Distributors were looking for answers to a broad range of business questions in the fourth quarter, with the quarter's most-read articles focused on five very different topics.

Here are the top five articles on mdm.com from the fourth quarter:

1. MDM-Baird Distribution Survey: Grinding to a Halt – Already saddled with a slumping oil & gas market and unfavorable currency exchange, distributors in the third quarter encountered additional resistance as manufacturing slowed in the U.S. and economic woes rippled across the globe.

2. 2015 State of Distributor Marketing: Effective Strategy Solves Challenges – A joint MDM-Real Results Marketing survey revealed that while many distributors do not view marketing planning and strategy as a challenge, they also don't see them as priorities even though a strategy could eliminate a host of other marketing challenges they face.

3. Rebranding Road Map – Increasing consolidation and channel blurring have sparked rebranding campaigns across distribution, shining light on the need for company leaders to be strategic in how they execute name changes and repositioning efforts. This article provides tips on how to do so effectively and avoid common pitfalls.

4. Commentary: The Airgas Deal and What’s Next for M&A – Air Liquide’s proposed purchase of Airgas highlights some of the shifts occurring in the distribution M&A market – in the U.S. and globally.

5. AD Tackles E-Commerce ‘Monster’ – Independent wholesale distributors excel in many aspects of business, but they often struggle to compete in areas of business where scale poses an advantage, such as e-commerce. This article looks at how North American buying and marketing group Affiliated Distributors plans to help its members overcome the e-commerce challenge.