The American Supply Association’s Monthly Pulse Report shows member distributor respondents reported a median sales increase of 3.5% for the period ending Sept. 30, 2018 vs. the same period in 2017.

For calendar year-to-date, respondents reported a median sales growth of 7.6%. For the trailing 12 months, ending Sept. 30, 2018, respondents reported a median sales growth of 6.9%. Inventory rose 6% for September 2018 vs. 2017.

The median three-months average days sales outstanding increased to 45 days in September. Just more than 56% of participants reported an increase in gross margin percentage for September 2018 vs. September 2017.

Company year-to-date profit before tax increased for 72.5% of the respondents. More than half (59.3%) of the respondents reported having more full-time-equivalent employees vs. a year ago.

On the industrial PVF side, respondents, calendar-year-to-date, reported a median sales growth of 13%. For the trailing 12 months, ending Sept. 30, 2018, respondents reported a median sales growth of 9.1%. Inventory rose 11.6% for September 2018 vs. 2017.

The median three-months average days sales outstanding for PVF distributors increased to 46.3 days in September. 63.6% of survey participants on the PVF side reported having more full-time-equivalent employees vs. a year ago.

73.7% of PVF respondents reported an increase in gross margin percentage for September 2018 vs. September 2017. 66.7% of PVF respondents reported an increase in company year-to-date profit before tax.