W. W. Grainger - 10-Q quarterly report FY2018 Q1

W.W. Grainger, Inc. 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 “Company” or “Grainger” mean W.W. Grainger, Inc. and its subsidiaries, except where the context makes it clear that the reference is only to W.W. Grainger, Inc. itself and not its subsidiaries.

The unaudited financial information reflects all adjustments (primarily consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the statements contained herein.

Grainger assessed the impact of the new standard on the Company's process of evaluating customer contracts which primarily resulted in the reclassification of certain service-related costs from Warehousing, marketing and administrative expenses to Cost of merchandise sold to reflect certain Company customer contracts with dual performance obligations.

The new standard also expanded the Company's qualitative and quantitative disclosures related to revenue recognition. The timing of revenue recognition under the new revenue recognition standard was consistent with the Company’s prior revenue recognition model, whereby revenue is recognized primarily on the date products are shipped to, or picked up by the customer. See Note 3 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Financial Statements).

Adoption of the new standard did not and is not expected to have an ongoing material impact on the Company's Financial Statements.

Company revenue is primarily comprised of MRO product sales and related activities, such as freight and services.

The Company recognizes revenue when a sales arrangement with a customer exists (e.g., contract, purchase orders, others), transaction price is fixed or determinable and the Company has satisfied its performance obligation per the sales arrangement. Company sales arrangements have standard payment terms that do not exceed a year.

The Company’s revenue is reported as Net sales and is measured as the determinable transaction price, net of any variable considerations (e.g., rights to return product, sales incentives, others) and any taxes collected from customers and subsequently remitted to governmental authorities. The Company considers shipping and handling as activities to fulfill its performance obligation. Billings for freight and shipping and handling costs are accounted for as Net sales and Cost of merchandise sold, respectively.

Cost of merchandise sold included products and product-related costs, vendor consideration, freight and handling costs and service costs.

Other charges (gains) primarily include asset impairment charges in Canada and other exit-related costs, net of gains from the sales of branches in the U.S. and Canada businesses.

The increase in commercial paper from December 31, 2017 was primarily used to fund general working capital needs and share repurchases.

The Company has a postretirement healthcare benefits plan that provides coverage for a majority of its U.S. employees hired prior to January 1, 2013. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company implemented plan design changes for the post-65 age group. This plan change moves all post-65 Medicare eligible retirees to healthcare exchanges and provides them a subsidy, based on years of service, to purchase insurance.

The net periodic benefit costs for the Company's postretirement healthcare benefits plan which are valued at the measurement date of January 1 for each year and recognized evenly throughout the year, consisted of the following (in thousands of dollars):

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share under the two-class method (in thousands of dollars, except for share and per share amounts):

Following is a summary of segment results (in thousands of dollars):

Following are reconciliations of segment information with the consolidated totals per the financial statements (in thousands of dollars):

Unallocated expenses and assets primarily relate to intercompany eliminations and the Company's headquarters support services, which are not part of any reportable segment. Unallocated expenses are primarily comprised of employee compensation costs, depreciation and other administrative costs and unallocated assets are primarily comprised of non-operating cash and cash equivalents, property, buildings and equipment, net, and certain prepaid expenses.

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. Other current and non-current assets include all other assets of the reportable segments.

From time to time the Company is involved in various legal and administrative proceedings that are incidental to its business, including claims related to product liability, general negligence, contract disputes, cybersecurity incidents, privacy matters, environmental issues, wage and hour laws, intellectual property, employment practices, advertising laws, regulatory compliance, and other matters and actions brought by employees, customers, competitors, suppliers and governmental entities. As a government contractor selling to federal, state and local governmental entities, the Company is also subject to governmental or regulatory inquiries, audits and other proceedings, including those related to contract administration and pricing compliance. It is not expected that the ultimate resolution of any of these matters will have, either individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Given Grainger's large number of customers and the diverse industries it serves, several economic factors and industry trends tend to shape Grainger’s business environment. The overall economy and leading economic indicators provide general insight into projecting Grainger's growth. Grainger’s sales in the U.S. and Canada tend to positively correlate with Business Investment, Business Inventory, Exports and Industrial Production. In the U.S., sales tend to positively correlate with Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Canada, sales tend to positively correlate with oil prices. The table below provides these estimated indicators for 2018:

