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ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORTS
This comprehensive NAW 3Q26 Forecast is a guide to the U.S. wholesale distribution economy, providing a historical, current and future snapshot of numerous key economic indicators in one convenient place along with our exclusive sector-specific forecasts for 19 different product categories. Its economic indicator data is updated through July 17.
This comprehensive MDM 2Q26 Forecast is a guide to the U.S. wholesale distribution economy, providing a historical, current and future snapshot of numerous key economic indicators in one convenient place along with our exclusive sector-specific forecasts for 19 different product categories. Its economic indicator data is updated through May 15.
Premium Monthly
Our new-look Intelligence Brief synthesizes all of our monthly Premium articles into a 6 to 8-page report that distills key takeaways from that content — a perfect quick read for busy executives.
Our new-look Intelligence Brief synthesizes all of our monthly Premium articles into a 6 to 8-page report that distills key takeaways from that content — a perfect quick read for busy executives.
Market Insight Reports
NAW’s 2Q26 MarketPulse Report consists of the quarterly results, analysis and commentary from the latest Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution Survey — conducted early July — that explored revenue performance, pricing and business expectations for the current quarter and rest-of-year. It includes a wealth of market-specific data and commentary from survey respondents.
See our updated monthly deal counts; a year-to-date breakdown of M&A activity by product category; the latest EBITDA trading multiples for 27 publicly traded industrial distributors; our latest M&A-led Premium article; and our detailed recap of dealmaking activity during April-June, which saw decelerated but still healthy activity.
Case Studies
This MDM Case Study examines how Stellar Industrial Supply built a differentiated growth model around documented customer savings, service-first selling and digital execution — turning measurable value creation into a durable platform for customer loyalty, expansion and operational excellence.
How has Singer Industrial grown into a 55-plus-company platform while preserving local leadership and culture? This MDM Case Study explores the industrial rubber, fluid power and automation distributor’s coordinated autonomy model, acquisition strategy and technology investments that are helping drive scale, efficiency and long-term growth.
Premium Articles
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Deals involving industrial distributors were less frequent than the robust pace we saw in January-March, though it included another landmark pending transaction in building materials via QXO.
The 1Q26 Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution survey shows pricing power holding steady, but commentary reflects a more divided market shaped by competition, costs and customer behavior. We analyze the data here.
The MROP supplies distributor has built a service-first sales culture that rejects transactional selling in favor of long-term customer value. The third part of our Stellar deep dive explores how that philosophy shapes its sales strategy, talent approach and growth — and why it’s resonating across the industrial distribution sector.
Stellar Industrial Supply blends third-party platforms with in-house development to deliver a more seamless, data-driven customer experience. We continue our company deep dive as this piece explores how its buy-vs.-build strategy, automation efforts and digital mindset are helping the distributor scale efficiently while deepening customer value.
Our latest update shows another major upgrade for the U.S. wholesale distribution industry's 2026 annual revenues - skewed by oil & gas price assumptions as well as other inflationary impacts. Get your much more valuable sector-specific revenue forecasts here.
Pricing is still playing a large — albeit decelerated role — in the company’s strong results, while management was upbeat on underlying demand. Get our in-depth breakdown of Fastenal’s 1Q metrics.
Vendor costs are shifting weekly, but most distributors are still updating them manually — and bleeding margin with every delay. With a racing analogy throughout, this piece argues that manual cost updates are no longer a manageable inefficiency but a systematic profit killer.
After 2 straight years of $100 million-plus deals that were few and far between, 2026 has already seen plenty either completed or announced, including a handful in March.
You’ve seen their profiles and commentary in our four-part series (if not, you really should). Now, see their advice for other women who are either just starting in distribution or interested in the industry.
The 2026 edition brought together enough Grainger customers, suppliers and staff to fill a small town, but the real story is how the event showcases the company's evolving value proposition. Mike Hockett shares his key takeaways from three days at Grainger Show and executive commentary about what it provides for all stakeholders involved.
Our latest update shows a major upgrade for the U.S. wholesale distribution industry's 2026 annual revenues - heavily skewed by oil pricing assumptions tied to the Iran conflict. Get your much more valuable sector-specific revenue forecasts here.
Singer Industrial is undertaking a multiyear ERP transformation to unify systems across 55+ businesses. In this third and final part of an MDM Case Study series, we detail how the initiative — alongside investments in data, AI and cybersecurity — is driving efficiency, visibility and scalability across the company’s growing distribution platform.
The third and final part of this case study series on Germany-based power transmission and motion control distributor Ludwig Meiser explores why disciplined execution ultimately depends on people, trust and behavior — not technology.
Part 2 of this case study series on Germany-based power transmission and motion control distributor Ludwig Meister explores turning data discipline, analytics and AI into real operating leverage — without losing focus or control.
The second part of our Singer Industrial deep dive explores how the industrial rubber, fluid power and automation distribution organization decides which distributors to bring into its growing platform. President Pete Haberbosch explains the company’s people-first criteria, relationship-driven sourcing strategy and disciplined approach to integration — and why walking away from the wrong deal can be just as important as closing the right one.
