Subscribe Log in

Economic Trends

MDM Forecast: October Update

October brought a stronger upgrade to the industry’s 2026 revenue outlook and broader improvement in 2027 projections. Computers, metals and industrial distribution gained ground, while several consumer categories weakened. Get your much more valuable sector-specific revenue forecasts here.

October 16, 2026

Share

The latest monthly MDM Forecast delivered a more substantial upward revision to the industry’s 2026 revenue outlook after two comparatively quiet updates, while reversing September’s decline in the overall 2027 projection.

Our 2026 U.S. wholesale distribution revenue forecast increased 70 basis points from September to 13.1%, while the 2027 outlook gained 30 bps to 4.5%. The current-year increase was larger than August’s 20-bp and September’s 10-bp upgrades combined.

September Producer Prices See Biggest Surge in Over 4 Years - Oct. 15

The stronger totals came alongside much larger swings in…

This is a Premium Article

Join NAW to read the full article — plus access to research, data, and intelligence.

As a member, you get:

  • Unlimited premium MDM articles, case studies, and monthly intelligence reports
  • Access to webcasts, podcasts
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research reports, and market data
  • Quarterly M&A, MarketPulse, and Economic Outlook reports
  • Access to NAW Nucleus, NAW SmartBrief, and NAW’s policy and leadership resources

The NAW Professional Membership is $850/year for individuals. It’s the fastest way to unlock this article — and everything else.

Unlock Premium Content


>> Explore all membership options

Related Articles

See More Articles