Building mat. and garden equip. and supplies dealers
Total Sector Spending
Overall spending trends across an industry sector
What's the story behind the data?
Facteus transactional data shows a mixed performance in the building materials and garden equipment sector. After strong growth in August (+8% YoY) and October (+6.5%), the sector saw notable declines in February and June 2025 (both around -6%). This volatility aligns directionally with earnings trends from major home improvement retailers, which have highlighted cautious consumer discretionary behavior, especially on big-ticket renovation projects. Despite seasonal lift in spring and early summer, overall transaction volume has not returned to early 2024 levels.
External reports cite reduced pandemic-driven DIY activity, elevated financing costs, and a cooling housing market as drivers of sector contraction. Our data corroborates this softening, particularly in lower- and middle-income brackets where spending is disproportionately down.
However, not all subsegments are suffering equally. Paint and coatings brands like Sherwin-Williams have maintained high AOV and stable customer base, suggesting strength in small-scale, professional, or maintenance-related purchases. Home Depot continues to dominate market share, though signs of erosion are emerging as Menards and Harbor Freight slowly expand.
Implications by Audience
FP&A / Strategy Teams
- Plan for softer category comps in H2 2025. Focus forecasts on product-level resilience (e.g., paint, tools) versus broader renovation.
- Margin preservation tactics may require rethinking promotional cadence or mix given AOV pressures at Lowe’s and Harbor Freight.
Marketing and Brand Teams
- Opportunity for targeted campaigns to re-engage Gen X and Millennials, who show below-average spend levels.
- Consider emphasizing maintenance/refresh use cases over remodel narratives to better align with spending behavior.
Investors
- Continued caution warranted on big-box DIY stocks unless category momentum returns.
- Menards and Sherwin-Williams show relative strength in AOV and share metrics; monitor for defensive positions.
Top Brands by Market Share
Leading brands ranked by market share within sector
Trends + Insights
- Total Sector Spending
The sector peaked in August and December 2024 but has struggled to maintain momentum, with YoY spending declines in Feb and Jun 2025. The seasonal spring bump (Apr-May) was modest relative to past years, underscoring softer consumer appetite. - Sector Spending by Income
All income brackets are down YoY in this sector, with the steepest declines among $75K-$125K households. Even upper-income ($150K+) households show reduced engagement, suggesting that softness is not purely affordability-driven. - Sector Spending by Generation
Only Baby Boomers are increasing their spend meaningfully in this category (+15%), likely reflecting property ownership and long-term maintenance needs. Gen Z and Millennials are significantly under-indexing, implying reduced DIY uptake or lower homeownership rates. - Top Brands by Market Share
Home Depot and Lowe’s still dominate, but both are showing slight erosion. Menards is steadily growing share, and Harbor Freight is also trending up, reflecting competitive pricing dynamics. - Top Brands by AOV
Sherwin-Williams leads AOV by a wide margin ($100+), signaling continued strength in premium paint and coating segments. Home Depot and Lowe’s trail with stable but lower AOVs, while Harbor Freight maintains value-oriented price points. AOV across most brands is flat or declining, reinforcing softening demand.
Top Brands by AOV
Leading brands ranked by average order value within sector
This macro sector analysis provides detailed insights into economic trends and consumer behavior patterns. The visualizations below are derived from real-world transaction data and economic indicators.
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Sector Spending by Income Bracket
Industry sector spending patterns by household income level
Sector Spending by Generation
Industry sector spending patterns by generational cohort
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