Sales in North America increased 5%, mostly due to increased average net sales unit prices in the U.S. as well as an increase in sales volumes.
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Fastener stocks also posted impressive gains during the year, with the FIN Fastener Stock Index growing 20%.
“Most of our customers continue to express an improving outlook, particularly those in our core metalworking market,” stated CEO Erik Gershwind.
LISI AEROSPACE division performed well in the "Fasteners in Europe" segment, with strong growth due to the implementation of new contracts.
“We are seeing evidence in our sales results that we are beginning to grow our way out of the previous downward cycle of the MRO marketplace. It appears the economic headwinds we have faced have begun to subside,” stated CEO Michael DeCata.
“Considering the sharp decline in the US commercial vehicle and agricultural machinery markets, we are satisfied with our results for fiscal year 2016,” stated CEO Werner Deggim.
In the past two months, the Dow has gained about 10% in value. But fastener stocks have done better than that.
Results were “negatively impacted by foreign currency translation, temporary disruptions to certain customers’ consumption patterns due to operational changes and extended site closures, and late production schedule revisions made by a major commercial OE customer,” stated CEO Dave Castagnola.
Sales in North America grew 10% to $742 million in 2016, mostly due to increased unit sales volumes on improved economic activity as well as a slight increase in average net sales unit prices.
Nucor Corp. reported Cold Finished Steel segment sales, including results from Nucor Fastener, increased 3% to 98,000 tons in the fourth quarter of 2016. But results for the year were not so positive.
“Engineered Fastening's organic revenues declined 2%, as solid growth within the global automotive business was more than offset by weaker electronics volumes attributable to a major customer.”
Results boosted by the $450 million acquisition of the global automotive Engineered Fasteners and Components business of ZF TRW.
“As we moved into December, the start of our fiscal second quarter, we saw growth in sales, as well as improvement across all of our customer types," stated CEO Erik Gershwind.
In the third quarter of 2016, automotive fastener stocks continued to grow and companies with aerospace fastener holdings rebounded from a disappointing first half of the year.
Bisco Industries opened three new sales facilities in 2015, marking the fifth consecutive year that Bisco opened at least one new facility.
For Fastenal's fastener product line, the opening months of 2015 started strong before fizzling as the year progressed.
"This was a challenging year for us and for most industrial companies, with an unprecedented combination of declining oil and commodity prices, low inflation and a strong U.S. dollar," stated CEO Jim Ryan.
Founded in 1912, ITW manufactures fasteners and industrial components and specialty products primarily for the auto, food and construction industries.
KLX - the former Consumables Management segment of B/E Aerospace - reported sales, primarily from fasteners, declined in 2015.
Lawson Products reported sales were impacted by a "general slow-down in the MRO marketplace, continued weak demand from customers in the oil and gas industry and a decline in the Canadian dollar."