Grainger reported 1Q 2026 results on May 7, with sales of $4.7 billion, up 10.1%, or 12.2% on a daily, organic constant currency basis. They achieved an operating margin of 16.7%, up 110 basis points, reversing last quarter’s decline. Volume growth and higher customer demand drove Endless Assortment sales up 19.6%, and High Touch sales were up 10.5%. Grainger passed through … [Read more...] about Grainger Outperforms Industry Due to eCommerce
Market Insights
Stanley Black Decker Industrial Channel: Q1 2026 Read
Stanley Black Decker Q1 2026 results landed this week. For the Stanley Black Decker industrial channel, the more useful read is what sits underneath the headline numbers. Total revenue was up 3% to $3.8 billion, organic revenue was flat, adjusted gross margin held at 30.2%, and adjusted EPS landed at $0.80. Those are the financials. The channel signals are where the article … [Read more...] about Stanley Black Decker Industrial Channel: Q1 2026 Read
2026 Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply – Up 8-9%
Last month we released our Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply survey results to respondents. This industry-wide researched, sponsored by William Blair, is conducted by Channel Marketing Group. Respondents are industrial supply distributors, manufacturers, and manufacturer representatives focused in the industrial supply channel. By soliciting input from each segment of the channel, … [Read more...] about 2026 Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply – Up 8-9%
4 Reasons Why Industrial Supply Manufacturers Need Amazon Business
Industrial buyers have been in the midst of change, much of it precipitated since Covid. Generational change in the workplace; utilizing digital tools to buy and manage projects; channel fragmentation. Manufacturers, seemingly always seeking to "meet the quarter" have adapted with website upgrades, product content attribution development, personnel changes, online training … [Read more...] about 4 Reasons Why Industrial Supply Manufacturers Need Amazon Business
MSC Industrial Q2 2026 Earnings: Revenue Slows, Margins Hold, Guidance Improves
MSC Industrial earnings for Q2 fiscal 2026 showed modest revenue growth against a mixed demand picture. Revenue grew 2.9% year over year to $917.8 million, coming in below consensus expectations in the $930 to $932 million range. Price contributed approximately 660 basis points to sales growth, while volume declined roughly 400 basis points. The gap between those two numbers … [Read more...] about MSC Industrial Q2 2026 Earnings: Revenue Slows, Margins Hold, Guidance Improves
Fastenal Q1 2026: Strong Growth, Tightening Margins
Fastenal Q1 2026 results put the Winona, Minnesota-based industrial distributor at $2.2 billion in quarterly revenue, up 12.4% year over year. The headline is clean. What sits underneath it is worth unpacking for anyone tracking how the industrial distribution channel is absorbing cost pressure, managing customer mix, and investing in technology to hold position. Revenue … [Read more...] about Fastenal Q1 2026: Strong Growth, Tightening Margins
NetPlus Members Forecast a Successful 2026
NetPlus Alliance, the industrial and contractor supply distributor marketing group that represents over 400 distributors who purchased over $600M through the group, recently shared their members’ 2026 outlook, in conjunction with a recap of their Q4. And the membership, by and large, is looking for growth to continue in 2026. NetPlus Delivers Growth in 2025, Forecasts … [Read more...] about NetPlus Members Forecast a Successful 2026
Eaton Q4 2025 Earnings: What Distributors Should Know
What Eaton Q4 2025 Earnings Signal for Industrial Distributors Eaton Q4 2025 earnings delivered record numbers, but the real story for the industrial channel sits underneath the headline. Data center demand is reshaping where Eaton invests, how it allocates capacity, and which segments get priority. For distributors and reps carrying Eaton products, the … [Read more...] about Eaton Q4 2025 Earnings: What Distributors Should Know
New Research: Rebates Ensure Profitability
In the industrial supply industry, we often talk about "backside dollars", or rebates, as a necessary part of the business. But are they a strategic asset or just a "tax" on doing business? Earlier this year we (Channel Marketing Group) conducted research, sponsored by Enable, a leading rebate management reporting system. on volume rebates and are releasing a new research … [Read more...] about New Research: Rebates Ensure Profitability
Converting POs to Digital Commerce, and a Christmas Offer
Last quarter's Pulse of Industrial Supply identified a significant divergence in the percentage of digital sales for smaller distributors vs large distributors. Perhaps its the customer base? It could be investments in eCommerce technology and product data. It could be marketing. But it could also be that smaller distributors are not being customer friendly, … [Read more...] about Converting POs to Digital Commerce, and a Christmas Offer
