American Supply Association member distributors reported a median sales increase of 4.0% for the month ending Dec. 31, 2016, compared to the same month in 2015.

Calendar year-to-date, all respondents reported median sales growth of 4.7% and the median increase for the trailing 12 months also is 4.7%. Inventory rose 1.8% compared to the prior year and the median three-months average days sales outstanding dropped from 44 to 42 days.

More than half the respondents reported an increase in gross margin percentages for December 2016 vs. 2015 and company YTD profit before taxes increased for 56% of the total sample. The percentage of respondents having more full-time-equivalent employees compared to a year ago increased from 45.8% in November to 49.4% in December.

Industrial PVF distributors reported a median sales decrease of 1.2% for the month compared to December 2015. Calendar year-to-date, PVF respondents reported a median sales increase of 6.0% and the median increase for the trailing 12 months also is 6.0%. Inventories grew 4.0% compared to the prior year and the median three-months average DSO decreased slightly from 43.4 days in November to 43 in December. PVF respondents reporting an increase in company YTD profit before taxes decreased from 50% in November to 47.1% in December.