2022 Economic Benchmarks for Wholesale Distribution

The 2022 Economic Benchmarks for Wholesale Distribution is a comprehensive economic reference guide to the U.S. wholesale distribution industry providing accurate statistics on the distribution industry, including segment and overall industry revenue trends, 2-year quarterly forecasts, inventory levels, 2022 and 2023 sales forecasts, trends and other critical benchmark data on distribution.

The report compiles information collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis to profile the 2021 economic and firmographic benchmarks for each of the 19 sectors of wholesale distribution, which are segmented into 109 discreet subsectors, defined by product category based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). This is the 16th edition of this report. It is published by MDM Research, in conjunction with the Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder.

“These reports are the best source of information I’ve seen to get a quick snapshot of where a particular wholesaler-distributor stands relative to peers and to other wholesaler-distributors in other subsectors,” says Jim Miller, Managing Director at Supply Chain Equity Partners.

Data Included in This Report

The first chapter of this report profiles the entire wholesale distribution industry, followed by chapters for each of the 19 major sectors. Each chapter uses a standardized chartbook format, that includes:

• Commentary on national and sector-specific economic conditions and factors impacting the specific distribution sector, 2021 revenues and forecasts through 2023.
• Summary page of 2021 sector revenue and quarterly revenue forecast scenarios through 2023, plus key gross margin, inventory and employment statistics for the sector.
• Tables with more detailed sector- and sub-sector segmentations across real vs. actual revenues, company size and number, gross margin, employment growth and more.
• Time series graphs from 2004-2022 for actual and real revenue growth trends, employment growth and inventory-to-sales ratio trends.
• National Economic Overview – In the first 19-Sectors section, the report provides national statistics for context with time series for GDP, national and state employment, and unemployment rates.
• Subsector benchmark data include 2021 revenues; number of companies and branches; average sales per company, branch and employee; and average gross margin.

With this data, this report can be useful to:

• Benchmark individual company performance against peers and other sectors.
• Analyze individual sector and subsector KPIs for business development and market research purposes.
• Forecast sector revenues by quarter through 2023.
• Segment sectors by company size.
• Develop a deeper understanding of the composition and segmentation of the highly fragmented U.S. wholesale distribution industry.

Index of Wholesale Distribution – 19 Sectors

This index identifies each subsector within the 19 major wholesale distribution sectors for the sector chapter. Each chapter includes financial benchmarks for the overall sector as well as each of its subsectors. Subsector benchmark data include 2021 revenues; number of companies and branches; average sales per company, branch and employee; and average gross margin.

• Agricultural Products Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4245
• Apparel and Piece Goods Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4243
• Beer, Wine, and Liquor Wholesalers Wholesalers – NAICS 4248
• Building Material and Construction Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4233
• Chemicals and Plastics Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4246
• Commercial Equipment and Supplies Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4234
• Computer Equipment and Software Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4234
• Electrical and Electronics Wholesalers – NAICS 4236
• Furniture and Home Furnishing Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4232
• Grocery and Foodservice Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4244
• Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment/Supplies Distributors – NAICS 4237
• Industrial Distributors – NAICS 4238
• Metal Service Centers – NAICS 4235
• Miscellaneous Durable Goods Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4239
• Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Parts Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4231
• Office Product Wholesalers and Paper Merchants – NAICS 4241
• Oil and Gas Products Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4247
• Other Consumer Products Wholesale Distributors – NAICS 4249
• Pharmaceutical Wholesalers – NAICS 4242

For a listing of all 109 subsectors, please see the image gallery.

Order this report for economic benchmark data on all 19 wholesale distribution sectors.
For questions about this report, please call 1-888-742-5060 or email info@mdm.com.

Produced By

This report is produced by MDM Research in conjunction with the Leeds School of Business Research Division.  MDM Research is a market research and analytics firm specializing in global wholesale distribution and industrial/construction product markets. The most recognized and respected source of data in the industry, MDM Research is a division of Modern Distribution Management (MDM). MDM is a niche media and market research company that provides guidance to industry executives through a portfolio of products and services that include newsletters, research reports, market analytics tools, webinars and conferences.

Serving Colorado since 1915, the Business Research Division (BRD) of the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, provides economic and demographic information needed by businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations. Specializing in economic and fiscal analysis, market research, and customized research projects, the division also produces the longest-running annual forecast of the state’s economy.

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