Average net profits before taxes for electrical distributors increased in 2005 by nearly a half-percent to 4.04 percent, according to a study by the Electrical Manufacturers Credit Bureau (EMCB), Murrieta, Calif. In “2005 Financial Norms of the Electrical Wholesaling Industry,” average gross profits for electrical distributors that provided EMCB with financial information decreased 0.03 percent in 2005 to 20.9 percent.
Profit data for the 25 distributor respondents with a net worth of more than $10 million was reported separately, and came in close to the EMCB’s industry average, with gross profits at 20.82 percent and net profits before taxes at 4.12 percent. Gross profits for the following large distributors were as follows: Graybar Electric Co., St. Louis, 19 percent; Hagemeyer North America, Charleston, S.C., 23.25 percent; Rexel Inc., Dallas, 25.25 percent; and WESCO Distribution Inc., Pittsburgh, 19 percent. While profit margins for The Home Depot, Atlanta, and Lowe’s, Mooresville, N.C., were not included in the study, their net profit before taxes were 11.39 percent and 10.42 percent, respectively.
Other key data in EMCB’s “2005 Financial Norms of the Electrical Wholesaling Industry” was as follows: cash (5.67 percent): receivables (46.28 percent); inventory (44.52 percent); current ratio (1.91 to 1); quick ratio (0.99 to 1); worth debt ratio (0.66 to 1). For more information, contact EMCB at (951) 834-9540.