CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 274,146	$ 290,136
Accounts receivable - net	1,223,096	1,209,641
Inventories – net	1,406,470	1,414,177
Prepaid expenses and other assets	81,766	85,670
Prepaid income taxes	34,751	49,018
Total current assets	3,020,229	3,048,642
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Land	355,976	323,765
Buildings, structures and improvements	1,313,233	1,352,498
Furniture, fixtures, machinery and equipment	1,742,293	1,694,050
Property, buildings and equipment – gross	3,411,502	3,370,313
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,990,611	1,939,072
Property, buildings and equipment – net	1,420,891	1,431,241
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	64,775	83,996
GOODWILL	527,150	582,336
INTANGIBLES – NET	586,126	648,010
OTHER ASSETS	75,136	63,530
TOTAL ASSETS	5,694,307	5,857,755
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	386,140	353,072
Current maturities of long-term debt	19,966	247,346
Trade accounts payable	650,092	583,474
Accrued compensation and benefits	212,525	196,667
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit-sharing plans	54,948	124,587
Accrued expenses	290,207	266,702
Income taxes payable	15,059	16,686
Total current liabilities	1,628,937	1,788,534
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	1,840,946	1,388,414
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	126,101	154,352
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES	192,555	173,741
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Cumulative Preferred Stock – $5 par value – 12,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or 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	1,030,256	1,000,476
Retained earnings	7,113,559	6,802,130
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(272,294)	(221,091)
Treasury stock, at cost – 50,854,905 and 47,630,511 shares, respectively	(6,128,416)	(5,369,711)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,797,935	2,266,634
Noncontrolling interest	107,833	86,080
Total shareholders' equity	1,905,768	2,352,714
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,694,307	$ 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.