WW Grainger cuts annual profit forecast on tariff troubles

Aug 1 (Reuters) - Industrial tools supplier WW Grainger GWW.N slashed its forecast for annual profit on Friday, after missing second-quarter profit estimates on the back of tariff-led headwinds, sending its shares down 11% in premarket trading.

U.S. President Donald Trump's wide-range tariffs have raised the cost of imported tools and industrial supplies, squeezing margins for maintenance and repair companies such as WW Grainger that rely on global sourcing.

"Performance (in the second quarter) was impacted by some tariff-related factors, which are also flowing into our updated outlook," CEO D.G. Macpherson said in a statement.

The company, which caters to industries such as home improvement retailers, construction businesses and aerospace manufacturers, expects 2025 earnings between $38.50 and $40.25 per share, compared with the prior view of $39 to $41.50.

Lake Forest, Illinois-based WW Grainger posted quarterly adjusted profit of $9.97 per share, missing analysts' average estimate of $10.06, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Its second-quarter revenue rose 5.6% to $4.55 billion from a year earlier, slightly above the estimate of $4.53 billion.