Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 8/8/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) dipped to 47.5, below 50 for the first time since January. While normal summer sluggishness likely played a role, several participants said they saw signs of a broader slowdown beyond just seasonal […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 7/8/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) saw a slight m/m decline, 52.1 vs. 52.9 in May, but remained in expansionary territory (>50). Commentary was mixed as some saw good order trends, while others characterized June as fairly weak. […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 6/6/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) saw modest m/m improvement, reading 52.9 in May vs. 51.6 in April, and continued to expand (above neutral reading of 50), albeit driven by just one component, supplier deliveries. Commentary was again […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 5/8/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) slightly decelerated m/m but remained in growth territory reading 51.6. Commentary was more mixed this month as some see pockets of significant weakness (construction, OEM, Western US markets), while others see strength […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 4/3/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) expanded further in March, increasing to 53.0, up from 50.5 in February. Demand commentary leaned overall fairly positive but balanced out by a noticeable uptick in comments regarding continued rises in freight/container […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 2/7/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) saw solid m/m improvement in February with a 49.7 reading, as most underlying components of the index rose back into expansionary territory. Comments were again somewhat mixed but overall tone leaned net […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 1/8/24 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) softened m/m with a reading of 47.5 but participants largely attributed this to seasonal softness around the holidays. Comments were varied as some participants see significant uncertainty (economy, election) heading into 2024, […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 10/5/23 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) modestly retreated in September to a sub-50 reading at 48.5 after briefly reaching a neutral 50.0 in August. While August may have temporarily benefited from some pent-up demand following summer vacations, September […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 9/8/23 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) surged to a neutral reading of 50.0 compared to 40.7 in July. Respondents pointed to a rebound in demand as customers returned from summer vacations (which had pressured the July FDI). The […]
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 8/9/23 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) retreated to 40.7 compared to 45.6 in June. Respondents pointed to potential vacation/holiday noise and soft new orders (despite healthy quoting). The Forward-Looking Indicator (FLI) also regressed but very modestly off an […]