NBMDA's Quarterly Executive Trends Research Provides Insights

CHICAGO - Since the August 2013 launch of the NBMDA Quarterly Executive Trends Index, a robust benchmarking and forecasting tool, the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA) has provided members with invaluable data.

The reports, compiled by a leading research firm and in partnership with the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD), are based on member data and provide insights into the issues and challenges facing distributors in the industry.

The Q1 NBMDA Quarterly Executive Trends Index showed that 2014 looks to be another year of recovery for distributors with the arrival of warmer spring weather. Weather has been the largest driver to the slower sales growth for distributors with 36 percent who experienced a 5 point or larger negative sales growth impact in January due to weather. Other key points include a strong 2014 sales growth outlook and continued profit progress. NBMDA distributors see opportunity to push through cost increases and profit growth is expected to remain strong, up 8 percent in 2014 versus 9 percent growth in 2013.

The Q1 report also provided manufacturer-specific insights for the first time. According to the nearly 40 manufacturers that responded to the index survey, they expect another year of strong sales and profit growth in 2014. Despite the negative weather impact on first quarter sales growth, 2014 sales are currently forecast to increase 11 percent. Twenty-three percent of manufacturers have increased full year 2014 forecasts over the last 90 days. In addition to strong sales forecasts, 50 percent of NAFCD and NBMDA manufacturers anticipate an increase in headcount over the next 90 days and nearly 80 percent plan to add distributors during 2014, highlighting manufacturer expectations for a continued recovery in 2014.

"NBMDA is excited to continue to provide this robust data to members with specific insights on sales trends and forecasts that they can utilize to help them prepare for the coming months," said Kevin Gammonley, executive vice president of NBMDA. "With the introduction of manufacturer-specific insights, now all members contribute to this valuable data to help them compare everything from headcount to healthcare costs."

Learn more about NBMDA partnerships and member resources at www.nbmda.org.

About NBMDA

NBMDA is a multi-segment trade association representing the leading wholesale distributors of specialty building products and woodworking materials. Membership segments represent distributors and manufacturers that serve the independent building material, lumber, and kitchen and bath dealer, regional and national home centers, as well as those that serve production companies involved in cabinetry, architectural woodwork, stock woodwork, store fixtures, solid surface fabricating, plastics fabricating, general and specialty woodworking industries. For more information, visit www.nbmda.org.

Source: NBMDA

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