Grainger Reports May 2009 Sales Results

CHICAGO, June 8  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Grainger (NYSE:GWW) today reported sales results for the month of May 2009.  Daily sales declined ten percent versus May 2008, primarily the result of weak demand across all customer end-markets and geographies.  Foreign exchange negatively affected sales by approximately two percentage points. Sales from pandemic related product as a result of the H1N1 virus outbreak positively affected sales by one percentage point. There was one less selling day in May 2009 (20) versus May 2008 (21).  The 2009 second quarter has the same number of selling days (64) as the 2008 second quarter.

                     May Daily Sales by Segment
                            2009 v. 2008

         United States                      - 9%
         Canada                             -14% *
         Other Businesses                   -17%
         *(-1% in local currency)




Please visit http://www.grainger.com/investor to access a recorded message with additional detail about May sales.

W.W. Grainger, Inc. with 2008 sales of $6.9 billion is the leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products serving businesses and institutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Panama.  Through a highly integrated network including more than 600 branches, 18 distribution centers and multiple Web sites, Grainger's employees help customers get the job done. 

DATASOURCE: W.W. Grainger, Inc.



CONTACT:  Media, Jan Tratnik, Director, Corporate Communications and

Public Affairs, [phone], or Erin Ptacek, Director, Corporate Brand &

Reputation, [phone], or Investors, Laura Brown, Vice President,

Investor Relations, [phone], or William Chapman, Director, Investor

Relations, [phone], all of W.W. Grainger, Inc.



Web Site:  http://www.grainger.com/investor 

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