Builders FirstSource Inc. (Nasdaq: BLDR), Dallas, TX, reported sales for the second quarter of $398.1 million, an increase of 46.4 percent compared to the same period a year ago, increasing 28.9 percent due to increased volume and 17.5 percent due to price. The distributor, No. 9 on MDM’s 2013 list of top building materials and construction distributors, reported a loss of $48.2 million for the quarter, compared to a year-ago loss of $12.1 million.

"Lumber and lumber sheet good prices were, on average, 21.5 percent higher during the second quarter of 2013 as compared to those in the same quarter last year, though prices did fall approximately 30 percent during the quarter,” said Floyd Sherman, CEO. “Falling prices in the back half of the quarter relieved some of the gross margin pressure we had been experiencing from commodity inflation, and we were able to improve our gross margin by 100 basis points for the current quarter due to both improved pricing and higher sales volumes."

For the first six months, sales for Builders FirstSource were $717.9 million, a 46.1 percent decrease compared to the prior-year period. The company reported a loss of $60 million for the first half, compared to a year-ago loss of $31.2 million.