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The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study is available for purchase, giving independent U.S. retailers financial benchmarks across four business types. The published figures include gross margin after rebates or dividends, while the study’s broader financial information can be used for business comparisons and gap analysis.
The North American Hardware and Paint Association has made its 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study available for purchase, offering independent U.S. hardware, home-center, lumber and building-materials, and paint retailers financial benchmarks to compare with their own operations. The report includes figures such as gross margin after rebates or dividends by retailer category, intended to help businesses identify areas for further review.
In a report published Oct. 31 by Hardware Retailing, the association said the study provides detailed financial information for four groups of independent retailers: hardware stores, home centers, lumber and building-materials outlets, and paint and decorating outlets. It described the report as a benchmarking resource for the independent home-improvement industry and directed interested businesses to its website to buy a copy.
The article reported these gross margin after rebate or dividends figures: hardware stores, 42.7% typical and 42.9% high-profit; home centers, 33.0% typical and 32.7% high-profit; LBM outlets, 30.2% typical and 33.0% high-profit; and paint outlets, 38.2% for both groups. These are category-specific benchmarks, not a single target for every retailer. The source does not provide the underlying sample sizes or further definitions of the typical and high-profit groups in the published excerpt.
Retailer John Samore Jr., co-owner of Vermont Outlet True Value Hardware, said he compares his company’s results with the study’s high-performing retailers and conducts a gap analysis four times a year. He cited sales, cost of goods sold, gross profit, sales per square foot, customer count and sales per customer as measures he reviews. Samore said his most recent analysis led him to take steps to address declining sales.
Benchmarks for Retailer Decisions
Independent retailers can use comparable financial measures to examine where their results differ from figures for businesses in the same category. The published margin numbers show why it matters to compare like with like: the typical gross margin after rebates or dividends varies from 30.2% for LBM outlets to 42.7% for hardware stores. A retailer comparing against another business type could draw misleading conclusions.
The study does not itself establish what actions a business should take or promise improved results. Rather, Samore’s account illustrates one reported use: reviewing performance measures periodically, then investigating a specific concern such as declining sales. For owners weighing costs, inventory, staffing or other operating decisions, access to sector benchmarks may inform questions to investigate with their own business records.
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A Century of Industry Benchmarking
The association’s article says the study has provided financial information for more than 100 years. Its intended audience is independent retailers in the U.S. home-improvement sector, rather than businesses across all retail categories. The 2026 edition continues that benchmarking role and is being sold directly through the association’s website.
The figures highlighted in the article cover gross margin after rebate or dividends, but the association describes the report more broadly as containing detailed financial information. The source excerpt does not list every measure included in the paid study or explain its data-collection process. Readers should treat the reported figures as category-level reference points, not as a substitute for evaluating their own costs, sales mix and market conditions.
““I compare our data with the high-performing retailers’ numbers presented in the study.””
— John Samore Jr., co-owner of Vermont Outlet True Value Hardware
Limits of the Published Figures
The article does not state how many businesses contributed data, the period covered by the financial figures, or the exact criteria used to classify retailers as typical or high-profit. It also does not provide the full set of financial measures available in the paid report. Those details cannot be confirmed from the published material provided.
The margin figures are benchmarks, not forecasts or guarantees that a retailer can reach a particular result. The source gives no independently verified assessment of the study’s methodology or evidence that purchasing it improves profits. Samore’s and Cothron’s comments are personal endorsements and should be read as their accounts, not proof of outcomes for other businesses.
Retailers Can Review the Full Study
The next step for retailers interested in the report is to review its purchase information through the association’s study page. Prospective buyers can check the full contents and any accompanying methodology or category definitions before applying the figures to their own decisions. The source article does not announce a later release date, event or additional update.
Businesses using the benchmarks can compare them with their own records while accounting for their category and operating circumstances. Samore says he repeats his gap analysis quarterly; that schedule is his practice, not a requirement set by the association. Further details about the study’s sample, data period and full range of metrics remain dependent on information in the complete report.
Key Questions
Who published the 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study?
The North American Hardware and Paint Association publishes the study. Hardware Retailing reported on its availability on Oct. 31, 2026.
Which businesses are covered?
The study covers independent U.S. hardware stores, home centers, lumber and building-materials outlets, and paint and decorating outlets.
What gross margin figures did the article report?
Reported typical and high-profit margins after rebates or dividends were 42.7% and 42.9% for hardware stores; 33.0% and 32.7% for home centers; 30.2% and 33.0% for LBM outlets; and 38.2% for both groups of paint outlets.
Do the figures guarantee a retailer’s results?
No. They are category-level benchmarks, not forecasts or guarantees. The source does not report evidence that buying the study will produce a particular financial outcome.
Where can retailers buy the study?
The article directs retailers to the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study page at yournhpa.org/2026-cost-of-doing-business-study.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
