ASA member wholesaler-distributors reported a median sales increase of 4.9% for the month ending Dec. 31, 2017, compared to the same month in 2016. Calendar year-to-date, all respondents reported median sales growth of 6%.
Inventory rose 5.8% compared to prior year, and the median three-months average days sales outstanding dropped from 43.6 days in November to 43 days. More than 54% of respondents reported an increase in gross margin percentages for the month December 2017 vs. 2016, and company YTD profit before taxes increased for 66.7% of the total sample. The percentage of respondents having more full-time-equivalent employees compared to a year ago decreased from 62.5% in November to nearly 59% in December.