CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 279,906	$ 290,136
Accounts receivable (less allowances for doubtful accounts of $23,874 and $22,288, respectively)	1,304,560	1,209,641
Inventories – net	1,420,897	1,414,177
Prepaid expenses and other assets	102,435	85,670
Prepaid income taxes	31,163	49,018
Total current assets	3,138,961	3,048,642
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT	3,407,770	3,370,313
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,965,579	1,939,072
Property, buildings and equipment – net	1,442,191	1,431,241
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	66,251	83,996
GOODWILL	595,487	582,336
INTANGIBLES - NET	458,230	463,294
OTHER ASSETS	263,719	248,246
TOTAL ASSETS	5,964,839	5,857,755
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	569,367	353,072
Current maturities of long-term debt	135,834	247,346
Trade accounts payable	620,410	583,474
Accrued compensation and benefits	208,024	196,667
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit sharing plans	22,058	124,587
Accrued expenses	274,458	266,702
Income taxes payable	50,289	16,686
Total current liabilities	1,880,440	1,788,534
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	1,387,124	1,388,414
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	158,238	154,352
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	174,837	173,741
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	1,007,933	1,000,476
Retained earnings	6,916,043	6,802,130
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(176,010)	(221,091)
Treasury stock, at cost – 48,337,040 and 47,630,511 shares, respectively	(5,535,497)	(5,369,711)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	2,267,299	2,266,634
Noncontrolling interest	96,901	86,080
Total shareholders' equity	2,364,200	2,352,714
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,964,839	$ 5,857,755

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.