HVAC distributor sales slip in October

HVAC distributor sales in October fell one percent year-over-year, according to HARDI data released on Wednesday. 

• Meanwhile, HARDI distributors’ annual sales growth (comparing the 12 months through October 2025 with the 12 months through October 2024) was 3.5 percent.

The big picture: The annual sales growth rate of HARDI distributors has hovered around four percent over the course of this year, while unit volumes have remained “about flat,” the association wrote Wednesday. 

• The release, HARDI added, follows four consecutive months of over 20 percent declines in HVAC manufacturer shipments, with September, in particular, seeing a 42 percent drop, according to AHRI data. 

What they’re saying: “Heating season got off to a slow start with the 1% sales decline, but it was a difficult comparison,” HARDI analyst Brian Loftus said in a statement. “Five of our seven regions had double-digit sales growth during October of 2024 after the trail of damage left by hurricanes Helene and then Milton.”

• Yes, but: “Distributor inventories remain elevated after the flattish demand this year,” he added. 

What’s next: November distributor sales will be published in early January.