CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 284,575	$ 274,146
Accounts receivable (less allowances for doubtful accounts of $31,583 and $26,690 respectively)	1,373,323	1,223,096
Inventories – net	1,391,993	1,406,470
Prepaid expenses and other assets	84,481	81,766
Prepaid income taxes	40,688	34,751
Total current assets	3,175,060	3,020,229
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT	3,441,802	3,411,502
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	2,045,896	1,990,611
Property, buildings and equipment – net	1,395,906	1,420,891
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	56,054	64,775
GOODWILL	543,248	527,150
INTANGIBLES - NET	582,274	586,126
OTHER ASSETS	72,518	75,136
TOTAL ASSETS	5,825,060	5,694,307
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	11,348	386,140
Current maturities of long-term debt	41,836	19,966
Trade accounts payable	713,453	650,092
Accrued compensation and benefits	192,513	212,525
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit sharing plans	65,988	54,948
Accrued expenses	333,311	290,207
Income taxes payable	34,074	15,059
Total current liabilities	1,392,523	1,628,937
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	2,270,001	1,840,946
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	135,149	126,101
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	126,302	192,555
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; 109,659,219 shares issued	54,830	54,830
Additional contributed capital	1,040,384	1,030,256
Retained earnings	7,327,140	7,113,559
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(134,029)	(272,294)
Treasury stock, at cost – 52,676,031 and 50,854,905 shares, respectively	(6,520,828)	(6,128,416)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,767,497	1,797,935
Noncontrolling interest	133,588	107,833
Total shareholders' equity	1,901,085	1,905,768
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,825,060	$ 5,694,307

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.