Item 1. Business

The Company

W.W. Grainger, Inc., incorporated in the State of Illinois in 1928, is a broad line, business-to-business distributor of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies and other related products and services. W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s operations are primarily in the United States (U.S.) and Canada, with a presence in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In this report, the words “Grainger” or “Company” mean W.W. Grainger, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Grainger uses a combination of multichannel and single channel online business models to provide customers, primarily businesses, with a range of options for finding and purchasing MRO products, utilizing sales representatives, contact centers, catalogs, inventory management solutions and eCommerce technology. Grainger serves more than 3 million customers worldwide through a network of highly integrated distribution centers, websites, branches and inventory management solutions.

Products are regularly added to and removed from Grainger's product lines on the basis of customer demand, market research, suppliers' recommendations, sales volumes and other factors.

Grainger's centralized business support functions provide coordination and guidance in the areas of supply chain, product management, accounting and finance, strategy, communications and investor relations, human resources, compensation and benefits, information systems, health and safety, procurement, risk management, internal audit, legal, real estate, security, tax and treasury. These services are provided in varying degrees to all business units.

Grainger’s two reportable segments are the U.S. and Canada, and they are described further below. Other businesses include the single channel online businesses Zoro Tools, Inc. (Zoro) in the U.S. and MonotaRO Co., Ltd. (MonotaRO) in Japan and operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America. These businesses generate revenue through the distribution of MRO supplies and products and related services. For segment and geographical information and consolidated net sales and operating earnings, see “Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

United States

The U.S. business offers a broad selection of MRO supplies and other related products and services through sales representatives, catalogs, eCommerce and local branches. A combination of product breadth, local availability, speed of delivery, detailed product information and competitively priced products and services is provided by this business. Products offered include material handling equipment, safety and security supplies, lighting and electrical products, power and hand tools, pumps and plumbing supplies, cleaning and maintenance supplies and metalworking tools. Services offered primarily relate to inventory management solutions.

The majority of products sold by the U.S. business are nationally branded products. In addition, 22% of 2017 sales were private label MRO items bearing Grainger’s registered trademarks, including DAYTON®, SPEEDAIRE®, AIR HANDLER®, TOUGH GUY®, WESTWARD®, CONDOR® and LUMAPRO®. Grainger has taken steps to protect these trademarks against infringement and believes that they will remain available for future use in its business. The U.S. business purchases products for sale from more than 2,600 suppliers, most of which are manufacturers. Through a global sourcing operation, the business procures competitively priced, high-quality products produced outside the U.S. from approximately 400 suppliers. No single supplier comprised more than 5% of total purchases and no significant barriers thus far exist with respect to sources of supply.

The U.S. business operates and fulfills orders in all 50 states and exports to a select number of countries through a network of distribution centers (DCs), branches and contact centers. Customers range from small and mid-sized businesses to large corporations, government entities and other institutions. They are primarily represented by purchasing managers or employees in facilities maintenance departments and service shops across a wide range of industries such as manufacturing, hospitality, transportation, government, retail, healthcare and natural resources. Sales in 2017 were made to approximately 1 million customers averaging 113,000 daily transactions. No single customer accounted for more than 4% of total sales.

Macro trends are changing the way Grainger's customers behave. Customers want highly tailored solutions with real-time access to information and just-in-time delivery of products and services. Demands for transparency are also increasing as access to information expands. These changes in behaviors are reflected in how customers do business with the U.S. business as demonstrated in the following chart:

*CAGR is defined as compound annual growth rate.

Customers continue to migrate to web platforms and electronic purchasing platforms such as EDI, eProcurement and KeepStock®, the electronic inventory management offering. Through Grainger.com and other branded websites, which serve as prominent channels in the U.S. business, customers have access to approximately 2.4 million products. Grainger.com provides real-time price and product availability and detailed product information and offers features such as product search and compare capabilities. For customers with sophisticated electronic purchasing platforms, the U.S. business utilizes technology that allows these systems to communicate directly with Grainger.com.

Inventory management services is another area where the U.S. business helps customers be more productive. KeepStock® inventory solutions is a comprehensive program that includes vendor-managed inventory, customer-managed inventory and onsite vending machines. The U.S. business KeepStock® program currently provides services to nearly 20,000 customers and, in 2017, facilitated approximately 9,000 installations. As of December 31, 2017, there were approximately 65,000 total installations.

As of December 31, 2017, the U.S. business had 284 branches (251 stand alone, 31 onsite and 2 will-call express locations), 16 DCs, 3 national contact centers and 37 regional contact centers, which are located within branches. DCs in the U.S. business range in size from approximately 45,000 square feet to 1.3 million square feet, the largest of which can accommodate more than 500,000 in-stock products. Automated equipment and processes allow DCs to handle the majority of the customer shipping for next-day product availability and replenish branches that provide

same-day availability. The DC network fulfills a large portion of customer orders, especially as customers migrate to website and electronic purchasing.

Branches in the U.S. business serve the immediate needs of customers in their local markets by allowing them to directly pick up items. In addition, branches support local KeepStock® operations. The branch network has approximately 1,700 employees who primarily fulfill counter and will-call product purchases and provide customer service. Branch network sales volume has continued to grow throughout 2017.

