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SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) [Abstract] |
SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) | SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) A summary of selected quarterly information for 2016 and 2015 is as follows (in thousands of dollars, except for per share amounts):
|  | 2016 Quarter Ended
|  | March 31 |  | June 30 |  | September 30 |  | December 31 |  | Total
Net sales |  | $ | 2,506,538 |  |  | $ | 2,563,668 |  |  | $ | 2,596,288 |  |  | $ | 2,470,710 |  |  | $ | 10,137,204 |
Cost of merchandise sold |  | 1,461,485 |  |  | 1,523,609 |  |  | 1,556,536 |  |  | 1,481,017 |  |  | 6,022,647 |
Gross profit |  | 1,045,053 |  |  | 1,040,059 |  |  | 1,039,752 |  |  | 989,693 |  |  | 4,114,557 |
Warehousing, marketing and administrative expenses |  | 727,961 |  |  | 734,470 |  |  | 717,165 |  |  | 815,464 |  |  | 2,995,060 |
Operating earnings |  | 317,092 |  |  | 305,589 |  |  | 322,587 |  |  | 174,229 |  |  | 1,119,497 |
Net earnings attributable to W.W. Grainger, Inc. |  | 186,713 |  |  | 172,676 |  |  | 185,873 |  |  | 60,666 |  |  | 605,928 |
Earnings per share - basic |  | 3.00 |  |  | 2.81 |  |  | 3.07 |  |  | 1.02 |  |  | 9.94 |
Earnings per share - diluted |  | $ | 2.98 |  |  | $ | 2.79 |  |  | $ | 3.05 |  |  | $ | 1.01 |  |  | $ | 9.87 |
|  | 2015 Quarter Ended
|  | March 31 |  | June 30 |  | September 30 |  | December 31 |  | Total
Net sales |  | $ | 2,439,661 |  |  | $ | 2,522,565 |  |  | $ | 2,532,900 |  |  | $ | 2,478,258 |  |  | $ | 9,973,384 |
Cost of merchandise sold |  | 1,345,918 |  |  | 1,449,133 |  |  | 1,471,021 |  |  | 1,475,884 |  |  | 5,741,956 |
Gross profit |  | 1,093,743 |  |  | 1,073,432 |  |  | 1,061,879 |  |  | 1,002,374 |  |  | 4,231,428 |
Warehousing, marketing and administrative expenses |  | 742,496 |  |  | 716,715 |  |  | 721,150 |  |  | 750,747 |  |  | 2,931,108 |
Operating earnings |  | 351,247 |  |  | 356,717 |  |  | 340,729 |  |  | 251,627 |  |  | 1,300,320 |
Net earnings attributable to W.W. Grainger, Inc. |  | 211,015 |  |  | 220,548 |  |  | 192,201 |  |  | 145,232 |  |  | 768,996 |
Earnings per share - basic |  | 3.11 |  |  | 3.28 |  |  | 2.94 |  |  | 2.32 |  |  | 11.69 |
Earnings per share - diluted |  | $ | 3.07 |  |  | $ | 3.25 |  |  | $ | 2.92 |  |  | $ | 2.30 |  |  | $ | 11.58 |

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- Definition SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) [Abstract] + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure for quarterly financial data. Includes, but is not limited to, tabular presentation of financial information for fiscal quarters, effect of year-end adjustments, and an explanation of matters or transactions that affect comparability of the information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68076893&loc=d3e1570-108306 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064558&loc=d3e765-108305 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064558&loc=d3e725-108305 + Details
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