Research

NKBA says contemporary is key in kitchen & bath
The National Kitchen & Bath Association has sniffed out an important development in the world of kitchen and bath design: the tipping point has been reached for contemporary styles.

According to the NKBA's 2015 Kitchen & Bath Design Trends report, transitional (followed closely by contemporary) styles are now most popular in kitchens, with both styles tied in first place for bathroom styles.

That means transitional and contemporary have superceded the traditional aesthetic as number one in North American homes.
Report shows lawn & garden industry is beginning to stabilize
A new report from Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, points to growing stability in the lawn and garden industry.

In "Lawn and Garden Equipment in the U.S., 11th Edition," Packaged Facts demonstrates how lawn and garden sales have fared since they peaked in 2005.

According to the data, sales declined by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.2% between 2010 and 2014, an improvement over the more than 1% decline between 2008 and 2012.

HBSDealer Stock Watch: Central G&P blooms

Central Garden & Pet saw the highest increase at +2.76% at the close of Monday.
Adhesive & sealant demand to reach $12.8 billion in four years

A new report from The Freedonia Group has pegged the U.S. adhesive and sealant market for slow and steady growth over the next couple of years.

According to the study, titled "Adhesives & Sealants," nationwide demand for the market is forecasted to increase 2.8% annually to 6.4 billion pounds, or $12.8 billion, in 2019. This will primarily be driven by renewed construction activity and a widening in the scope of adhesive and sealant applications.
Lawn & garden leads by a long shot

The summer months are typically the high points for home improvement project planning, and based on the second-quarter installment of the Home Improvement Research Institute’s Project Sentiment Tracking Study, this year doesn’t seem to be different.
From HIRI research: lawn & garden leads by a long shot

The summer months are typically the high points for home improvement project planning, and based on the second-quarter installment of the Home Improvement Research Institute’s Project Sentiment Tracking Study, this year doesn’t seem to be different.
S&P/Case Shiller: Monthly results show turnaround

The S&P/Case Shiller Index, a bellwether for the new housing market, has reported that home prices, on average, increased 1.3% in April compared with March for both the 10-city and 20-city composites. This announcement follows seven consecutive months of falling home prices on the indices.

But on an annual basis, home prices fell. For the 10-city composite, the decrease was 2.2% when compared with April 2011. The 20-city composite dropped 1.9%.
S&P outlook improves for home builders

Credit ratings service Standard & Poor's (S&P) delivered a guarded but upbeat assessment of U.S. home builders, reporting that “operating conditions … have improved over the past six months, and the sector's overall credit quality has steadied as a result.” The new report cites a “cautiously stable” outlook for the sector overall, but warns that that trend could backpedal later this year if the baseline residential construction forecast doesn't materialize.
S&P/Case-Shiller index fuels hope for a comeback

The S&P/Case Shiller Home Price Indeces showed positive annual growth rates in three key metrics for the first time since the summer of 2010.

“Home prices gained in the second quarter,” said David M. Blitzer, chairman of the Indx Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “In this month’s report, all three composites and all 20 cities improved both in June and through the entire second quarter of 2012.”
Mixed expectations for forest product M&A

An article just released by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services predicted that mergers and acquisitions among forest product companies will continue to increase over the next few quarters due to strong balance sheets and attractive financing terms. But this M&A activity will largely be contained to the paperboard and packing sectors, according to "Top Investor Questions For The U.S.