
| 2017 | $605M | $32.7M | $572M | 4.52% | 58M | -4.7% | |
| 2016 | $790M | $35.7M | $754M | 5.75% | 60.8M | -7.5% | |
| 2015 | $1.4B | $46.9M | $1.35B | 11.13% | 65.8M | -5.0% | |
| 2014 | $525M | $49M | $476M | 3.03% | 69.2M | -1.9% | |
| 2013 | $438M | $55.6M | $383M | 2.48% | 70.6M | -0.9% | |
| 2012 | $341M | $55.5M | $285M | 2.42% | 71.2M | +0.0% | |
| 2011 | $151M | $54M | $97.1M | 1.15% | 71.2M | -1.3% | |
| 2010 | $505M | $47.2M | $458M | 5.28% | 72.1M | -3.7% | |
| 2009 | $373M | $40.4M | $332M | 5.30% | 74.9M | -4.9% | |
| 2008 | $394M | $45.9M | $348M | 6.73% | 78.8M | -7.4% | |
| 2007 | $647M | $35.6M | $612M | 9.49% | 85M | -6.1% | |
| 2006 | $473M | $33.8M | $439M | 8.05% | 90.5M | -1.2% | |
| 2005 | $137M | $0.00 | $137M | 2.16% | 91.6M | -0.1% | |
| 2004 | $101M | $0.00 | $101M | 1.68% | 91.7M | -0.8% | |
| 2003 | $41.2M | $0.00 | $41.2M | 0.96% | 92.4M | -2.0% | |
| 2002 | $99.9M | $0.00 | $99.9M | 2.14% | 94.3M | -0.4% | |
| 2001 | $74.6M | $0.00 | $74.6M | 1.68% | 94.7M | +0.5% | |
| 2000 | $947K | $0.00 | $947K | — | 94.2M | -0.1% | |
| 1999 | $15.3M | $0.00 | $15.3M | — | 94.3M | -3.6% | |
| 1998 | $194M | $0.00 | $194M | — | 97.8M | -4.2% | |
| 1997 | $347M | $0.00 | $347M | — | 102M | -1.0% | |
| 1996 | $32.1M | $0.00 | $32.1M | — | 103M | — | |
| 1995 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — | |
| 1994 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — | |
| 1993 | $105M | $0.00 | $105M | — | — | — | |
| 1992 | $38.6M | $0.00 | $38.6M | — | — | — | |
| 1991 | $54.8M | $0.00 | $54.8M | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | $37.9M | $0.00 | $37.9M | — | — | — | |
| 1989 | $3M | $0.00 | $3M | — | — | — |
- 2025$1.05B
- 2024$1.2B
- 2023$850M
- 2022$603M
- 2021$695M
- 2020$601M
- 2019$700M
- 2018$425M
- 2017$605M
- 2016$790M
- 2015$1.4B
- 2014$525M
- 2013$438M
- 2012$341M
- 2011$151M
- 2010$505M
- 2009$373M
- 2008$394M
- 2007$647M
- 2006$473M
- 2005$137M
- 2004$101M
- 2003$41.2M
- 2002$99.9M
- 2001$74.6M
- 2000$947K
- 1999$15.3M
- 1998$194M
- 1997$347M
- 1996$32.1M
- 1995$0.00
- 1994$0.00
- 1993$105M
- 1992$38.6M
- 1991$54.8M
- 1990$37.9M
- 1989$3M
Buybacks vs stock-based compensation for W.W. Grainger (GWW)
Annual cash repurchases set against stock-based compensation. Coverage above 1× means buybacks fully offset the equity dilution from SBC. TTM coverage: 15.17×.
Buybacks vs dividends (share of cash returned) for W.W. Grainger (GWW)
How W.W. Grainger splits cash returned to shareholders between dividends and buybacks.
Sector peers by buyback spend
Companies in the same sector as W.W. Grainger, ranked by their latest buyback spend.
| $7.55B | |
| $5.19B | |
| $2.68B | |
| $1.86B | |
| $1.14B | |
| $1.13B | |
| $50M | |
| $34M |
- $7.55B
- $5.19B
- $2.68B
- $1.86B
- $1.14B
- $1.13B
- $50M
- $34M
Buyback capacity (TTM)
Free cash flow minus dividends paid versus actual TTM repurchases — the headroom bar shows how much of post-dividend FCF is still being deployed elsewhere.
Headroom $919M (TTM FCF − TTM dividends, clamped at zero).
Frequently asked questions
Data & methodology
Explore more
Deep-dives across the income statement, cash flow, capital return, and valuation
- Buybacks1.94% TTM
- Dividend Profile0.68% yield
- Dividend Calculator
- Dividend Forecast
- Dividend Capture
- Stock Split History3 splits
How this company returns cash to shareholders — buybacks, dividends, and stock splits.