Press Release
November 5, 2026 | 3 minute read

Contact: Allison Greene, HARDI Director of Marketing & Events
Email: agreene@hardinet.org
Direct: 614.345.4328
COLUMBUS, OH – Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) released its monthly TRENDS report, showing sales by HARDI distributors increased by 9.0% during September 2026.
The annual sales growth for the 12 months through September 2026 is an increase of 3.7%.

“Temps have a diminishing impact on demand as we proceed through cooling season, but they certainly had an impact this year,” said Brian Loftus, Senior Market Analyst at HARDI. “Cooling degree days increased by more than 40% from September of 2025 with significant increases in five of our seven regions.”
HARDI’s monthly distributor sales survey also calculates Days Sales Outstanding or DSO which is a measure of how quickly customers pay their bills. The DSO for September 2026 is nearly 38 days which is comparable to the level for the month during 2024 and 2025. “The DSO ticked-up from August but we believe that reflects the normal seasonal pattern, not any market deterioration,” said Loftus.
“The recent monthly sales growth has been encouraging, but the annual pace remains within the 2.5% to 4.5% range of the past two years,” said Loftus. “A breakout to the upside looks unlikely with existing home sales and new construction trending flat to down, interest rates rising and dismal consumer confidence.”
HARDI members do not receive financial compensation in exchange for their monthly sales data and can discontinue their participation without prior notice or penalty. Participation is voluntary, and the depth of market coverage varies from region to region. An independent entity collects and compiles the data that can include products not directly associated with the HVACR industry.
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HARDI (Heating, Air-conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International) is the single voice of wholesale distribution within the North American and Latin American HVACR markets.
A non-profit association, HARDI serves its members through government affairs and advocacy efforts, market intelligence and benchmarking, training programs, and world-class events. HARDI proudly represents more than 570 distributor members and their 5,000+ branch locations, and close to 600 suppliers, manufacturer representatives, and service vendors. HARDI Distributor members serve installation and service/replacement contractors in residential and commercial markets, as well as commercial/industrial and institutional maintenance staff. HARDI Affiliate members market, distribute, and support heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment, parts, and supplies.

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