May 2003                             return to newsletter contents page

AVDA Distributors Survey Shows Increase Sales

and Profits for First Quarter of 2003

AVDA’s Distributor Members were recently surveyed for the first quarter ending March 31, 2003 on their outlook for the veterinary distribution industry. Thirty-nine percent of distributor members responded to the survey. When asked by what percentage sales were up or down for their company for first quarter 2003 versus 2002, 78% of distributors who responded said that sales were up an average of 35%, and 22% said sales were down an average of 4%.

In response to a question regarding whether profit margins were up or down for the first quarter of 2003 versus 2002, 67% of the respondents stated profit margins were up an average of 29%.

Fifty-six percent of the distributor respondents expect normal or above normal growth over the next 12 months.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents stated that unit volume of demand compared to the previous quarter was rising. Regarding unit volume of demand compared with the same quarter last year and the previous year, 89% said that demand for their company’s products has been rising or was staying about the same.

On the Employment front, compared with the same quarter last year, 23% of distributors stated that their company’s employment had been rising. Forty-four percent said that their employment was staying about the same and 33% said that employment was falling. Compared with the previous quarter, 11% said employment was rising and 67% said that employment had remained the same. Wages and salaries over the past three months were rising for 56% of the distributor respondents and 33% stated that they had remained the same.

This survey was conducted electronically. Future surveys will be conducted in the same fashion and will include additional questions of interest to our members. Please contact Jackie King at AVDA Headquarters if you have other suggestions for the survey. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.