TAYLOR, MI -- Cabinet and home improvement products manufacturer Masco Corp. reported second quarter growth in sales and profit margins. Although cabinet sales saw a 5% decrease do to a dip in sales to home improvement centers, the company's overall sales increased 5% to $2.3 billion and adjusted operating profit grew by 21% to $249 million.

“We delivered a solid second quarter marked by revenue growth and strong profitability,” said Masco’s President and CEO, Keith Allman. “Our focus on our key priorities, which include growing share of our market-leading brands, accelerating our customer-focused innovation pipeline, further penetrating international markets and driving operational leverage through cost containment, was demonstrated in our performance despite a more moderate housing recovery.”

Masco's second quarter growth was driven primarily by sales in its plumbing roducts as well as installation and other services and decorative architectural products segments.

Allman says he expects continued growth in the third quarter and that new home construction and repair and remodel activity will show steady improvement. "We believe we are well positioned to grow our key brands and to gain market share in this environment," he adds. "While there is pent-up demand for high-ticket items such as cabinets, we expect that this category will continue to lag in the short term compared to other segments as consumers defer discretionary high-ticket expenditures. We remain committed to realizing the full potential of our core businesses, leveraging opportunities across our portfolio and actively managing the portfolio to drive long-term shareholder value.”

Masco's product segments include: Cabinets & Related Products; Plumbing Products; Installation & Other Services; Decorative Architectural Products and Other Specialty Products.

Kitchen and bath cabinetry brands include: Merillat, KraftMaid Cabinetry, QualityCabinets, Moores and DeNova countertops. Well-known brands in the other segments include: Liberty Hardware, BEHR paint, Delta faucets, Arrow fastening tools and Milgard Windows & Doors.