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SEGMENT INFORMATION
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
SEGMENT INFORMATION
    SEGMENT INFORMATION
 
The Company has two reportable segments: the United States and Canada. The United States operating segment reflects the results of the Company's U.S. business. The Canada operating segment reflects the results for Acklands – Grainger Inc. (Acklands-Grainger), the Company’s Canadian business. Other businesses include Zoro, the single channel business in the United States, and business units in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Other businesses do not meet the definition of a reportable segment. Operating segments generate revenue almost exclusively through the distribution of maintenance, repair and operating supplies, as service revenues account for less than 1% of total revenues for each operating segment. Following is a summary of segment results (in thousands of dollars):

 
Three Months Ended March 31, 2016
 
United States
 
Canada
 
Other Businesses
 
Total
Total net sales
$
1,966,267

 
$
178,771

 
$
445,333

 
$
2,590,371

Intersegment net sales
(82,499
)
 
(36
)
 
(1,298
)
 
(83,833
)
Net sales to external customers
$
1,883,768

 
$
178,735

 
$
444,035

 
$
2,506,538

Segment operating earnings
$
331,857

 
$
(12,347
)
 
$
21,783

 
$
341,293

  
 
Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
 
United States
 
Canada
 
Other Businesses
 
Total
Total net sales
$
1,971,455

 
$
234,530

 
$
297,800

 
$
2,503,785

Intersegment net sales
(63,191
)
 
(36
)
 
(897
)
 
(64,124
)
Net sales to external customers
$
1,908,264

 
$
234,494

 
$
296,903

 
$
2,439,661

Segment operating earnings
$
366,089

 
$
9,387

 
$
9,526

 
$
385,002


  

 
United States
 
Canada
 
Other Businesses
 
Total
Segment assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
March 31, 2016
$
2,244,942

 
$
335,980

 
$
535,566

 
$
3,116,488

December 31, 2015
$
2,191,045

 
$
317,504

 
$
507,116

 
$
3,015,665




Following are reconciliations of segment information with the consolidated totals per the financial statements (in thousands of dollars):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2016
 
2015
Operating earnings:
 
Total operating earnings for operating segments
$
341,293

 
$
385,002

Unallocated expenses and eliminations
(24,201
)
 
(33,755
)
Total consolidated operating earnings
$
317,092

 
$
351,247


 
 
Mar 31, 2016
 
Dec 31, 2015
Assets:
 
Total assets for operating segments
$
3,116,488

 
$
3,015,665

Other current and non-current assets
2,718,224

 
2,624,966

Unallocated assets
130,127

 
217,124

Total consolidated assets
$
5,964,839

 
$
5,857,755



Assets for operating segments include net accounts receivable and first-in, first-out inventory which are reported to the Company's Chief Operating Decision Maker. Other current and non-current assets include all other asset balances for the operating segments.

Unallocated expenses and unallocated assets primarily relate to the Company headquarter's support services, which are not part of any business segment, as well as intercompany eliminations. Unallocated expenses include payroll and benefits, depreciation and other costs associated with headquarters-related support services. Unallocated assets include non-operating cash and cash equivalents, certain prepaid expenses and property, buildings and equipment-net.

Intersegment net sales for the U.S. segment increased by $19 million for the three months of 2016 compared to the prior year, driven by increased sales from the U.S. business to Zoro. The U.S. business' supply chain network is Zoro's primary source of inventory.