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SEGMENT INFORMATION
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
SEGMENT INFORMATION SEGMENT INFORMATION
Grainger's two reportable segments are the U.S. and Canada. These reportable segments reflect the results of the Company's high-touch businesses in those geographies. Other businesses include the endless assortment businesses, Zoro Tools, Inc. (Zoro) and MonotaRO Co., LTD (MonotaRO), and smaller international high-touch businesses. These businesses individually do not meet the criteria of a reportable segment. Operating segments generate revenue almost exclusively through the distribution of MRO supplies, as service revenues account for approximately 1% of total revenues for each operating segment.

Following is a summary of segment results (in millions of dollars):
 Three Months Ended September 30, 2020
 U.S.CanadaTotal Reportable SegmentsOther businessesTotal
Total net sales$2,347 $116 $2,463 $687 $3,150 
Intersegment net sales(131)— (131)(1)(132)
Net sales to external customers$2,216 $116 $2,332 $686 $3,018 
Segment operating earnings$354 $2 $356 $44 $400 
 Three Months Ended September 30, 2019
 U.S.CanadaTotal Reportable SegmentsOther businessesTotal
Total net sales$2,277 $129 $2,406 $673 $3,079 
Intersegment net sales(131)— (131)(1)(132)
Net sales to external customers$2,146 $129 $2,275 $672 $2,947 
Segment operating earnings$343 $— $343 $30 $373 

 Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
 U.S.CanadaTotal Reportable SegmentsOther businessesTotal
Total net sales$6,823 $352 $7,175 $2,065 $9,240 
Intersegment net sales(382)— (382)(2)(384)
Net sales to external customers$6,441 $352 6,793 $2,063 $8,856 
Segment operating earnings$1,012 $(4)$1,008 $(56)$952 
 Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019
 U.S.CanadaTotal Reportable SegmentsOther businessesTotal
Total net sales$6,648 $400 $7,048 $1,969 $9,017 
Intersegment net sales(376)— (376)(2)(378)
Net sales to external customers$6,272 $400 $6,672 $1,967 $8,639 
Segment operating earnings$1,088 $(4)$1,084 $87 $1,171 

Following are reconciliations of segment information with the consolidated totals per the Financial Statements (in millions of dollars):
 Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
2020201920202019
Operating earnings: 
Total operating earnings for reportable segments$356 $343 $1,008 $1,084 
Other businesses44 30 (56)87 
Unallocated expenses(20)(35)(208)(90)
Total consolidated operating earnings$380 $338 $744 $1,081 
As of
September 30, 2020December 31, 2019
Assets:
United States$3,044 $2,668 
Canada166 173 
Assets for reportable segments3,210 2,841 
Other current and noncurrent assets2,676 3,003 
Unallocated assets697 161 
Total consolidated assets$6,583 $6,005 
The Company is a broad line distributor of MRO products and services. Products are regularly added and removed from the Company's inventory. Accordingly, it would be impractical to provide sales information by product category due to the way the business is managed, and the dynamic nature of the inventory offered, including the evolving list of products stocked and additional products available online but not stocked.

Unallocated amounts include corporate-level support and administrative expenses, corporate-level assets consisting primarily of cash, property, buildings and equipment, intersegment eliminations and other adjustments. Unallocated expenses and assets are not included in any reportable segment.
Assets for reportable segments include net accounts receivable and first-in, first-out inventory, which are reported to the Company's Chief Operating Decision Maker.