Grainger's contact center network in the U.S. business consists of approximately 1,900 employees who handle about 70,000 customer interactions per day including approximately 20,000 orders via phone, e-mail and fax. To enable improved customer service, team member engagement and efficiencies, the 37 regional contact centers are currently being consolidated to 3 national contact centers with expanded work-from-home arrangements.

The U.S. business has a sales force of approximately 3,500 professionals who help customers select the right products to find immediate solutions to their needs and reduce costs by utilizing Grainger as a consistent source of supply. In 2017, the U.S. business continued to focus its outside sales force on facilitating growth with large customers who typically have more complex purchasing requirements than small and mid-sized customers. The U.S. business primarily utilizes a network of inside sellers and digital channels to meet the needs of small and mid-sized customers.

The Grainger catalog, most recently issued in February 2018, offers approximately 365,000 MRO products and is used by customers to assist in product selection. The 2018 catalog includes almost 24,000 new items and approximately 1 million copies of the catalog were produced.

Grainger estimates the U.S. market for MRO products to be approximately $127 billion in 2017, of which the U.S. business share is approximately 6%.

Canada

Acklands – Grainger Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Canada business) is Canada’s leading broad line MRO distributor. This business provides a combination of product breadth, local availability, speed of delivery, detailed product information and competitively priced products and services.

The Canada business serves customers through branches, sales and service representatives and DCs across Canada. As of December 31, 2017, the Canada business had 91 branches and 6 DCs. Approximately 13,000 sales transactions are completed daily. Customers have access to more than 131,000 stocked products through a comprehensive catalog. In addition, customers can purchase products through various fully bilingual websites. Grainger estimates the 2017 Canada market for MRO products was approximately $11 billion, of which the Canada business share is approximately 7%.

Other businesses

Other businesses include Zoro in the U.S., MonotaRO in Japan and operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The businesses in this group with revenues of more than $100 million in 2017 are described below.

Zoro

Zoro is an online MRO distributor primarily serving U.S. customers through its website, Zoro.com. Zoro offers a broad selection of more than 1 million products. Zoro has no branches or sales force, and customer orders are primarily fulfilled through the U.S. business supply chain.

MonotaRO

Grainger operates in Japan and other Asian countries primarily through its majority interest in MonotaRO. MonotaRO provides customers with MRO products primarily through its catalogs and websites. A majority of orders are conducted through Monotaro.com, through which customers have access to approximately 13 million products. MonotaRO fulfills the majority of orders from three DCs. Grainger estimates the Japanese market for MRO products was approximately $42 billion in 2017, of which MonotaRO’s share is approximately 2%.

Cromwell

Cromwell is a broad line MRO distributor in the United Kingdom (U.K.) serving approximately 130,000 customers. Headquartered in Leicester, England, as of December 31, 2017, Cromwell had 45 U.K. branches, 10 international branches in 10 countries and one DC. Customers have access to approximately 170,000 MRO products through a catalog and through Cromwell.co.uk. Grainger estimates the U.K. market for MRO products was approximately $15 billion in 2017, of which Cromwell's share is approximately 2%. In November 2017, Cromwell launched a new brand and website Zoro.co.uk and its customer orders are primarily fulfilled through the Cromwell business supply chain.

Fabory

Fabory is a European specialty distributor of fasteners and MRO products. Fabory is headquartered in Tilburg, the Netherlands. As of December 31, 2017, Fabory had 44 branches in 13 countries and two DCs. Customers have access to more than 250,000 products through a catalog and Fabory.com. Grainger estimates the European market (in which Fabory has its primary operations) for MRO products, including fasteners, was approximately $37 billion in 2017, of which Fabory’s share is approximately 1%.

Grainger Mexico

Grainger’s operations in Mexico provide local businesses with MRO supplies and other related products primarily from Mexico and the U.S. As of December 31, 2017, the business in Mexico distributes products through a network of 19 branches and two DCs. Customers have access to approximately 330,000 products through a Spanish-language catalog and through Grainger.com.mx. Grainger estimates the Mexican market for MRO products was approximately $10 billion in 2017, of which Grainger Mexico’s share is approximately 1%.

Seasonality

Grainger’s business in general is not seasonal, however, there are some products that typically sell more often during the winter or summer seasons. In any given month, unusual weather patterns, that is, unusually hot or cold weather, could positively or negatively impact the sales volumes of these products.

Competition

Grainger faces competition in each market from manufacturers (including some of its own suppliers) that sell directly to certain segments of the market, to wholesale distributors, catalog houses, retail enterprises and Internet-based businesses. Grainger differentiates itself by providing local product availability, a broad product line, sales representatives, competitive pricing, catalogs (which include product descriptions and, in certain cases, extensive technical and application data) and electronic and eCommerce technology. Grainger also offers other services, such as inventory management. Grainger has several large competitors and continues to be highly competitive against the predominant number of small local and regional competitors.

Employees

As of December 31, 2017, Grainger had approximately 25,700 employees, of whom approximately 24,400 were full-time and 1,300 were part-time or temporary. Grainger has never had a major work stoppage and considers employee relations to be good.

Website Access to Company Reports

Grainger makes available free of charge, through its website, www.Grainger.com/investor, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those reports if any, as soon as reasonably practicable after these materials are electronically filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In addition, the public may read and copy any materials the Company files with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at (800) SEC-0330. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC and the address of that site is http://www.sec.gov.