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The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study is now available for purchase. It reports gross margin after rebates and dividends by retail category, including typical and high-profit benchmarks, and is intended to help independent retailers compare financial performance.
The North American Hardware and Paint Association has released its 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study for purchase, offering financial benchmarks for independent hardware stores, home centers, lumber and building materials outlets, and paint and decorating retailers in the United States. The report includes typical and high-profit gross-margin figures that businesses can use to compare their results with peers.
According to Hardware Retailing, the study provides financial information for U.S. hardware stores, home centers, lumber and building materials outlets, and paint and decorating outlets. Its published figures include gross margin after rebates and dividends, with results separated by business category and by typical versus high-profit performance. The source article does not state the study’s survey sample size, data collection period or calculation methodology.
For hardware stores, the reported margin is 42.7% for typical operators and 42.9% for high-profit operators. Home centers are listed at 33.0% typical and 32.7% high-profit. LBM outlets are listed at 30.2% typical and 33.0% high-profit, while paint outlets show 38.2% in both groups.
The study is offered for purchase through the NHPA website. The source article does not give its price. It describes the study as providing detailed financial information and reports that retailers use it to compare business measures.
How Retailers Can Use the Benchmarks
The figures give independent retailers a reference point for reviewing their own margins by business type. Comparing a store’s results with the study’s typical and high-profit figures may help owners identify areas for further investigation.
John Samore Jr., co-owner of Vermont Outlet True Value Hardware, told Hardware Retailing that he conducts gap analyses four times a year and compares his operation’s figures with those of high-performing retailers. He said he focuses on sales, cost of goods sold, gross profit, sales per square foot, customer count and sales per customer. He added that a recent review led him to take steps to address declining sales. That account describes one retailer’s use of the study; it does not establish that the same approach will produce similar results for other businesses.
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A Long-Running Industry Study
Hardware Retailing says the Cost of Doing Business Study has provided financial information to the independent home-improvement industry for more than 100 years. The 2026 edition covers U.S. hardware stores, home centers, LBM outlets, and paint and decorating outlets.
The article presents the study as a benchmarking resource. Its category-specific figures also show why comparisons need to be made with care: the reported margin levels differ by type of business, and the high-profit figure is not higher than the typical figure in every category.
“Taking part in gap analyses using the Cost of Doing Business Study has improved our operation’s bottom line by focusing on the matrices and indices that enhance pre-income tax profits.”
— John Samore Jr., co-owner of Vermont Outlet True Value Hardware
Study Methods and Pricing Not Listed
The source article does not state the study’s price, sample size, reporting period, or methodology. It also does not explain how NHPA defines “high-profit” retailers or whether the published category figures represent averages, medians, or another measure. Those details would help buyers assess how directly the benchmarks apply to their own businesses.
The article supplies gross-margin figures but not the full financial tables or other measures that may appear in the purchasable report. Readers cannot determine from the article alone how the results vary by store size, region, or other business characteristics.
Retailers Can Purchase the 2026 Report
NHPA is directing retailers to its website to purchase the 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study. The source article does not mention a later release date, presentation or update schedule. Retailers interested in the study can visit NHPA’s website for purchase information.
Key Questions
Who published the 2026 Cost of Doing Business Study?
The North American Hardware and Paint Association published the study, according to Hardware Retailing.
Which types of businesses does the study cover?
It covers U.S. hardware stores, home centers, lumber and building materials outlets, and paint and decorating outlets.
What gross margin did the study report for hardware stores?
The reported gross margin after rebates and dividends was 42.7% for typical hardware stores and 42.9% for high-profit stores.
Are the study’s price and methodology stated in the article?
No. The source article says the study is available for purchase but does not list its price, sample size, reporting period or calculation methods.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
