United Stationers Sales Fall 6.8% in 3Q

By MDM Staff

October 29, 2009

More about: Industrial, Jan-San, Office Products/Paper Products, United Stationers

Flu-driven purchases help boost United Stationers' jan-san business.

United Stationers Inc. (NASDAQ: USTR), Deerfield, IL, a master distributor of business, jan-san and industrial products, reported sales for the third quarter 2009 fell 6.8% to $1.25 billion. Profit was $33.5 million, versus $33.1 million in the prior-year quarter. United Stationers attributed some of the improvement from the second quarter to flu-related jan-san products.

United Stationers reported a year-over-year decline in office products and furniture categories, but that decrease slowed marginally in the third quarter from the previous quarter.

Technology supplies category saw a slightly greater decline from the second quarter.

Sales in industrial supplies were negatively affected by distributor destocking and weakness in manufacturing, oil and gas pipeline, and commercial construction spending.

Sales for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2009, declined by a workday-adjusted 7.7% to $3.5 billion, compared with $3.8 billion, with one fewer selling day in 2009.

Full earnings release for United Stationers.

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