CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 819,786	$ 226,644
Accounts receivable (less allowances for doubtful accounts of $20,600 and $22,121, respectively)	1,197,856	1,172,924
Inventories - net	1,302,977	1,356,396
Prepaid expenses and other assets	95,008	102,669
Deferred income taxes	60,295	61,387
Prepaid income taxes	47,824	47,529
Total current assets	3,523,746	2,967,549
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT	3,150,247	3,115,130
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,825,696	1,790,784
Property, buildings and equipment - net	1,324,551	1,324,346
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	17,360	16,718
GOODWILL	486,612	506,905
OTHER ASSETS AND INTANGIBLES - NET	474,640	467,531
TOTAL ASSETS	5,826,909	5,283,049
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	30,495	56,896
Current maturities of long-term debt	26,275	23,404
Trade accounts payable	498,416	554,088
Accrued compensation and benefits	155,048	191,696
Accrued contributions to employees' profit sharing plans	70,130	178,076
Accrued expenses	255,910	245,300
Income taxes payable	10,828	12,256
Total current liabilities	1,047,102	1,261,716
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	1,348,642	403,333
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	95,464	95,455
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	236,263	238,444
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Cumulative Preferred Stock - $5 par value - 12,000,000 shares authorized; none issued nor outstanding	0	0
Common Stock - $0.50 par value - 300,000,000 shares authorized; issued 109,659,219 shares	54,830	54,830
Additional contributed capital	975,147	948,340
Retained earnings	6,615,081	6,335,990
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(162,721)	(96,673)
Treasury stock, at cost - 43,684,082 and 42,227,178 shares, respectively	(4,461,822)	(4,032,615)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders' equity	3,020,515	3,209,872
Noncontrolling Interest	78,923	74,229
Total shareholders' equity	3,099,438	3,284,101
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,826,909	$ 5,283,049