CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 312,461	$ 326,876
Accounts receivable (less allowances for doubtful accounts of $26,560 and $29,267, respectively)	1,462,603	1,325,186
Inventories, net	1,464,181	1,429,199
Prepaid expenses and other assets	106,672	86,667
Prepaid income taxes	27,085	38,061
Total current assets	3,373,002	3,205,989
PROPERTY, BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT, NET	1,359,908	1,391,967
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	27,619	22,362
GOODWILL	535,121	543,903
INTANGIBLES, NET	533,641	569,115
OTHER ASSETS	75,281	70,918
TOTAL ASSETS	5,904,572	5,804,254
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Short-term debt	54,222	55,603
Current maturities of long-term debt	30,172	38,709
Trade accounts payable	735,266	731,582
Accrued compensation and benefits	234,791	254,560
Accrued contributions to employees’ profit sharing plans	59,375	92,682
Accrued expenses	272,238	313,766
Income taxes payable	38,431	19,759
Total current liabilities	1,424,495	1,506,661
LONG-TERM DEBT (less current maturities)	2,210,358	2,248,036
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES AND TAX UNCERTAINTIES	117,209	111,710
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED AND OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	102,241	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	1,079,045	1,040,493
Retained earnings	7,724,635	7,405,192
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(167,109)	(134,674)
Treasury stock, at cost – 53,525,404 and 53,330,356 shares, respectively	(6,797,280)	(6,675,709)
Total W.W. Grainger, Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,894,121	1,690,132
Noncontrolling interest	156,148	137,601
Total shareholders' equity	2,050,269	1,827,733
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 5,904,572	$ 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.

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsPayableTradeCurrentAndNoncurrent
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.