NAED PAR Report Shows Rebound in Profits for Distributors

The economic outlook for electrical distribution improved slightly in 2002, according to the National Association of Electrical Distributors' (NAED's) recently released 2003 Performance Analysis Report (PAR) Highlights.

Compiled from a financial survey of 172 NAED distributor members throughout the United States, the NAED PAR Highlights provides a benchmark for distributor operations in the industry.

The 2003 PAR Highlights, using 2002 data, showed increases in profit margin, return on assets, and return on net worth for the "typical" distributor. The profit margins of the "high profit" distributor continued to decline, but that group's margins were still nearly three times that of the "typical" distributor. (See "typical" distributor's profit margin in the chart.)

Featuring statistical breakouts by sales volume, customer emphasis, and warehouse sales, the 2003 PAR Highlights provides detailed information on profitability and productivity ratios, income statements, and balance sheets. In addition, PAR Highlights includes a five-year trend analysis of key ratios, which helps distributors improve and grow their businesses.

For more information or to order the 2003 PAR Highlights, contact NAED customer service at (888) 791-2512 or [email protected]. PAR survey participants already received PAR Highlights, but the report is now available to non-participants for $300 (first copy) and $20 (additional copies). The 2004 PAR surveys will be sent out in Jan. 2004.