CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 326,876	$ 274,146
Accounts receivable - net	1,325,186	1,223,096
Inventories – net	1,429,199	1,406,470
Prepaid expenses and other assets	86,667	81,766
Prepaid income taxes	38,061	34,751
Total current assets	3,205,989	3,020,229
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT	3,444,660	3,411,502
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	2,052,693	1,990,611
Property, buildings and equipment – net	1,391,967	1,420,891
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	22,362	64,775
GOODWILL	543,903	527,150
INTANGIBLES – NET	569,115	586,126
OTHER ASSETS	70,918	75,136
TOTAL ASSETS	5,804,254	5,694,307
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	55,603	386,140
Current maturities of long-term debt	38,709	19,966
Trade accounts payable	731,582	650,092
Accrued compensation and benefits	254,560	212,525
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit-sharing plans	92,682	54,948
Accrued expenses	313,766	290,207
Income taxes payable	19,759	15,059
Total current liabilities	1,506,661	1,628,937
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	2,248,036	1,840,946
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	111,710	126,101
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES	110,114	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; issued 109,659,219 shares	54,830	54,830
Additional contributed capital	1,040,493	1,030,256
Retained earnings	7,405,192	7,113,559
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(134,674)	(272,294)
Treasury stock, at cost – 53,330,356 and 50,854,905 shares, respectively	(6,675,709)	(6,128,416)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,690,132	1,797,935
Noncontrolling interest	137,601	107,833
Total shareholders' equity	1,827,733	1,905,768
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,804,254	$ 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.