MRO distributor Interline Brands Inc., Jacksonville, FL, reported sales for the third quarter of $421.5 million, an increase of 20.4 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Organically, sales increased 3 percent. Interline reported a loss of $7.2 million, compared to a year-ago loss of $28.4 million.

"Growth accelerated across all of our facilities maintenance end-markets during the quarter, in spite of what continued to be an overall sluggish macroeconomic environment," CEO Michael Grebe said. Sales to institutional facilities customers, comprising 50 percent of sales, increased 44.7 percent for the quarter (2.2 percent on an organic sales basis). Sales to multi-family housing facilities customers increased 4.8 percent and residential facilities customers sales increased 2.3 percent.

For the first nine months, sales for Interline were $1.2 billion, a 21 percent increase compared to the same period a year ago. Organic daily sales increased 2.8 percent. Nine-month loss was $7.5 million, compared to a year-ago loss of $11.9 million.