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Home Centers & Hardware Stores Industry Report

Overview

The US home center and hardware store, or home improvement retail, industry includes about 23,000 hardware stores and home centers with combined annual revenue of about $150 billion. Major home center companies include The Home Depot and Lowe's Companies; major hardware store companies include True Value Company and Ace Hardware. The home center segment of the industry is highly concentrated: the top four companies account for more than 90 percent of segment revenue. The hardware store segment of the industry is fragmented: the top 50 companies account for about 30 percent of segment revenue. Home centers offer more building supplies (such as lumber and flooring) and appliances than hardware stores. Home centers account for about 85 percent of industry revenue; hardware stores for about 15 percent. Hardware stores account for about 70 percent of retail locations for the industry, compared to about 30 percent for home centers.

SIC: 5211, 5251

NAICS: 444110, 444130

Sample Questions & Answers

How have long-term pricing trends in the home improvement market affected the company?

Declining and flat retail prices in key categories for home improvement retailers can affect profitability. Retail prices for tools and hardware were basically flat between 1999 and 2009; prices for outdoor equipment and supplies were down almost 10...

How do residential housing trends affect the company's sales?

Home sales, improvement and repair projects, and new residential construction drive sales for home improvement stores. The residential real estate market can be cyclical and influenced by economic conditions. Decreases in home turnover and slower...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Home Centers & Hardware Stores Industry Report

Bookstores Industry Report

Overview

The US bookstores industry includes about 10,000 stores with combined annual revenue of about $16 billion. Major companies include Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. The industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 85 percent of sales.

SIC: 5942

NAICS: 451211

Sample Questions & Answers

How has the increased competition from online-only booksellers affected growth?

Book sales for Internet and mail order retailers are estimated at about $7 billion, cutting into sales for bookstores. Since Amazon.com's introduction, traditional bookstore sales have gone from growing faster than total retail sales to growing more...

How does the company plan to grow revenue when pricing has remained flat?

Consumer prices for trade books (fiction, nonfiction, adult, children’s) remained flat between 2000 and 2010. Publishers indirectly set maximum retail prices, so retailers must rely on increased volume or decreased discounts to sustain profitability.

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Bookstores Industry Report

Cosmetics, Beauty Supply & Perfume Stores Industry Report

Overview

The cosmetic, beauty supply, and perfume store (beauty store) industry includes about 13,000 stores with combined annual revenue of around $10 billion. Major companies include Sally Beauty Supply, Ulta, Sephora, and divisions of Limited Brands (Bath & Body Works) and L’Oreal (The Body Shop International). The industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies have almost 75 percent of industry revenue.

SIC: 5999

NAICS: 446120

Sample Questions & Answers

What is the company’s most significant competitive threat?

Beauty stores face a wide range of competitors across all price segments, including department stores, drugstores, mass merchandisers, TV shopping networks, and Internet retailers. Department stores are the top channel for beauty...

How vulnerable is the company’s product mix to changes in consumer spending?

Sales of beauty products, particularly high-end, are susceptible to decreased consumer spending. Consumers consider many beauty products luxuries, and segments of the industry are vulnerable to economic downturns. Consumers may reduce discretionary...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Cosmetics, Beauty Supply & Perfume Stores Industry Report

Music Stores Industry Report

Overview

The US music store industry includes about 4,000 stores with combined annual revenue of about $3 billion. Major companies include Trans World Entertainment Corporation (operator of FYE and other branded stores), Hastings Entertainment, and CD Warehouse. The industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for more than 70 percent of industry revenue.

SIC: 5735

NAICS: 451220

Sample Questions & Answers

Who are the company’s most significant retail competitors?

Music stores face intense competition from consumer electronics stores, mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs, and Internet retailers. Music stores capture less than one-third of all US music purchases, according to the Recording Industry Association...

How has digital downloading affected the company?

Digital music downloading, both legal and illegal, has negatively affected US CD sales. Sales of physical CDs declined nearly 20 percent in the first half of 2010 compared to the same time a year earlier, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Meanwhile,...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Music Stores Industry Report

Building Material Dealers Industry Report

Overview

The US concrete and masonry contracting industry includes about 50,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $55 billion. Major companies include Baker Concrete Construction, Ceco Concrete Construction, Stewart Builders, and United Forming.

SIC: 1771, 1791, 1741

NAICS: 238110, 238120, 238140

Sample Questions & Answers

How does the company manage demand for services when the construction industry is highly cyclical?

Demand for concrete and masonry contracting services depends on construction activity, which can vary significantly from region to region and from year to year. Many contractors rely on both residential and nonresidential projects; others specialize.

How is the company challenged by expanding its geographic coverage?

With few exceptions, concrete and masonry contractors lack a national presence. Most businesses are local and market themselves to local general contractors. While referrals and word-of-mouth are beneficial in local markets, dependence upon personal...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Building Material Dealers Industry Report

Retail Sector Industry Report

Overview

The US retail industry includes about 1 million outlets with combined annual revenue of about $4 trillion. Major companies include Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, Costco, and Target. While large companies dominate some retail sectors (such as mass merchandisers and grocery stores), other sectors (such as auto dealers and convenience stores) are fragmented. Many specialty retailers are single-store operations.

