Company Profile For W.W. Grainger, Inc.

W.W. Grainger, Inc. distributes facilities maintenance products, and provides services and related information used by businesses and institutions primarily in the United States, Canada and Mexico to keep their facilities and equipment running. Grainger is the supplier of facilities maintenance and other related products in North America. Its has three segments: Grainger Branch-based, Acklands – Grainger Branch-based (Acklands – Grainger), and Lab Safety Supply, Inc. (Lab Safety). Grainger Branch-based is an aggregation of the Grainger Industrial Supply (Industrial Supply), Grainger, S.A. de C.V. (Mexico), Grainger Caribe Inc. (Puerto Rico), Grainger China LLC (China) and Grainger Panama S.A. (Panama). Acklands – Grainger is the Company’s Canadian branch-based distribution business. In September 2009, the Company completed a transaction, pursuant to which it has achieved a 53% majority ownership in MonotaRO Co., Ltd. In November 2009, it acquired Alliance Energy Solutions.

BRIEF: For the nine months ended 30 September 2009, W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s revenues decreased 13% to $4.59B. Net income decreased 9% to $325.6M. Revenues reflect a decrease in income from United States and lower revenues from Canada and decreased revenue from other business segments. Net income was partially offset by a decrease in cost of merchandise sold, lower warehousing, marketing & administrative expenses and decreased interest expenses.