Company: GWW
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-015730
Chunk: 67

Company: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 67
---
ICES | ​ |

TABLE OF CONTENTS

| ​ | ● | ​ | ​ | 52 | ​ | ​ | 2025proxy statement | ​ |

Stock Ownership Guidelines As of December 31, 2024, all officers subject to stock ownership guidelines, including the NEOs serving as executive officers as of such date, were in compliance with the guidelines. The Company continues to believe that requiring executive ownership of Company stock creates alignment between executives and shareholders and encourages executives to act to increase shareholder value. In 1996, the Company established stock ownership guidelines for its NEOs and other officers. In 2011, the Company increased the minimum ownership requirement for the CEO from 5x base salary to 6x and established a retention ratio for equity awards. The stock ownership guidelines for the NEOs active as executive officers as of December 31, 2024 are as follows:

| ​ | NEO                          | ​ | ​ | ​ | Minimum Ownership Requirementas a Percentage of Base Salary | ​ | ​ | ​ | Currently in Compliance? | ​ |
| ​ | D.G. Macpherson              | ​ | ​ | ​ | 6x                                                          | ​ | ​ | ​ | Yes                      | ​ |
| ​ | Deidra C. Merriwether        | ​ | ​ | ​ | 3x                                                          | ​ | ​ | ​ | Yes                      | ​ |
| ​ | Paige K. Robbins             | ​ | ​ | ​ | 3x                                                          | ​ | ​ | ​ | Yes                      | ​ |
| ​ | Nancy L. Berardinelli-Krantz | ​ | ​ | ​ | 3x                                                          | ​ | ​ | ​ | Yes                      | ​ |
| ​ | Jonny LeRoy                  | ​ | ​ | ​ | 3x                                                          | ​ | ​ | ​ | Yes                      | ​ |

These stock ownership guidelines must be met within three years of being appointed an officer or assuming a new position and are reviewed annually by the Board. NEOs are required to hold net shares realized from exercised option shares and other stock awards until ownership requirements are met. Officers who fail to achieve these ownership levels will not be allowed to sell shares received from the vesting of equity awards until they comply with the guidelines. Shares owned directly by the officer (including those held as a joint tenant or as a tenant in common), shares owned in a self-directed IRA, shares owned or held for the benefit of a spouse or minor children and RSUs are counted toward meeting the