Company: GWW
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-015730
Chunk: 1

Company: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 1
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 materials by mail. Please take the time to carefully read the Notice of 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement that follow. Regardless of whether you plan to attend the meeting, please ensure that your shares are represented by giving us your proxy. You can do so by telephone, by internet, or—if you have a paper copy—by signing and dating the enclosed proxy form and returning it promptly in the envelope provided. We look forward to your participation at the meeting. Sincerely, D.G. Macpherson Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer 100 Grainger Parkway
Lake Forest, Illinois
60045-5201
(847) 535-1000

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| ​ | Thanks to our more than 26,000 dedicated team members who live our purpose—We Keep the World Working®—Grainger continues to focus on what matters most: providing excellent service to our customers, making their jobs easier and helping them save time and money. As we look to 2025, we will continue to be a trusted partner for our customers while enhancing our capabilities for the future. | ​ |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT—SUBJECT TO COMPLETION Notice of 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

| ​ 
 ​ | LOGISTICS                                              
 Date and Time                                          
 10:00 a.m., Central Time, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | ​ 
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| ​ | ShareholdersMeeting (Held Virtually)                   | ​ |
| ​ | Record Date                                            
 March 3, 2025                                          | ​ |

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 ​ 
 ​ | MEETING AGENDA                                                                                                                 
 PROPOSAL 1:To elect 12 Director nominees named in the proxy statement for the ensuing year                                     
 PROPOSAL 2: To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) as independent auditor for the year ending December 31, 2025 | ​ 
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 ​ | BOARDRECOMMENDATION  
 Vote FORall nominees 
 Vote FOR             | ​ 
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|:--|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|:--|:--|:--|:---------------------|:--|
| ​ | PROPOSAL