Grainger's August sales drop 13 percent-Company sees weak demand across all customer segments

Jack Keough -- Industrial Distribution, 9/14/2009 7:48:44 AM EDT

W.W. Grainger says its August sales dropped 13 percent in August versus August, 2008 primarily the result of weak demand across all customer end-markets and geographies. Foreign exchange negatively affected sales by approximately 1 percentage point. There were the same number of selling days in August 2009 and August 2008 (21). The 2009 third quarter will have the same number of selling days (64) as the 2008 third quarter.

In the United States, sales decreased 14 percent while sales dropped eight percent in Canada. Grainger's other business grew 16 percent.