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HVACR Trends

HVACR Trends

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Chuck Labow

HVAC Distributor Sales Pick Up in February

March 31, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

HARDI February Results

HVAC distributor sales moved in the right direction in February, with HARDI reporting weighted average same-day sales up approximately 5% year-over-year.  That is a meaningful swing from January, when the same measure was down 1%.  Before anyone calls it a recovery, though, it is worth looking at what is actually driving the number. Price Is Doing Most of the … [Read more...] about HVAC Distributor Sales Pick Up in February

Rethinking SPA Optimization

March 26, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Distributor pricing and finance team reviewing SPA reconciliation data at an office workstation

SPAs are simultaneously one of the most valuable margin levers in distribution and one of the least governed. In this context, SPA refers to Special Price Agreements which are ship-and-debit programs between manufacturers and distributors that support stock sales growth and align channel pricing. Distributors invest significant time negotiating favorable terms with suppliers, … [Read more...] about Rethinking SPA Optimization

AI for Distributor HR: Tools Worth Knowing About

March 2, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

HVACR distributor HR team reviewing AI workforce management tools on a laptop

Getting Started with AI for Distributor HR For distributors, people are the business.  You can operate with a lean inventory model, but without capable people, nothing works.  That reality is why AI for distributor HR is worth paying attention to now.  The tools have matured enough to handle real workflows, the costs are accessible, and the administrative burden they can … [Read more...] about AI for Distributor HR: Tools Worth Knowing About

HVAC Tariff Costs: What the Supreme Court Ruling Really Changes

February 25, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Supreme Court IEEPA tariff ruling impact on HVAC equipment pricing and the distribution channel

The Supreme Court handed down a significant trade policy decision last week, and the headlines made it sound like relief was on the way.  For HVACR distributors, contractors, and manufacturers trying to manage HVAC tariff costs, the reality is more complicated than the news cycle suggests.  The Court struck down one major tariff mechanism.  Several others remain fully intact, a … [Read more...] about HVAC Tariff Costs: What the Supreme Court Ruling Really Changes

Watsco Q4 Earnings Miss Masks a Bigger Story

February 18, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Watsco Q4 2025 earnings showing record gross margins and technology platform investments alongside volume declines in HVAC distribution

Watsco Q4 earnings tell two stories, and neither one cancels the other out. On the surface, Watsco Q4 earnings paint a rough picture. Revenue fell 10%.  HVAC equipment sales dropped 13%.  Earnings per share declined 29%.  When you back out the 11% domestic pricing increase, implied equipment volumes were down more than 20%.  That is not a soft patch. But Watsco's own framing … [Read more...] about Watsco Q4 Earnings Miss Masks a Bigger Story

nVent Earnings Reveal a Company the Channel Barely Recognizes | HVACR Trends

February 11, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

nVent Q4 2025 earnings results showing portfolio transformation toward data center and infrastructure growth

The nVent Portfolio Transformation Is Not Subtle / What the nVent Portfolio Transformation Means for the Channel nVent's Q4 2025 earnings tell two stories.  The surface story is a record quarter with sales up 42% and backlog tripling to $2.3 billion.  The deeper story, the one that should matter more to every distributor and rep carrying nVent products, is that this is not the … [Read more...] about nVent Earnings Reveal a Company the Channel Barely Recognizes | HVACR Trends

Prokeep Launches Distributor Order Automation With AI-Powered Quoting

February 10, 2026 by Chuck Labow Leave a Comment

Prokeep Order Automation platform turning customer messages into ERP-ready quotes for distributors

Distributors talk a lot about speed.  Faster quotes.  Faster answers.  Faster fulfillment.  But the gap between talking about speed and actually building it into the quoting workflow is still wide at most branches.  Prokeep is trying to close that gap with a new distributor order automation platform that uses AI to convert incoming customer messages into ERP-ready quotes, and … [Read more...] about Prokeep Launches Distributor Order Automation With AI-Powered Quoting

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