Articles

Following the inevitable dip ceramic weathered in 2020 as Covid-19 shuttered the economy for six weeks around April, the category rebounded in 2021. Read More

Consumer sentiment declined 9.4% in early May to 59.1, according to preliminary results from the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers. This represents a 28.7% decline year over year. Read More

Housing affordability posted a modest gain for average conditions in the first quarter of 2022 as a strong jump in national median income helped to offset a gradual rise in interest rates. However, home builders warn of current deteriorating conditions as a sharp jump in mortgage rates in March and April coupled with ongoing building material supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and high inflation drive up housing costs. Read More

The Tile Shop announced net sales of $102.5 million for Q1 2022, an 11.3% increase compared to sales of $92.1 million in Q1 2021. Read More

In the first three months of 2022, U.S. ceramic tile imports were down 4.9% to 47.1 million square meters year over year, compared to 49.5 million square meters in the first three months of 2021, reports Grosser Consulting. Read More

Floor & Decor reported net sales increased 31.5% to $1,028.7 million from $782.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and comparable store sales increased 14.3% for the first quarter of fiscal 2022, which ended March 31, 2022. Read More

Following the inevitable dip ceramic weathered in 2020 as Covid-19 shuttered the economy for six weeks around April, the category rebounded in 2021 . The 17.3% jump in floor + wall tile revenue more than made up for the roughly 2% slide in 2020, according to Market Insights data, but last year, sales prices also rose as supply chain and labor challenges forced multiple price increases across the ceramic industry. In terms of marketshare, ceramic maintained its roughly 14% benchmark of the past few years, falling just slightly from 14.4% in 2020 to 14.0% in 2021. Though not a DIY product, ceramic was buoyed by homeowners' rush to renovate, along with the growing builder market Read More

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 428,000 in April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.6%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Read More

The following data present a unique snapshot into the wood flooring industry: In early 2022, WFB collected responses from wood flooring manufacturers, distributors, retailers and contractors to find out how they did in 2021, what products are being used and how they feel about challenges in the industry. Note that just as we were finishing collecting responses, Russia invaded Ukraine, so any influence of that is not reflected in the following data.—K.M.W. Read More

Catalina Research has released its latest Kitchen and Bath Quarterly Update. According to the report, U.S. kitchen and bath product sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) showed relatively strong current dollar sales gains as manufacturers passed through rising material, labor and transportation costs. Read More