What happened Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) continues to paint a pretty picture on the stock exchanges, with October turning out to be another big month as the paint and coatings stock soared 10.4%, extending its year-to-date to a jaw-dropping 47% as of Oct. 31. That, despite the company reporting a double-digit percentage drop in net income for the third quarter. What gives? So what Sherwin-Williams shares took off after the company reported its third-quarter numbers on Oct. 23. Investors were eagerly awaiting this quarterly report, as they wanted to see how Sherwin-Williams' just-concluded acquisition of Valspar would be reflected in its numbers. The company didn't disappoint: It reported record quarterly sales of $4.51 billion, up 37% year over year, the bulk of which came from Valspar. Sherwin-Williams' same-store sales in the U.S. and Canada, a figure which includes stores open at least 12 months and is an important gauge of organic growth, jumped 5.2% during the quarter. Image source: Getty Images. The market wisely chose to overlook the 18% year-over-year drop in Sherwin-Williams' net profit. The company would've posted much higher profits if not for the hurricanes that hit its operations and acquisition-related costs. It wasn't the only one to feel the pinch -- peer RPM International also warned investors last month that its ongoing quarter's sales could take a hit because of natural disasters, impacting its second-half numbers. Now what Sherwin-Williams now expects to end the year with lower profits than it previously guided for, which at the midpoint could mean a near-5% drop in earnings per share from 2016 levels. While that may sound worrisome, I think investors should give the company some time to integrate Valspar's operations. Meanwhile, Sherwin-Williams continues to grow its top line at a rapid pace, which should lay the foundation for stronger years ahead. The company is already projecting a significant jump in dividends, giving investors yet another reason to stay invested for the long haul. 10 stocks we like better than Sherwin-WilliamsWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Sherwin-Williams wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of November 6, 2017Neha Chamaria has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends RPM International and Sherwin-Williams. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.