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W.W. Grainger earnings quality score

How much of the reported profit is backed by cash, and how many markers of managed earnings the filings show

Score69 / 100 · grade B · rank 361 of 1027

W.W. Grainger (GWW) scores 69 of 100 for earnings quality, grade B: rank 361 of 1027 companies and 75 of 287 in industrials. It loses the most points on accruals of -3.5% of assets, higher than 58% of companies (profit backed by cash), discretionary accruals of -4.9% of assets (modified Jones), larger than most, Montier C-score 2 of 6 checks failed. It earns full or near-full marks for profit steadier than cash flow (smoothness 0.61), adjusted earnings 1% below GAAP, Beneish M-score -2.54: clean (below −2.22).

What earned and lost points

ComponentWhat the filings showPointsOf
Accrualsaccruals of -3.5% of assets, higher than 58% of companies (profit backed by cash)820
Beneish M-scoreBeneish M-score -2.54: clean (below −2.22)1515
Dechow F-scoreDechow F-score 1.26 (above normal)1215
Montier C-scoreMontier C-score 2 of 6 checks failed1015
Discretionary accrualsdiscretionary accruals of -4.9% of assets (modified Jones), larger than most310
Piotroski F-scorePiotroski F-score 6 of 9710
Non-GAAP gapadjusted earnings 1% below GAAP1010
Earnings smoothnessprofit steadier than cash flow (smoothness 0.61)45
GWW: share of the available points, by componentGWW: share of the available points, by componentAccruals42%Discretionary accruals33%Beneish M-score100%Dechow F-score82%Montier C-score67%Piotroski F-score67%Non-GAAP gap96%Earnings smoothness82%

How the score is built

Eight published measures, each scored against the whole universe or on its own scale and weighted: accruals 20, discretionary accruals 10, Beneish M 15, Dechow F 15, Montier C 15, Piotroski F 10, the non-GAAP gap 10, smoothness 5. A measure that cannot be computed (Beneish for a bank, say) drops out and the rest is rescaled, so every company is scored on what applies to it.

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Computed from the companies’ own XBRL filings (latest fiscal year) by published formulas; a statistical screen, not an audit or an accusation. A low score means the reported profit shows more of the markers of managed or low-quality earnings than its peers. Not investment advice.