United Stationers Inc. (NASDAQ: USTR), Deerfield, IL, reported third-quarter sales of $1.3 billion, flat compared with the prior-year quarter on a same-day basis. Profit grew 2.8 percent to $36.8 million.

Download a Free Chapter: The Little Black Book of Strategic Planning for Distributors Submit your email address below to receive a chapter of Brent Grover’s new book. When you submit your email you will be signed up to receive weekly distribution news updates.

Sales growth in the industrial supplies and janitorial/breakroom categories were 7 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, from last year. Office products had 1.3 percent growth while technology and furniture category sales were down 4.5 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively, versus the prior year.

For the first nine months of 2012, sales were $3.8 billion, up 1.4 percent on a same-day sales basis. Profit declined 2.7 percent to $78.9 million.

Nine-month sales growth was due to growth in industrial supplies and janitorial/breakroom of 13.4 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively. Office products were near 1 percent growth while technology declined 4.5 percent and furniture declined 0.7 percent.