Company: GWW
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-015730
Chunk: 109

Company: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 109
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 entire board of directors; and

| ​ | CORPORATEGOVERNANCE | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 1:ELECTION OFDIRECTORS | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 2:RATIFY THEINDEPENDENTAUDITOR | ​ | ​ | EXECUTIVECOMPENSATION | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 3:SAY ON PAY | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 4: APPROVALAND ADOPTION | ​ | ​ | QUESTIONS ANDANSWERS | ​ | ​ | APPENDICES | ​ |

TABLE OF CONTENTS

| ​ | ● | ​ | ​ | 78 | ​ | ​ | 2025proxy statement | ​ |

(3) (2) If a director is elected by a class or series of shares, he may be removed only by the shareholders of that class or series. Effectiveness of Proposed Amendment If approved by our shareholders, the Proposed Amendment will become effective and the Restated Articles of Incorporation will be deemed to have been amended accordingly upon filing of articles of amendment with the Illinois Secretary of State, which would occur following the 2025 Annual Meeting. However, the Proposed Amendment may be delayed or abandoned by the Board at any time prior to the filing of articles of amendment with the Illinois Secretary of State, including after approval of this proposal, if the Board determines for any reason that doing so would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Vote Required for Approval Approval of this proposal requires the affirmative votes of a majority of the shares of Grainger common stock outstanding as of the Record Date. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as votes against the proposal. Effect of Not Obtaining the Vote Required for Approval If this proposal is not approved by our shareholders, the Proposed Amendment will not become effective, and the Restated Articles of Incorporation and the By-laws will remain unchanged. Dissenters’ or Appraisal Rights Under Illinois law, Company shareholders who do not vote in favor of the Proposed Amendment and who follow the procedures required by Section 11.70 of the Illinois Business Corporation Act of 1983, as amended (the “ILBCA”), will have the right to dissent from the Proposed Amendment and obtain payment for the “estimated fair value” of their shares in the form of cash in the event that the Proposed Amendment becomes effective. The following description of dissenters’ rights and procedures is qualified in its entirety by reference to Section 11.70 of the ILBCA, a