CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 238,801	$ 274,146
Accounts receivable (less allowances for doubtful accounts of $28,208 and $26,690, respectively)	1,325,218	1,223,096
Inventories – net	1,388,091	1,406,470
Prepaid expenses and other assets	110,427	81,766
Prepaid income taxes	33,646	34,751
Total current assets	3,096,183	3,020,229
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT	3,396,242	3,411,502
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,985,930	1,990,611
Property, buildings and equipment – net	1,410,312	1,420,891
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	79,664	64,775
GOODWILL	533,012	527,150
INTANGIBLES - NET	587,418	586,126
OTHER ASSETS	75,960	75,136
TOTAL ASSETS	5,782,549	5,694,307
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	421,555	386,140
Current maturities of long-term debt	20,069	19,966
Trade accounts payable	672,471	650,092
Accrued compensation and benefits	145,037	212,525
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit sharing plans	23,181	54,948
Accrued expenses	317,243	290,207
Income taxes payable	88,874	15,059
Total current liabilities	1,688,430	1,628,937
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	1,847,717	1,840,946
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	133,984	126,101
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	195,895	192,555
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; 109,659,219 shares issued	54,830	54,830
Additional contributed capital	1,031,926	1,030,256
Retained earnings	7,216,018	7,113,559
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(249,933)	(272,294)
Treasury stock, at cost – 51,253,521 and 50,854,905 shares, respectively	(6,258,039)	(6,128,416)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,794,802	1,797,935
Noncontrolling interest	121,721	107,833
Total shareholders' equity	1,916,523	1,905,768
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,782,549	$ 5,694,307