Analysis of recent high-profile M&A deals as well as best practices for developing an e-commerce strategy continue to command distributors' attention, as those topics accounted for four of the Top 5 most-read articles on mdm.com during the third quarter.

Also during the past three months, distributors were looking for the latest trends in the industrial products distribution sector.

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

1. 2015 Trends Snapshot: Industrial Distribution – This article was part of the 2015 Wholesale Distribution Trends Special Issue. The annual feature was researched and written by MDM editors based on interviews with dozens of wholesaler-distributors, as well as industry experts and manufacturers. It looks at everything from the need to diversify to HR issues to M&A activity to e-commerce's evolving role in the sector.

2. Behind the Deal: Anixter & HD Supply – Anixter International Inc. announced it would acquire HD Supply's Power Solutions division, one of its core lines of business. The CEOs of both companies share their reasoning for pulling off the $825 million deal.

3. MDM Interview: Behind Ferguson’s Acquisitive Year – Fiscal 2015 was an acquisitive year for HVAC & plumbing distributor Ferguson, Newport News, VA. The distributor more than tripled the number of completed acquisitions it saw in fiscal 2014. CEO Frank Roach spoke with Editor Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier about the company's acquisition strategy and how it fits into the overall growth strategy.

4. The ROI Case for B2B E-Commerce – Measuring return on investment in e-commerce can be a challenge for distributors. This article offers ways to measure the ROI and key expense components that distributors should include in the evaluation.

5. The Cost of Not Providing E-Commerce – While e-commerce is front of mind for many distributors, there’s still disagreement on the role it plays within the industry. This article presents a compelling argument that choosing not to pursue an aggressive e-commerce strategy is a "strong current to swim against."