On April 19, 2018, Grainger raised its 2018 sales and earnings per share guidance to reflect actual results for the three months ended March 31, 2018, including better than expected volume growth in the U.S. and improved gross profit. The Company’s previous 2018 guidance, communicated on January 24, 2018, was sales growth of 3 to 7 percent and

earnings per share of $12.95 to $14.15. The Company now expects sales growth of 5 to 8 percent and earnings per share of $14.30 to $15.30 for 2018.

In the three months ended March 31, 2018, eCommerce sales for Grainger were $1,469 million, an increase of 18% over the prior year. Total eCommerce sales represented 53% and 49% of total sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase was primarily driven by Grainger.com and other electronic purchasing platforms in the U.S. and across all single channel online businesses. If the Company included KeepStock®, the electronic inventory management offering, total eCommerce and KeepStock® sales would represent 62% and 59% of total sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The table below reconciles reported net earnings attributable to W.W. Grainger, Inc. determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to adjusted net earnings, a non-GAAP measure. Management believes adjusted net earnings is an important indicator of operations because it excludes items that may not be indicative of core operating results. Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare this financial measure with other companies' non-GAAP financial measures having the same or similar names (in thousands of dollars):

The following comments at the segment and other businesses level include external and intersegment net sales and operating earnings. See Note 11 to the Financial Statements.

Sales to customers in the reseller and retail/wholesale end markets increased low double digits, heavy manufacturing , contractors and government increased high single digits and the remaining end markets increased low single digits. Overall, these revenue increases were primarily driven by market share gains and improved demand in all industries, partially offset by the U.S. business strategic pricing actions. See Note 3 to the Financial Statements.

In the three months ended March 31, 2018, eCommerce sales for the U.S. business were $1,073 million, an increase of 15% over the prior year. Total eCommerce sales represented 51% and 48% of total sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase was primarily driven by Grainger.com and other electronic purchasing platforms. If the U.S. business included KeepStock®, total eCommerce and KeepStock® sales would represent 61% and 59% of total sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

In the three months ended March 31, 2018, eCommerce sales for the Canada business were $41 million, an increase of 30% over the prior year. Total eCommerce represented 22% and 17% of total sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. If the Canada business included KeepStock®, total eCommerce and KeepStock® sales would represent 38% and 29% of total sales for the three months ended March 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Foreign exchange has improved in the countries that the Company operates in, primarily the Euro, Pound and Yen.

Internally generated funds are the primary source of working capital and funds used for growth initiatives and capital expenditures. Grainger's working capital is not impacted by significant seasonality trends throughout the year.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes.

Management has discussed the development and selection of these critical accounting estimates with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors and with the independent registered, public accounting firm.

From time to time, in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as in other written reports, communications and verbal statements, Grainger makes forward-looking statements that are not historical in nature but concern forecasts of future results, business plans, analyses, prospects, strategies, objectives and other matters that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” under the federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “expect,” “could,” “forecast,” “may,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “project” and similar terms and expressions.

Grainger cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be realized, although Grainger does believe that its assumptions underlying its forward-looking statements are reasonable. Achievement of future results is subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause Grainger's results to differ materially from those that are presented.

Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on Grainger's forward-looking statements and Grainger undertakes no obligation to publicly update any of its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Grainger carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of its management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of Grainger's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer concluded that Grainger’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report in (i) ensuring that information required to be disclosed by Grainger in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and (ii) ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

There have been no changes in Grainger's internal control over financial reporting for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, Grainger’s internal control over financial reporting.