2008

U.S. wholesale trade revenues in January 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers were $387.7 billion, up 2.7 percent from December and up 15.1 percent from January 2007. The December preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.7 billion or 0.2 percent. January sales of durable goods were up 2.4 percent from last month and were up 5.1 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were up 4.2 percent and sales of furniture and home furnishings were up 3.7 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 3.0 percent from last month and were up 24.8 percent from last year. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 16.1 percent from last month and sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 3.5 percent.

Inventories. Total …

This article looks at the impact of private equity on the industrial distribution market. The impact can be seen in other distribution sectors, as well. The author says that increased private equity ownership has fundamentally changed the corporate and strategic landscape of the distribution industry.

Worldwide M&A activity reached a record $3.8 trillion over the first nine months of 2007, according to Dealogic.

Much of the activity was directly attributed to private equity firms, which raised nearly $200 billion worldwide during the year. In particular, industrial distribution experienced unprecedented private equity investment.

Over the last two years, 21 private equity firms have made 46 platform and add-on investments in numerous sub-sectors …