GWW vs MSM: Correlation
W. W. Grainger (GWW) and MSC Industrial Direct Company, Inc. (MSM) show a moderate relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.56.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are GWW and MSM?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of GWW and MSM correlate at 0.56, moderate. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.47 over 1 year against 0.56 over 3. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.60, with an annualized covariance of 328.8 %².
Within GWW's tracked universe of 29 assets, MSM comes in at #6 by 3-year correlation. The trailing year gives MSM the advantage: +31.0% versus +38.1%, a 7.1-point spread.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
GWW vs MSM: side by side
| GWW (W. W. Grainger) | MSM (MSC Industrial Direct Company, Inc.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +31.0% | +38.1% |
| 5-year return | +219.4% | +73.8% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 23.3% | 25.3% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -24.5% | -29.3% |
| Market cap | $62.2B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 34.0 | 29.6 |
| Dividend yield | 0.69% | 2.84% |
| Sector / category | Industrials | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | GWW | MSM |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +8.7% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | +50.5% | +28.5% |
| 2024 | +28.2% | -23.4% |
| 2025 | -3.4% | +17.4% |
| 2026 | +31.7% | +49.1% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are GWW and MSM good diversifiers for each other?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.56 means GWW and MSM share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
FAQ
What is the correlation between GWW and MSM?
The GWW/MSM correlation stands at 0.56 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.47, 5 years: 0.60), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is MSM a good diversifier for GWW?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.56 means GWW and MSM share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
What does a correlation of 0.56 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/gww-vs-msm.json
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The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: GWW correlations · MSM correlations
