United Stationers has reported preliminary sales and earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2008.

 

Sales for the first quarter are expected to be approximately $1.25 billion, up 5% compared with $1.19 billion a year ago. The acquisition of ORS Nasco in December 2007 added approximately $74 million to 2008 first quarter sales. Excluding ORS Nasco, sales were down approximately 1% to $1.18 billion.

 

Sales were strong in the janitorial and breakroom category, up approximately 15%. This helped offset a 5% combined sales decline in office supplies, technology products, and office furniture due primarily to a significant decline in national account sales. The sales slowdown occurred mostly in March and reflected weakness in the economy and the timing of the Easter holiday, which fell in the first quarter of this year versus the second quarter in 2007. Sales to date in April have improved from March levels

 

"The first quarter, specifically March, presented a very challenging market," said Richard W. Gochnauer, president and chief executive officer of United Stationers. "As a result, we have stepped up our efforts to deliver new growth initiatives, implement additional cost reductions and address margin pressure to offset the impacts of soft sales and a less favorable mix. We also see opportunities to further improve our industrial and janitorial/breakroom categories, which are performing in line with our expectations.”