Building material and supplies dealers (NAICS 444190) industry trends

The building material and supplies dealers industry includes firms that sell new building materials and supplies. This industry comprises of firms such as home centers, paint and wall paper stores and hardware stores. Home centers retail lumber, plumbing goods, electrical goods, tools, housewares, hardware, lawn and garden supplies and other new home repair and improvement materials and supplies. The different types of merchandise are typically organized in separate departments in home centers.  Paint and wallpaper stores sell paint, wallpaper and related supplies. Hardware stores sell tools, builders’ hardware and other new hardware items. Other firms within this industry sell lumber, fencing, glass, doors, kitchen and bath cabinets and other specialized lines of new building materials. Examples of firms within this industry are electrical supply stores, kitchen cabinet stores, glass stores and floor covering stores.

The Census Bureau’s most recent data indicates that there are approximately 70,818 firms within this industry. The majority of firms within this industry are specialized building material dealers selling items such as countertops, cabinets and glass.

According to Sageworks’ industry data, the industry’s net profit margin during the last 12 months was 2.56 percent. During this same time, the average gross profit margin was 31.00 percent.

The graph below shows business statistics for the average company in the building material and supplies dealers industry.