W.W. Grainger, Inc.

(New York Stock Exchange)
Somewhat Bearish -35

W.W. GRAINGER, INC. ($GWW) COB & CEO 2025 Pay Revealed - Quiver Quantitative

πŸ“Š CEO Donald G. Macpherson's 2025 compensation rose 6.27% to an estimated $11.6 million based on the latest SEC filing.

πŸ“‰ Insider trading data shows a complete lack of buying activity, with all 36 insider transactions in six months being sales totaling over $26 million.

🏦 Institutional holdings are split between aggressive buyers like Wellington Management (+1462%) and heavy sellers like UBS (-74.9%).

πŸ“ Barclays issued a single 'Underweight' rating on November 7, 2025, while no firms have issued buy ratings in the recent period.

πŸ’° Analyst price targets vary widely from $975 to $1,300, with a median target of $1,050 set by seven analysts.

πŸ“… The compensation data reflects figures for fiscal year 2025 as disclosed in the March 10, 2026 DEF14A filing.

Bullish Signals
  • CEO Donald G. Macpherson's compensation increased by 6.27% to $11.6 million in 2025, potentially signaling confidence in company performance or alignment with industry standards.
  • Significant capital inflows from major institutions like Wellington Management (+$1.01B) and BlackRock (+$431M) indicate continued institutional interest despite mixed sentiment.
  • Price targets from top-tier analysts remain robust, with Morgan Stanley setting a target of $1,190 and Oppenheimer at $1,300, suggesting potential upside for long-term holders.
Risk Factors
  • All 36 insider transactions over the past six months were sales, indicating executives are liquidating positions rather than accumulating shares.
  • UBS Asset Management removed nearly $1.85 billion from its portfolio in Q4 2025, a reduction of 74.9% that represents a massive de-risking move.
  • Bar Barclays issued an 'Underweight' rating on November 7, 2025, and there are currently zero buy ratings from Wall Street analysts.
  • The median analyst price target of $1,050 is significantly lower than the highest targets, reflecting a divided and cautious outlook among experts.
Full Analysis
W.W. Grainger Inc. (GWW) CEO Donald G. Macpherson received an estimated total compensation of $11.6 million in 2025, representing a 6.27% increase from the previous year's $10.9 million. This data was derived from a DEF14A filing submitted to the SEC on March 10, 2026, highlighting executive pay trends for the industrial supply company. Insider trading activity over the last six months has been exclusively negative, with all 36 recorded transactions by executives being sales rather than purchases. CEO Macpherson sold 26,686 shares worth approximately $25.9 million, while CTO Jonny M. Leroy and General Counsel Nancy L. Berardinelli also executed sales totaling nearly $700,000 combined. Institutional investor sentiment remains mixed with significant divergence in portfolio adjustments during Q4 2025. While major firms like BlackRock and Price T Rowe increased their stakes by over 10% and 60% respectively, UBS Asset Management drastically reduced its position by nearly 75%, removing roughly $1.85 billion from its holdings. Wall Street analyst sentiment is currently bearish, with only one sell rating issued by Barclays in November 2025 and zero buy ratings recorded recently. Despite the negative outlook, price targets remain elevated relative to historical lows, ranging from a low of $975 by Connor Cerniglia at Bernstein to a high of $1,300 by Christopher Glynn at Oppenheimer.