HVAC distributor sales up in September, flat after adjustment

HVAC distributor sales in September grew 5.3 percent year-over-year, according to HARDI data released last week.

Yes, but: “That result got an extra boost from an extra billing day,” the association said, noting that when adjusting for the same number of billing days as last September, sales were “about flat.” 

The big picture: HARDI distributors’ annual sales growth (comparing the 12 months through September 2025 with the 12 months through September 2024) was 4.6 percent, per the release. 

• Of note: While the figure is up, it “does not mean that demand is improving,” HARDI analyst Brian Loftus said in a statement. “We believe underlying demand is comparable to last year, so most of this annual growth is due to price increases being passed through.”

State of play: The release caps a rocky third quarter for the industry’s residential segment, as recently reported by manufacturers and Watsco, the country’s largest HVAC distributor. Go deeper

What’s next: October distributor sales will be published in early December.