Ferguson Enterprises released Q1 2026 results this week, and the read for the HVACR channel is more interesting than the headline beat suggests. The Ferguson HVAC strategy is performing in a mixed environment. Residential demand is weak. Nonresidential is strong. Data centers continue to drive specialty growth. Pricing is firming up faster than the company's own guidance … [Read more...] about Ferguson HVAC Strategy and the Q1 2026 Channel Read
pricing
HVAC Distributor Sales Pick Up in February
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
HVAC Tariff Costs: What the Supreme Court Ruling Really Changes
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
Where Margin Is Hiding
Distributor margin rarely disappears in one dramatic event. It leaks. Slowly. Through timing gaps, unclear handoffs, and processes that span multiple departments but belong to none of them. The reality is that, in many cases, it didn't truly disappear. If that's true, the obvious question is: Where is the margin hiding? Scott Sinning has spent years working on exactly … [Read more...] about Where Margin Is Hiding
AI for HVAC Distributors: A Practical Field Guide from Pilot to Profit
For HVAC-R distributors dealing with margin pressure, labor constraints, and increasingly complex quoting environments, AI is rapidly moving from curiosity to operational necessity. After nearly a year of research, interviews, and vendor evaluations, I am pleased to announce the release of The AI-Enabled Distributor: From Pilot to Profit: A Field Guide written specifically for … [Read more...] about AI for HVAC Distributors: A Practical Field Guide from Pilot to Profit
SPAs- Are they Worth the Cost?
In a penny nickel business, every penny counts. Which is why SPAs can matter. Increasing gross margins and, more importantly, net profitability, in today’s environment is extremely challenging. Publicly-held national chains such as Rexel and WESCO report net profitability in the 4-4.5% range whereas the NAED PAR report typically proclaims a 2-4% net profitability for … [Read more...] about SPAs- Are they Worth the Cost?
Does it feel like we’re heading into a recession …
Or are we talking ourselves into a recession? Since the fall and the beginning of planning season there have been some economists who have been warning of a second half 2019 slowdown leading to a 2020 recession. Their prognostications were based upon some trends, the fact that we’ve been in a growth cycle for awhile and “are due”, the last year’s tariffs and the one that was … [Read more...] about Does it feel like we’re heading into a recession …
