Research Archives

MDM’s 2Q25 MarketPulse Report is Here, Reflecting April-June Performance, Pricing & Expectations

Our second quarter MarketPulse shares a wealth of data from the 2Q25 Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution Survey - conducted in early July - that covered respondents' revenue performance, pricing updates and expectations for the current quarter and rest-of-year, plus plenty of commentary.

July 18, 2025

Tariffs

Taming the Tariff Yo-Yo: Building the Muscle for 2026

This year of tariffs has made it nearly impossible for distributors to rely on traditional planning cycles or manual cost tracking. This piece illustrates what a proactive distributor looks instead of one that just watches headlines.

July 17, 2025

From Hype to Adoption: Benchmarking 3 Years of AI Progress in Distribution

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July 16, 2025

Economic Trends

June U.S. Industrial Production Rises as Utilities Jump, Mfg. Ticks Up

U.S. industrial production rebounded in June, surpassing forecasts, driven by a sharp rise in utilities and modest manufacturing gains.

July 16, 2025

Economic Trends

June Wholesale Prices Go Unchanged, Reflecting Muted Tariff Impact

U.S. producer prices were flat in June, falling short of expectations as cooling goods costs offset a rise in services.

July 16, 2025

Economic Trends

Annual June Consumer Inflation Rose 2.7%

U.S. consumer prices increased in June, while core inflation continued to rise at a slower pace for the fifth consecutive month below expectations.

July 15, 2025

Economic Trends

Metalworking Machinery Shows Continued Signs of Recovery Despite May Decrease

U.S. manufacturing technology orders rose in May compared to last year, signaling steady recovery despite monthly declines and ongoing economic uncertainty.

July 14, 2025

MDM Market Leaders

Here’s Which Distributors Were Just Named “Best Companies to Sell For”

Four companies featured in MDM’s 2025 Top Distributors Lists were included in Selling Power’s new 60 Best Companies to Sell For list, along with one other. See our breakdown of them and the methodology behind the creation of the feature.

July 11, 2025

Economic Trends

MDM Forecast: July 2025 Update

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July 10, 2025

Economic Trends

May U.S. Wholesale Sales Fell 0.3% Along Inventory Slide

U.S. wholesale trade dipped in May, with sales down and inventories falling for the first time since December 2024. Nondurable sales dragged down the overall figure.

July 9, 2025

Tariffs

New Reports Detail Tariffs’ Major Impact on SMBs in Wholesale Trade

Alongside MDM and NAW's own research into how tariffs are impacting distributors, a pair of new reports share fresh statistics on wholesale trade's outsized brunt of the economic burden from them.

July 7, 2025

Economic Trends

May U.S. Factory Orders Surge on Aircraft Demand

The jump followed an April decline and matched economists’ expectations.

July 3, 2025

Economic Trends

U.S. Construction Spending Fell 0.3% During May; 3rd Straight Decline

Construction spending declined in May, driven by continued softness in both residential and nonresidential private construction.

July 1, 2025

Economic Trends

June Manufacturing PMI Shows First Improvement in 4 Months

U.S. manufacturing activity remained in contraction during June for a fourth straight month, but the improvement topped economists' expectations and snapped three straight months of monthly decline.

July 1, 2025

Data & Analytics

The Human Algorithm: Why Great Analytics Fail Without Great People

The fourth installment of this five-part series addresses the critical human factors in analytics success, including overcoming skepticism, identifying high-judgment individuals, addressing self-imposed data access constraints and avoiding common pitfalls.

July 1, 2025

Digital Commerce

What the Latest B2B Buyer Data Says About Digital Distribution in 2025

Many B2B distributors are falling short of buyer expectations online, and this analysis of new industry research reveals digital pain points and how you can close the gap to drive loyalty and repeat business.

June 27, 2025

Economic Trends

U.S. Wholesale Inventories Unexpectedly Slide in May

U.S. wholesale inventories fell in May, missing forecasts, as the trade deficit widened and retail inventories edged higher.

June 26, 2025

Economic Trends

Aircraft Leads 1Q Spike in U.S. Durable Goods Orders

U.S. durable goods orders surged in May, driven by a sharp rebound in transportation equipment led by a jump in aircraft demand.

June 26, 2025

Economic Trends

3rd Estimate: 1Q U.S. GDP Fell Much More than Previously Reported

January-March U.S. economic growth contracted more than double than what the previous estimate showed, as rising imports and reduced government spending weighed on output.

June 26, 2025

Economic Trends

Metalformers’ Optimism Increases for First Time in Four Months

The survey showed rising confidence among metalformers, with more expecting economic growth and higher incoming orders despite ongoing trade challenges.