The Industrial - Distribution industry today
How the Industrial - Distribution industry stands against its own history and against the 500 largest US companies. We do not say where it goes next.
Close of Friday 6 November 2026 · updated every trading day
19 US companies of $300 million or more · $269B in total
ValuationWe compare today's value with every month since 2006. The usual range holds the middle 40% of those months. The marks show the value 1 month, 1 year and 5 years ago.
Prices against profits, sales and dividends
Price to earnings (P/E)What this measures: the total market value of the companies divided by their total profit of the last 12 months. Companies that lose money count too.
How high are prices against profits?
Higher than usual
High · higher than in 8 of 10 months since 2006
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Last 10 yearsEach point is one month. The dot is today.
Price to sales (P/S)What this measures: the total market value of the companies divided by their total sales of the last 12 months.
How high are prices against sales?
Far higher than usual
High · higher than in 9 of 10 months since 2006
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Last 10 yearsEach point is one month. The dot is today.
Dividend yieldWhat this measures: the dividends of the last 12 months divided by the total market value, in percent. A low yield goes with high prices.
How much do the companies pay in dividends for their price?
Less than usual
Low · lower than in 8 of 10 months since 2006
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Last 10 yearsEach point is one month. The dot is today.
Returns
How did the industry do against the 500 largest US companies?
| Period | This industry | 500 largest | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +4.6% | −1.4% | 6.0 pts more |
| 1 year | +12.9% | +9.9% | 3.0 pts more |
| 5 years | +64.5% | +65.7% | 1.1 pts less |
Total returns with dividends, weighted by market value, to the close of October 2026. Past results do not show future results.
Largest companies
The three largest companies
- 01W.W. Grainger, Inc.GWW25.2% of the industry
- 02Fastenal CompanyFAST22.6% of the industry
- 03Ferguson plcFERG16.8% of the industry
Show all 10
- 04WESCO International, Inc.WCC5.3% of the industry
- 05Watsco, Inc.WSO4.7% of the industry
- 06QXO, Inc.QXO4.5% of the industry
- 07Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.AIT3.8% of the industry
- 08Core & Main, Inc.CNM3.2% of the industry
- 09Pool CorporationPOOL2.8% of the industry
- 10Xometry, Inc.XMTR2.4% of the industry
Map
Its companies among the 500 largest
The map shows the industry's companies among the 500 largest US companies: 3 of its 19 companies.
The typical companyThe median of the industry's US companies. We show a figure only when 5 or more companies have it.
The typical company in this industry
- Operating margin18 companies779.0%
- Sales growth over 1 year18 companies252.0%
- Return on invested capital14 companies1282.0%