<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000042888-12-000020.txt : 20120201
<SEC-HEADER>0000042888-12-000020.hdr.sgml : 20120201
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120201171739
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000042888-12-000020
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20120201
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120201
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20120201

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GRANER JAMES A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001190797

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09249
		FILM NUMBER:		12563395

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P.O. BOX 1441
		CITY:			MINNEAPOLIS
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55440-1441

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GRACO INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000042888
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PUMPS & PUMPING EQUIPMENT [3561]
		IRS NUMBER:				410285640
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1230

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		88 11TH AVENUE NE
		CITY:			MINNEAPOLIS
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55413-1894
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6126236000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O CORPORATION SERVICE COMPANY
		STREET 2:		380 JACKSON STREET, SUITE 700
		CITY:			ST. PAUL
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55101
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-02-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000042888</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GRACO INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GGG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001190797</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRANER JAMES A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>88 11TH AVENUE NE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MINNEAPOLIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55413</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-02-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.39</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>78662</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-02-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>46.527</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>67412</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3251.3585</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by ESOP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>18.39</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-02-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-02-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Sale pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan effective August 8, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The shares were sold at prices ranging from $46.38 to $46.69, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide Graco Inc., any security holder of Graco Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, with full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in the footnote.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Employee stock option granted pursuant to the Graco Inc. Stock Incentive Plan in transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3.  The stock option becomes exercisable in four equal annual installments, commencing one year after the date of the grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Carrie Daniel Russell, Attorney-in-Fact  For: James A. Graner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-02-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poa2012.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EDGAR SUPPORTING DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Karen Park Gallivan,
Timothy A. Stoffel, Janel W. French and Carrie Daniel
Russell signing singly, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorney-in-fact to:

(1) Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in
the undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director
of Graco Inc. (the "Company"), any Form 144 in accordance
with Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Forms 3,
4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules thereunder;

(2) Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of
the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to
complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, 5 or 144 and
timely file such form with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar
authority; and

(3) Take any other action of any type whatsoever
in connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion
of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the
best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned,
it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant
to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every
act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper
to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact,
or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,
are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Rule 144 of the
Securities Act of 1933.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3,
4, 5 and 144 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power
of Attorney to be executed as of this 5th day of January, 2012.


/s/ James A. Graner
James A. Graner

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
