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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 & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

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

Food Wholesalers Industry Report

Overview

The US wholesale food distribution industry includes about 33,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $650 billion. Major companies include McLane Company, SUPERVALU, Sysco, and US Foodservice. The industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 50 percent of industry revenue.

SIC: 5145, 5146, 5147, 5148, 5149, 5141, 5142, 5143, 5144

NAICS: 424410, 424420, 424430, 424440, 424450, 424460, 424490, 424470, 424480

Sample Questions & Answers

How is the company countering increased competition?

Large grocery chains, big-box retailers, and wholesale clubs can bypass distributors and deal directly with manufacturers. Wal-Mart and Costco receive more than 50 percent of revenue from selling food. Large grocery retailers such as SUPERVALU and...

How does the company position itself as a better option than manufacturer direct-store-delivery (DSD) programs?

Manufacturers often manage their own sales and stocking efforts through direct-store-delivery (DSD) programs. Increased food costs and a slowdown in supplier revenue have led to careful oversight of manufacturing expenditures. Some suppliers say that...

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 & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

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.

Food Wholesalers Industry Report

Wholesale Sector Industry Report

Overview

The wholesale distribution industry in the US includes about 300,000 companies with combined annual sales of about $5 trillion. Large distributors include SYSCO (foods); McKesson (drugs); and Avnet (electronics). Distributors specialize by product. The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest distributors generate about 25 percent of industry revenue.

SIC: 5012, 5013, 5014, 5015, 5021, 5023, 5031, 5032, 5033, 5039, 5043, 5044, 5045, 5046, 5047, 5048, 5049, 5051, 5052, 5063, 5064, 5065, 5072, 5074, 5075, 5078, 5082, 5083, 5084, 5192, 5193, 5194, 5198, 5085, 5087, 5088, 5091, 5092, 5093, 5094, 5099, 5111, 5112, 5113, 5122, 5131, 5136, 5137, 5139, 5141, 5142, 5143, 5144, 5145, 5146, 5147, 5148, 5149, 5153, 5154, 5159, 5162, 5169, 5171, 5172, 5181, 5182, 5191

NAICS: 424480, 424490, 424510, 424520, 424590, 424610, 424690, 424710, 424720, 424810, 424820, 424910, 424920, 424930, 424940, 424950, 424990, 425110, 423310, 423320, 423330, 423390, 423410, 423420, 423430, 423440, 423450, 423460, 423490, 423510, 423520, 423610, 423620, 423690, 423710, 423720, 423730, 423740, 423810, 423820, 423830, 423840, 423850, 423860, 423910, 425120, 423110, 423120, 423130, 423140, 423210, 423220, 423920, 423930, 423940, 423990, 424110, 424120, 424130, 424210, 424310, 424320, 424330, 424340, 424410, 424420, 424430, 424440, 424450, 424460, 424470

Sample Questions & Answers

How do changes in interest rates affect the company's profits?

Because many distributors finance their inventories, they're sensitive to interest rates. On average, distributors hold inventory equal to 35 days sales, but machinery distributors may hold products for more than 50 days. Food and petroleum product...

How much business has the company lost due to retailers buying directly from manufacturers?

Big retailers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Costco buy much of their merchandise directly from manufacturers, bypassing distributors. Because they buy in large quantity and operate their own warehouse systems, these retailers don't need distributors.

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 & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

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.

Wholesale Sector Industry Report

Grocery Stores & Supermarkets Industry Report

Overview

The US retail grocery industry includes about 65,000 supermarkets and other grocery stores with combined annual revenue of about $470 billion. Major companies include Kroger, Safeway, and SUPERVALU as well as Ahold, the US division of Netherlands-based Royal Ahold. The industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 70 percent of revenue.

SIC: 5411, 5421, 5431, 5441, 5451, 5461

NAICS: 445110, 445210, 445220, 445230, 445291, 445292, 445299

Sample Questions & Answers

How has the company's competitive environment changed over time?

As alternative retailers realized the traffic-driving power of food sales, the competitive set for grocery stores expanded and the battle over food dollars became more intense. By buying in enormous volume, mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs have...

What are the company's biggest challenges in maintaining margins?

Grocery stores operate with extremely low margins and depend on volume to generate profits. Gross margins are 25 percent of sales, lower than the 40 to 50 percent margin for most retailers. Profit margins can be razor-thin: in some cases, grocery...

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 & Opportunities
Identify avenues for expansion and get prospects thinking about growth opportunities that justify investing in your product.
Call Preparation Questions
Gain instant rapport with prospects during your sales calls using done-for-you call preparation questions.
Industry Forecast
Identify growth and integrate projections in your own business planning.

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.

Grocery Stores & Supermarkets Industry Report