Watsco's third-quarter revenue rose 4% on a same-store basis to $2.2 billion. However, gross margin compressed 110 basis points to 26.4% and operating income decreased 4% to $225 million on higher operating costs. The shares dropped initially, but the decline moderated in later Oct. 27 trading.
The company achieves a larger market share, either through organic growth (expanding its store/distribution footprint) or through acquisitions. The market is highly fragmented, so an M&A-driven growth strategy has a long runway.
Bears
OEMs disintermediate third-party distributors to capture more control/economics. We see that industry leaders pursue a wide range of strategies, and it is unclear which is the best approach.
Watsco is the largest HVAC and refrigeration products distributor in North America with approximately 13% market share. The company primarily operates in the United States (90% of revenue) with significant exposure in the Sun Belt states. Watsco also has operations in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The company's customer base comprises more than 120,000 dealers and contractors serving the replacement and new-construction HVAC/R markets for residential and light-commercial applications. As much as 20% of residential HVAC units are distributed through Watsco in any given year. Revenue is approximately 75%-80% residential HVAC and 20%-25% commercial, with relatively small exposure to more complex “applied” solutions.