CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 302,015	$ 326,876
Accounts receivable (less allowances for doubtful accounts of $30,148 and $29,267, respectively)	1,428,233	1,325,186
Inventories – net	1,434,609	1,429,199
Prepaid expenses and other assets	116,318	86,667
Prepaid income taxes	25,987	38,061
Total current assets	3,307,162	3,205,989
PROPERTY, BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT	3,439,914	3,444,660
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	2,069,843	2,052,693
Property, buildings and equipment – net	1,370,071	1,391,967
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	33,300	22,362
GOODWILL	549,418	543,903
INTANGIBLES - NET	570,134	569,115
OTHER ASSETS	72,726	70,918
TOTAL ASSETS	5,902,811	5,804,254
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	137,643	55,603
Current maturities of long-term debt	30,279	38,709
Trade accounts payable	748,372	731,582
Accrued compensation and benefits	181,055	254,560
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit sharing plans	29,890	92,682
Accrued expenses	324,319	313,766
Income taxes payable	52,774	19,759
Total current liabilities	1,504,332	1,506,661
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	2,244,406	2,248,036
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	121,767	111,710
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	106,400	110,114
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	1,065,326	1,040,493
Retained earnings	7,564,319	7,405,192
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(122,353)	(134,674)
Treasury stock, at cost – 53,642,019 and 53,330,356 shares, respectively	(6,791,524)	(6,675,709)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,770,598	1,690,132
Noncontrolling interest	155,308	137,601
Total shareholders' equity	1,925,906	1,827,733
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,902,811	$ 5,804,254

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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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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.