Special pricing agreements are a major margin lever for distributors — yet many leave money unclaimed due to data mismatches, rising complexity and reactive processes. The third and final article in this series outlines common SPA failure points and a three-pronged strategy to recover margin and drive growth.
This year has started with two strong months of dealmaking, with February tying for the most deals we’ve counted since the start of 2024. Get our breakdown of deals tracked per month over the past 2 years, deals by product category through two months of 2026 and a full rundown of every transaction we published news about during February.
We take a deep dive into the industrial rubber, fluid power and automation distributor's “coordinated autonomy” model — a strategy designed to balance shared scale advantages with true local decision-making. Here’s how Singer preserves legacy brands and entrepreneurial leadership while scaling a unified platform.
We share our latest survey-driven snapshot of what distributors and manufacturers indicated their digital sales are, plenty of commentary from distributors on the matter and our analysis and context on underlying factors.
When their $1.5 billion combination finalized in early November, it also kicked off a U.S. ERP transition for MRC that has had major problems from the start. We detail and analyze what DNOW has shared about those issues.
Deals involving industrial distributors were less frequent than the robust pace we saw in January-March, though it included another landmark pending transaction in building materials via QXO.
The 1Q26 Baird-MDM Industrial Distribution survey shows pricing power holding steady, but commentary reflects a more divided market shaped by competition, costs and customer behavior. We analyze the data here.
The MROP supplies distributor has built a service-first sales culture that rejects transactional selling in favor of long-term customer value. The third part of our Stellar deep dive explores how that philosophy shapes its sales strategy, talent approach and growth — and why it’s resonating across the industrial distribution sector.
Stellar Industrial Supply blends third-party platforms with in-house development to deliver a more seamless, data-driven customer experience. We continue our company deep dive as this piece explores how its buy-vs.-build strategy, automation efforts and digital mindset are helping the distributor scale efficiently while deepening customer value.
Our latest update shows another major upgrade for the U.S. wholesale distribution industry's 2026 annual revenues - skewed by oil & gas price assumptions as well as other inflationary impacts. Get your much more valuable sector-specific revenue forecasts here.
Pricing is still playing a large — albeit decelerated role — in the company’s strong results, while management was upbeat on underlying demand. Get our in-depth breakdown of Fastenal’s 1Q metrics.
Vendor costs are shifting weekly, but most distributors are still updating them manually — and bleeding margin with every delay. With a racing analogy throughout, this piece argues that manual cost updates are no longer a manageable inefficiency but a systematic profit killer.
After 2 straight years of $100 million-plus deals that were few and far between, 2026 has already seen plenty either completed or announced, including a handful in March.
You’ve seen their profiles and commentary in our four-part series (if not, you really should). Now, see their advice for other women who are either just starting in distribution or interested in the industry.
The 2026 edition brought together enough Grainger customers, suppliers and staff to fill a small town, but the real story is how the event showcases the company's evolving value proposition. Mike Hockett shares his key takeaways from three days at Grainger Show and executive commentary about what it provides for all stakeholders involved.
Our latest update shows a major upgrade for the U.S. wholesale distribution industry's 2026 annual revenues - heavily skewed by oil pricing assumptions tied to the Iran conflict. Get your much more valuable sector-specific revenue forecasts here.
Singer Industrial is undertaking a multiyear ERP transformation to unify systems across 55+ businesses. In this third and final part of an MDM Case Study series, we detail how the initiative — alongside investments in data, AI and cybersecurity — is driving efficiency, visibility and scalability across the company’s growing distribution platform.
The third and final part of this case study series on Germany-based power transmission and motion control distributor Ludwig Meiser explores why disciplined execution ultimately depends on people, trust and behavior — not technology.
Part 2 of this case study series on Germany-based power transmission and motion control distributor Ludwig Meister explores turning data discipline, analytics and AI into real operating leverage — without losing focus or control.
The second part of our Singer Industrial deep dive explores how the industrial rubber, fluid power and automation distribution organization decides which distributors to bring into its growing platform. President Pete Haberbosch explains the company’s people-first criteria, relationship-driven sourcing strategy and disciplined approach to integration — and why walking away from the wrong deal can be just as important as closing the right one.
Special pricing agreements are a major margin lever for distributors — yet many leave money unclaimed due to data mismatches, rising complexity and reactive processes. The third and final article in this series outlines common SPA failure points and a three-pronged strategy to recover margin and drive growth.
This year has started with two strong months of dealmaking, with February tying for the most deals we’ve counted since the start of 2024. Get our breakdown of deals tracked per month over the past 2 years, deals by product category through two months of 2026 and a full rundown of every transaction we published news about during February.
We take a deep dive into the industrial rubber, fluid power and automation distributor's “coordinated autonomy” model — a strategy designed to balance shared scale advantages with true local decision-making. Here’s how Singer preserves legacy brands and entrepreneurial leadership while scaling a unified platform.
We share our latest survey-driven snapshot of what distributors and manufacturers indicated their digital sales are, plenty of commentary from distributors on the matter and our analysis and context on underlying factors.
When their $1.5 billion combination finalized in early November, it also kicked off a U.S. ERP transition for MRC that has had major problems from the start. We detail and analyze what DNOW has shared about those issues.
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