
The Sherwin-Williams Company
American paint and coatings company and the world's largest by revenue, owning Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, Dutch Boy, Krylon, Minwax, and other brands.
Company Type
public
Founded
1866
Headquarters
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Stock
NYSE: SHW
Revenue
$23.7B (FY2025)
Employees
~64,000
Primary Market
Global
About The Sherwin-Williams Company
Who owns Valspar paint?
Valspar is owned by Sherwin-Williams, which acquired Valspar Corporation in 2017 for approximately $11.3 billion. Valspar is sold through Lowe's stores in the United States under an exclusive retail partnership. The Valspar brand also includes industrial coatings businesses that serve packaging, coil, and wood coating markets globally.
Is Sherwin-Williams publicly traded?
Yes. Sherwin-Williams trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker SHW. The company is a component of the S&P 500 and has a market capitalization of approximately $60 billion as of mid-2026. No controlling shareholder exists, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors.
Who owns Dutch Boy paint?
Dutch Boy is owned by Sherwin-Williams. The brand dates to 1907 and is positioned in the value and mid-market segments of architectural paint. Dutch Boy products are sold through mass retail channels including hardware stores and home improvement centers.
Who owns Krylon spray paint?
Krylon is owned by Sherwin-Williams. Krylon is the leading spray paint brand in the United States and competes with RPM International's Rust-Oleum in the protective coatings and spray paint segment. Krylon products are sold through hardware stores, home improvement centers, and mass retailers.
What is Sherwin-Williams' revenue?
Sherwin-Williams reported consolidated net sales of $23.7 billion for FY2025, an increase from $23.1 billion in FY2024. Diluted net income per share was $11.13 for FY2025. The Paint Stores Group generated $15.3 billion in net sales, the Consumer Brands Group generated $5.8 billion, and the Global Performance Group generated $2.7 billion.
How many Sherwin-Williams stores are there?
Sherwin-Williams operates approximately 4,900 company-owned paint stores across the United States, Canada, and other markets. This network is the largest company-owned paint retail operation in the world and is the primary distribution channel for the Sherwin-Williams branded product line. The company continues to open new stores in high-growth markets.
History of The Sherwin-Williams Company
Sherwin-Williams was founded in 1866 in Cleveland, Ohio, by Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams. The company's initial innovation was the development of ready-mixed paint in the 1870s, replacing the industry practice of selling pigments and oils separately for consumers to mix themselves. This innovation made paint accessible to a broader consumer base and established Sherwin-Williams as a pioneer in the coatings industry.
The Sherwin-Williams "Cover the Earth" logo, featuring a paint can pouring over a globe, was introduced in 1905 and remains one of the most recognized brand icons in American manufacturing history. The logo has been used continuously for more than 120 years.
The company expanded nationally through the 20th century through acquisitions and organic growth, building manufacturing facilities and retail stores across the United States. Sherwin-Williams entered the industrial and automotive coatings segments through the acquisition of Lilly Industries and DuPont's automotive refinish business in the early 2000s.
The landmark Valspar acquisition in 2017 transformed Sherwin-Williams from a predominantly North American architectural paint company into a global coatings company. The combined entity became the world's largest paint company by revenue, surpassing PPG Industries. The Valspar deal also expanded Sherwin-Williams' international footprint, adding manufacturing facilities and distribution channels in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
In recent years, Sherwin-Williams has invested in new product development focused on low-VOC (volatile organic compound) formulations, water-based coatings, and sustainable packaging. The company has also expanded its digital capabilities, including online ordering, color visualization tools, and contractor management software.
For FY2025, Sherwin-Williams reported record net sales of $23.7 billion, up from $23.1 billion in FY2024. The company generated diluted net income per share of $11.13 and continued its long-standing practice of dividend increases. The company's financial performance reflects the stability of the architectural paint market, where maintenance and repainting demand provides consistent revenue regardless of new construction cycles.
The Sherwin-Williams Company Sustainability & Ethics
Sherwin-Williams publishes an annual sustainability report covering its environmental, social, and governance performance. The company has committed to reducing its environmental footprint through product innovation, operational efficiency, and responsible sourcing.
The company has set science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the Science Based Targets initiative. Sherwin-Williams has committed to reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and has invested in energy efficiency programs across its manufacturing facilities. The company also publishes data on water usage, waste reduction, and air emissions in its sustainability report.
In product development, Sherwin-Williams has focused on low-VOC and zero-VOC paint formulations, which reduce indoor air pollution and meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations in California and other states. The company's ProMar, SuperPaint, and Duration product lines include low-VOC options that meet GreenGuard Gold certification standards, an independently verified indoor air quality certification.
On packaging, Sherwin-Williams has committed to increasing the use of recycled and recyclable materials in its paint containers and packaging. The company has also invested in water-based coating technologies that reduce the use of solvent-based products, which have higher environmental and health impacts.
Sherwin-Williams' sustainability challenges include the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations, which involve chemical processing and generate volatile organic compound emissions. The company's historical involvement in lead-based paint, which was banned for residential use in the United States in 1978, remains a source of litigation and public health concern. The company, along with other former lead paint manufacturers, has faced lawsuits from state and local governments seeking cleanup costs for lead paint in older housing stock.
Awards & Recognition
Sherwin-Williams has received recognition for its brand strength, corporate responsibility, and workplace practices.
- Fortune 500 (2025): Sherwin-Williams is ranked among the Fortune 500, reflecting its position as one of the largest U.S. companies by revenue. The company has been a consistent Fortune 500 constituent for multiple years.
- Newsweek America's Most Responsible Companies (2025): Sherwin-Williams was recognized by Newsweek for its corporate responsibility practices, including environmental stewardship, employee safety, and community engagement.
- EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year: Sherwin-Williams has received recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its formulation of products with safer chemical ingredients, particularly in its low-VOC and water-based coating lines.
- Forbes America's Best Employers (2025): Sherwin-Williams received recognition from Forbes for employee satisfaction across its workforce of approximately 64,000 people.
- Dividend Aristocrat Status: Sherwin-Williams has increased its annual dividend for more than 45 consecutive years, placing it among companies with the longest dividend growth records in the S&P 500.
Controversy, Regulation & Public Scrutiny
Sherwin-Williams has faced legal and regulatory challenges related to historical lead-based paint formulations and environmental compliance.
Lead paint litigation is the most significant legacy legal issue for Sherwin-Williams. The company manufactured lead-based paint for residential use before the federal ban in 1978. Several states and municipalities have sued Sherwin-Williams and other former lead paint manufacturers to recover costs associated with lead paint remediation in older housing stock. In 2018, a California appeals court ordered Sherwin-Williams, ConAgra, and NL Industries to pay $400 million to 10 California cities and counties for lead paint hazards. The California Supreme Court later reduced the liability, and the case was settled in 2019 for approximately $305 million, with Sherwin-Williams responsible for a portion. Additional lead paint litigation in other jurisdictions remains pending.
Sherwin-Williams has also faced environmental regulatory actions related to its manufacturing operations. The company has been cited for VOC emissions, hazardous waste handling, and wastewater discharge violations at various facilities over the years. These violations have resulted in fines and corrective action requirements from federal and state environmental agencies.
The company's acquisition of Valspar in 2017 required regulatory approval from the Federal Trade Commission. To address antitrust concerns, Sherwin-Williams divested certain Valspar industrial wood coating assets to Axalta Coating Systems as a condition of the merger approval. The divestiture was completed in 2017.
In 2025, Sherwin-Williams continued to face scrutiny over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in some of its industrial coating products. The company has stated that it is working to phase out PFAS from its product formulations in response to increasing state-level bans on PFAS in consumer products. Several states, including California, Maine, and Minnesota, have enacted restrictions on PFAS in various product categories.
Brands Owned by The Sherwin-Williams Company
The Sherwin-Williams Company owns 0 brands in our database. Explore the ownership tree below — click categories to expand and see individual brands.
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Stock Information
The Sherwin-Williams Company Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +World's largest paint company by revenue with FY2025 net sales of $23.7 billion
- +Approximately 4,900 company-owned stores providing direct distribution and professional contractor service
- +Strong pricing power in premium architectural paint with durable professional contractor loyalty
- +Dividend growth record of more than 45 consecutive years, qualifying as a Dividend Aristocrat
- +Diversified across architectural, industrial, protective, and consumer specialty coatings
- +Valspar acquisition expanded international footprint and added Lowe's exclusive distribution
Considerations
- -Significant debt load from the $11.3 billion Valspar acquisition in 2017
- -Revenue and margin sensitivity to construction activity cycles and interest rate environment
- -Lead paint litigation exposure from historical product formulations
- -Competition from PPG Industries and AkzoNobel in industrial and international markets
- -Raw material costs including titanium dioxide, solvents, and resins subject to commodity price pressure
- -PFAS regulatory scrutiny on certain industrial coating products
Frequently Asked Questions About The Sherwin-Williams Company
Who owns Valspar paint?
Valspar is owned by Sherwin-Williams, which acquired Valspar Corporation in 2017 for approximately $11.3 billion. Valspar is sold through Lowe's stores in the United States under an exclusive retail partnership. The Valspar brand also includes industrial coatings businesses that serve packaging, coil, and wood coating markets globally.
Is Sherwin-Williams publicly traded?
Yes. Sherwin-Williams trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker SHW. The company is a component of the S&P 500 and has a market capitalization of approximately $60 billion as of mid-2026. No controlling shareholder exists, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors.
Who owns Dutch Boy paint?
Dutch Boy is owned by Sherwin-Williams. The brand dates to 1907 and is positioned in the value and mid-market segments of architectural paint. Dutch Boy products are sold through mass retail channels including hardware stores and home improvement centers.
Who owns Krylon spray paint?
Krylon is owned by Sherwin-Williams. Krylon is the leading spray paint brand in the United States and competes with RPM International's Rust-Oleum in the protective coatings and spray paint segment. Krylon products are sold through hardware stores, home improvement centers, and mass retailers.
What is Sherwin-Williams' revenue?
Sherwin-Williams reported consolidated net sales of $23.7 billion for FY2025, an increase from $23.1 billion in FY2024. Diluted net income per share was $11.13 for FY2025. The Paint Stores Group generated $15.3 billion in net sales, the Consumer Brands Group generated $5.8 billion, and the Global Performance Group generated $2.7 billion.
How many Sherwin-Williams stores are there?
Sherwin-Williams operates approximately 4,900 company-owned paint stores across the United States, Canada, and other markets. This network is the largest company-owned paint retail operation in the world and is the primary distribution channel for the Sherwin-Williams branded product line. The company continues to open new stores in high-growth markets.
Sources & Further Reading
- Sherwin-Williams Annual Report 2025
- Sherwin-Williams Investor Relations
- SEC EDGAR: Sherwin-Williams Filings (10-K)
- Sherwin-Williams Sustainability Report
- EPA Safer Choice Program
- Science Based Targets Initiative
- Fortune 500 Ranking
- Newsweek America's Most Responsible Companies
- IBISWorld: Paint and Coating Manufacturing US
- Who Owns the Paint Industry - /blog/who-owns-the-paint-industry






