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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 six-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 six-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
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
This category can only be viewed by members. To view this category, sign up by purchasing MDM Premium Subscription (monthly) or MDM Premium Subscription (annual).
The CFNAI Diffusion Index decreased slightly to +0.09 during the month.
Does the U.S. government owe contractors back interest on late payments? Should federal client relationships be reconsidered? Distributors are asking these questions and more in the wake of the longest federal government shutdown in history.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
A series of antitrust lawsuits and other legal actions over the last several years will end up costing the largest three dental distributors in the U.S. upwards of $100 million in settlement fines and legal fees. Its an expensive lesson in how fairly common practices in distribution (and other industries) can turn into major liabilities.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Anticompetitive conduct lawsuits over several years are adding up to an estimated $100 million or more in settlement and legal fees for the three largest U.S. dental supplies distributors. A Federal Trade Commission case is still underway. Heres a summary of the cases, how these companies got into trouble and lessons for distributors across all sectors.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Since the Great Recession of 2008-2009, few publicly-traded companies have undertaken as much change in sales model, technology platform, process improvement and culture as Chicago-based Lawson Products. From 2009 to 2013, Lawson converted all of its sales representatives from a network of independent sales agents to sales employees, today numbering 1,000. MDM last talked with President and CEO Michael DeCata in 2014, who outlined the unique service-focused value proposition and changes taking place at the time. Four years after transitioning its sales model, we check in again for a progress report.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Why distributors should avoid the damaging consequences of I dont want to get a co-worker in trouble syndrome.
Orders for machine tools and related equipment rise 19 percent year-over-year, but December shows monthly decline.
Distributor adds Tom Schmitt as non-executive director, effective February 2019.
Since 2010, Robert W. Baird & Co., in partnership with Modern Distribution Management, has conducted quarterly surveys of distributors and manufacturers to gauge business trends and the outlook for the industry. This quarter’s survey polled approximately 500 industry leaders to determine the latest indicators on revenue and pricing based on fourth-quarter 2018 results and distributor and manufacturer expectations for first-quarter and full-year 2019.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
A year ago, at the beginning of 2018, all indicators suggested that the economic and stock market fundamentals were in place for a year of solid growth in the U.S. economy. And while that turned out to be the case for the first three quarters of the year, as 2018 ended the economic signals became more mixed, suggesting that the economy might be entering a period of slowdown. However, whether we are in for a soft landing or something more painful remains to be seen and depends on a number of moving parts.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
This issue features the results of our first Baird/MDM quarterly survey of 2019. Though the picture it paints is far from crystal clear and there are still many reasons to be optimistic about the industrys immediate future, its looking more likely that in 2019 well be reaching the end point of the current business cycle and heading into some unsettled times economically.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
In Part 1 of this series, we presented the results of an MDM survey about distributor marketing, focusing on the level of success they are currently having in their marketing efforts and to what extent they are deploying the various kinds of marketing vehicle (SEO, social media, e-mail, print and telemarketing). The overall trend we identified is that while distributors are slowly getting better at marketing, only a small portion (6 percent) can be classified as high performers. In Part 2 of the series, we explore two areas that distributors must improve on if they are to join that 6 percent and reap first-mover benefits.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Who is responsible for creating preference for a product as well as for where the product is purchased? A new economic formula demands that we devote scarce resources to fewer partners.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
As we turn the page to 2019, many industry observers are offering predictions. Instead of following the crowd, however, David Gordon discusses some dynamics that are significantly affecting the electrical distribution channel.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Confidence in distribution industry fundamentals appears sound for 2019, but with indicators for moderating growth, according to preliminary results of MDMs 2019 Industry Outlook Survey. Heres a sneak preview of survey highlights.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
The CFNAI Diffusion Index decreased slightly to +0.09 during the month.
Does the U.S. government owe contractors back interest on late payments? Should federal client relationships be reconsidered? Distributors are asking these questions and more in the wake of the longest federal government shutdown in history.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
A series of antitrust lawsuits and other legal actions over the last several years will end up costing the largest three dental distributors in the U.S. upwards of $100 million in settlement fines and legal fees. Its an expensive lesson in how fairly common practices in distribution (and other industries) can turn into major liabilities.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Anticompetitive conduct lawsuits over several years are adding up to an estimated $100 million or more in settlement and legal fees for the three largest U.S. dental supplies distributors. A Federal Trade Commission case is still underway. Heres a summary of the cases, how these companies got into trouble and lessons for distributors across all sectors.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Since the Great Recession of 2008-2009, few publicly-traded companies have undertaken as much change in sales model, technology platform, process improvement and culture as Chicago-based Lawson Products. From 2009 to 2013, Lawson converted all of its sales representatives from a network of independent sales agents to sales employees, today numbering 1,000. MDM last talked with President and CEO Michael DeCata in 2014, who outlined the unique service-focused value proposition and changes taking place at the time. Four years after transitioning its sales model, we check in again for a progress report.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Why distributors should avoid the damaging consequences of I dont want to get a co-worker in trouble syndrome.
Orders for machine tools and related equipment rise 19 percent year-over-year, but December shows monthly decline.
Distributor adds Tom Schmitt as non-executive director, effective February 2019.
Since 2010, Robert W. Baird & Co., in partnership with Modern Distribution Management, has conducted quarterly surveys of distributors and manufacturers to gauge business trends and the outlook for the industry. This quarter’s survey polled approximately 500 industry leaders to determine the latest indicators on revenue and pricing based on fourth-quarter 2018 results and distributor and manufacturer expectations for first-quarter and full-year 2019.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
A year ago, at the beginning of 2018, all indicators suggested that the economic and stock market fundamentals were in place for a year of solid growth in the U.S. economy. And while that turned out to be the case for the first three quarters of the year, as 2018 ended the economic signals became more mixed, suggesting that the economy might be entering a period of slowdown. However, whether we are in for a soft landing or something more painful remains to be seen and depends on a number of moving parts.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
This issue features the results of our first Baird/MDM quarterly survey of 2019. Though the picture it paints is far from crystal clear and there are still many reasons to be optimistic about the industrys immediate future, its looking more likely that in 2019 well be reaching the end point of the current business cycle and heading into some unsettled times economically.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
In Part 1 of this series, we presented the results of an MDM survey about distributor marketing, focusing on the level of success they are currently having in their marketing efforts and to what extent they are deploying the various kinds of marketing vehicle (SEO, social media, e-mail, print and telemarketing). The overall trend we identified is that while distributors are slowly getting better at marketing, only a small portion (6 percent) can be classified as high performers. In Part 2 of the series, we explore two areas that distributors must improve on if they are to join that 6 percent and reap first-mover benefits.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Who is responsible for creating preference for a product as well as for where the product is purchased? A new economic formula demands that we devote scarce resources to fewer partners.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
As we turn the page to 2019, many industry observers are offering predictions. Instead of following the crowd, however, David Gordon discusses some dynamics that are significantly affecting the electrical distribution channel.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
Confidence in distribution industry fundamentals appears sound for 2019, but with indicators for moderating growth, according to preliminary results of MDMs 2019 Industry Outlook Survey. Heres a sneak preview of survey highlights.
Subscribers should log-in below to read this article.
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