Grainger (NYSE: GWW), Chicago, IL, reported sales for 2017 of $10.4 billion, up 2.8 percent compared to the prior year. Profit decreased 3.3 percent to $585.7 million.
Fourth-quarter sales increased 6.5 percent $2.6 billion. Profit increased to $151.1 million, up from $60.7 million the same quarter a year ago.
Sales in the U.S. segment increased 5 percent in the fourth quarter versus the prior year. The sales increase consisted of a volume increase of 11 percentage points, partially offset by 5 percentage points from price and a 1 percentage point decline from the divestiture of a specialty business. Resellers and heavy manufacturing end markets had the strongest sales performance in the quarter.
Sales in Canada increased 5 percent in U.S. dollars. The sales increase consisted of 5 percentage points from favorable foreign exchange and a 4 percentage point increase from price, partially offset by a 4 percentage point decrease from volume. Sales to Oil and Gas and Agriculture/Mining customer end markets had the strongest performance in the quarter.
Sales for the Other Businesses increased 16 percent for the 2017 fourth quarter versus the prior year. Sales growth in the Other Businesses was primarily driven by MonotaRO in Japan and Zoro in the U.S.