SIC: 5983, 5984, 5989, 5992, 5993, 5994, 5995, 5999, 7389, 5211, 5231, 5251, 5261, 5271, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5411, 5421, 5431, 5441, 5451, 5461, 5499, 5511, 5521, 5531, 5541, 5551, 5561, 5571, 5599, 5611, 5621, 5632, 5641, 5651, 5661, 5712, 5713, 5714, 5722, 5731, 5734, 5735, 5736, 5912, 5921, 5932, 5941, 5942, 5943, 5944, 5945, 5946, 5947, 5948, 5961, 5962

NAICS: 445299, 445310, 446110, 446120, 446130, 446191, 446199, 447110, 447190, 448110, 448120, 448130, 448140, 448150, 448190, 448210, 448310, 454319, 454390, 448320, 451110, 451120, 451130, 451140, 451211, 451212, 451220, 452111, 452112, 452910, 452990, 453110, 453210, 453220, 453310, 453910, 453920, 453930, 453991, 453998, 454111, 454112, 454113, 454210, 454311, 454312, 441110, 441120, 441210, 441221, 441222, 441229, 441310, 441320, 442110, 442210, 442291, 442299, 443111, 443112, 443120, 443130, 444110, 444120, 444130, 444190, 444210, 444220, 445110, 445120, 445210, 445220, 445230, 445291, 445292

Sample Questions & Answers

How sensitive is the company's business to the economy?

Economic factors, including personal income, consumer confidence, job growth, and interest rates, can greatly affect consumer spending and the retail sector. During recessionary periods, retail sales growth can slow drastically and even decline.

How does the company compete with large retailers?

In many retail segments, large companies dominate and hold the majority of the market. Even specialty retailers in fragmented markets must compete with mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs that offer a smaller selection of comparable merchandise at...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Retail Sector Industry Report

Internet & Mail-Order Retail Industry Report

Overview

The Internet and mail-order retail industry in the US includes about 20,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $270 billion. Major companies include Lands’ End, LL Bean, Amazon, Overstock, and Hanover Direct. The industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for about 70 percent of industry revenue. Over the past five years, the bulk of the industry's revenue has shifted from catalog to Internet sales. While most brick-and-mortar retailers have an online presence and many also offer catalog sales, this profile focuses on retailers who use the Internet or catalogs as their sole or primary sales channel.

SIC: 5961

NAICS: 454111, 454113

Sample Questions & Answers

How does the current economic environment affect the company's sales outlook?

Catalog and Internet retailers sell primarily discretionary goods and services, so demand varies with changes in personal income. Consumers delay or cut back on computers, new clothing, home furnishings, and other discretionary items when the economy...

How does the company compete with online sales by traditional retailers?

Traditional retailers are becoming the dominant online retailers by leveraging high consumer awareness. Consumers are moving to large brands that have online capability and that they're familiar with. Internet retailing has been growing rapidly.

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Internet & Mail-Order Retail Industry Report

Home Furnishings Stores Industry Report

Overview

The US home furnishings store industry includes about 20,000 stores with combined annual revenues of about $25 billion. Major companies include Bed Bath & Beyond and Williams-Sonoma. The industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 75 percent of industry revenue.

SIC: 5713, 5714

NAICS: 442210, 442299

Sample Questions & Answers

How sensitive are the company’s sales to economic conditions?

Home furnishings are usually discretionary purchases that can be postponed when consumer income declines. For example, sales for home furnishings stores fell 8 percent from 2008 to 2009 and grew by just 3 percent from 2009 to 2010, as consumers...

How has the company responded to declining prices?

Consumer prices for home furnishing products have been steadily falling for nearly a decade, driven by low-cost imports and competition from national chains and mass merchandisers. Prices for window coverings fell 20 percent from 2001 to 2010; for...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Home Furnishings Stores Industry Report

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry Report

Overview

The US pharmaceutical manufacturing industry includes about 1,500 companies with combined annual revenue of about $200 billion. Major companies include Abbott, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer. The US industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for more than 80 percent of revenue.

SIC: 2833, 2834, 2835

NAICS: 325411, 325412, 325413

Sample Questions & Answers

How is the company challenged by government regulations?

The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated by the FDA and subject to state and federal laws. The high profitability of many drug companies at a time of rising health care costs makes the industry a prime target for regulators, including...

How is the company preparing to handle expiration of its key patents?

Profits from sales of prescription drugs usually plummet once lower-cost generic alternatives are available. Generic drugs now account for more than half of all prescriptions filled in the US. Traditional drug companies must constantly discover or...

To read this full Call Prep Question and others, purchase the full report.

General Report Description

Save valuable research time, increase confidence on sales calls, and get the competitive edge to win more business with Hoover's Industry Report. Proprietary editorial analysis synthesizes hundreds of sources into an easy-to-digest format so that you can quickly understand a client's business challenges. Insight into critical business issues, industry trends and opportunities, and financial benchmarks is an integral part of each report.

Sections Included in Report

Industry Overview
Quarterly Industry Update
Business Challenges
Trends and Opportunities
Call Preparation Questions
Financial Information
Industry Forecast
Website and Media Links
Glossary of Acronyms

Industry Report Highlights:

Recent Developments
Stay up to date on crucial industry news that may affect your strategy.
Trends & Opportunies
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rappart with prospects during youir sales calls using done-for-you call prearation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planing.

Business Challenges
Engage your prospects with solution selling that makes their life easier by first understanding their pain points.
Executive Insight
Identify the correct decision maker and tailor your presentation to his or her needs, and maximize the effectiveness of your pitch.
Financial Information
Increase your credibility and support your presentations by adding verifiable industry metrics.
Web Links & Acronyms
Speak the Prospect's language by demonstrating an understanding of industry trade associations and jargon.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry Report