Birman Wood & Hardware Valuation Multiples

Parker Hannifin started out in 1917 as Parker Appliance, selling pneumatic brakes. Through the acquisition of branded components, the firm has expanded into aerospace engines, agricultural and construction machinery, freight and passenger vehicles, and industrial automation equipment. Within these larger systems, Parker sells a wide array of small, critical pieces such as hydraulic, electromechanical, climate control, and filtration components. Many of its products are designed to work together, resulting in a high rate of cross-selling.

McKesson is one of three leading pharmaceutical wholesalers in the US engaged in sourcing and distributing branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospitals networks, and healthcare providers. Along with Cencora and Cardinal Health, the three account for over 90% of the US pharmaceutical wholesale industry. Outside the US market, McKesson engages in pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution in Canada. Additionally, the company supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities and provides a variety of technology solutions for pharmacies.

Cencora is one of three leading domestic pharmaceutical wholesalers. It sources and distributes branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospital networks, and healthcare providers. It and McKesson and Cardinal Health hold over 90% share of the US pharmaceutical wholesale industry. Cencora also provides commercialization services for manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, global specialty drug logistics (World Courier), and animal health product distribution (MWI Animal Health). Cencora expanded its international presence in 2021 by purchasing Alliance Healthcare, one of the leading drug wholesalers in Europe.

Founded in 1927, W.W. Grainger originally distributed various motors via a mail-order catalogue. Over the course of the 20th century, the firm expanded into new industrial product categories and launched its first digital catalogue in 1995. Today, the company organizes itself into two segments focused on different customer bases. Its larger segment, high-touch solutions, offers a vast array of maintenance, repair, and operations, or MRO, supplies and bespoke inventory management services to larger businesses. Its smaller segment, endless assortment, operates two online platforms, Zoro and MonotaRO, that offer comprehensive catalogues of MRO supplies to smaller businesses. Grainger has operations throughout the world but primarily generates sales within the US.

Fastenal began as an industrial retailer, expanding its product portfolio from nuts and bolts to cutting tools, safety equipment, and janitorial supplies. It transitioned into a distributor by building out a dense network of branches close to its business customers. Once a customer becomes large enough, Fastenal installs vending machines and its own personnel on-site. Today, these on-site locations exceed Fastenal’s branch count and remain the firm’s main focus for expansion. Fastenal acts as a one-stop outsourcing partner for its industrial customers, offering value-added services along with a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies.

Cardinal Health is one of three leading pharmaceutical wholesalers in the US, engaged in sourcing and distributing of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospital networks, and healthcare providers. Cardinal, Cencora, and McKesson hold well over 90% of the US pharmaceutical wholesale industry. Cardinal Health also supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Rheinmetall is an international defense group supplying military vehicles, weapons and ammunition, air-defense systems, digital military solutions and naval platforms. Following the classification of power systems as discontinued operations in December 2025, all continuing-operation sales are generated by defense activities. The group reports through five segments: vehicle systems; weapons and ammunition; air defense; digital systems; and naval systems. The portfolio spans combat, support and logistics vehicles; weapons, ammunition and propellants; ground-based air and drone defense; military communications, soldier systems, aviation and simulation; and military surface vessels, maintenance and autonomous maritime systems.

CRH is a global building materials group headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and New York, which moved its primary stock listing to the New York Stock Exchange in June 2023. It was formed on 20 October 1970 through the merger of Cement Limited and Roadstone Limited and listed on the Irish Stock Exchange in 1973. It operates through CRH Americas, covering materials and building solutions across 48 US states and 7 Canadian provinces, and CRH International, with operations in Europe, Australia and the Philippines, from about 3,961 locations in 28 countries. For 2025 it reported revenue of US$37.4 billion and net income of US$3.75 billion with about 83,000 employees, and it earns revenue from aggregates, cement, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and building products. Its acquisitions include the EUR 6.5 billion Lafarge and Holcim assets in 2015, which included Tarmac in the UK, and Ash Grove Cement for US$3.5 billion in 2018. Jim Mintern is chief executive.

Sumitomo Corp. is a general trading house, or sogo shosha, a type of conglomerate unique to Japan. Its core role is that of a trading intermediary in a variety of industrial sectors, including resource businesses such as energy and metals as well as nonresource businesses, both industrial ones like machinery and nonindustrial ones like food, media, and retail. In addition to acting as a trading intermediary (including midstream processing functions to convert inputs into final products), Sumitomo also participates in upstream production businesses and downstream distribution businesses.

Ferguson distributes plumbing and HVAC products to North American repair, maintenance, and improvement, new construction, and civil infrastructure markets. It serves over 1 million customers and sources products from 37,000 suppliers. Ferguson engages customers through approximately 1,700 North American branches, over the phone, online, and in residential showrooms. The firm sold its UK business in 2021 and is now solely focused on the North American market.

Holcim is a manufacturer of Building Materials and Building Solutions that are used across the built environment, from infrastructure and industry to buildings. Over 50% of group sales are generated in Europe, with its largest markets being France, UK, Mexico and Australia. Holcim's low-carbon brands, ECOPact and ECOPlanet, account for over one-third of its cement and concrete sales.

Sysco is the largest foodservice distributor in the US, with an 18% share of the $377 billion vertical. The firm sells and distributes over 500,000 food and nonfood products to about 730,000 customer locations, primarily serving restaurants, which represented 60% of fiscal 2025 sales. The balance of sales stems from healthcare facilities (8%), education and government clients (8%), travel and leisure customers (7%), and other smaller end markets (17%), like cafeterias. By segment, Sysco earns the bulk of its revenue from its US foodservice operations (70%), followed by its international footprint (18%), SYGMA, which focuses on quick-service logistics (10%), and other (2%). The pending Jetro Restaurant Depot deal stands to add $16 billion in sales upon close, expected in fiscal 2027.

Martin Marietta Materials is one of the United States' largest producer of construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand, and gravel). In 2024, Martin Marietta sold 191 million tons of aggregates. Martin Marietta's most important markets include Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, California, and Georgia, accounting for most of its sales. The company also uses its aggregates in its asphalt and ready-mixed concrete businesses. Martin’s magnesia specialties business produces magnesia-based chemical products and dolomitic lime.

Vulcan Materials is the largest producer of construction aggregates in the US. The company produced around 228 million tons of aggregates in 2025 and has 16.6 billion tons of proven and probable reserves, equivalent to roughly 83 years of supply at current production levels. Over the past several years, Vulcan has increasingly focused its portfolio on aggregates while reducing its exposure to downstream businesses such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt. The company operates across 23 US states, with additional operations in Mexico.

UltraTech Cement Ltd produces and sells cement and cement-related products. The company generates the vast majority of its revenue in India. The company's product portfolio includes Ordinary Portland cement, Portland blast-furnace slag cement, and Portland Pozzolana cement. Ordinary Portland cement is used for a wide range of applications including concrete products, masonry, and plastering. The firm's customers are in the building and construction industries. Geographically, it operates in India as well as in other countries, of which India derives key revenue.

Heidelberg Materials is one of the world’s largest building materials companies, with operations in 60 countries. Its core activities include the production of cement and aggregates, which are used to construct houses, infrastructure, and commercial facilities. The sale of cement and aggregates accounts for the majority of group revenue and profits. Europe is the company’s largest market contributing nearly half of group sales. Heidelberg Materials is listed in Germany and has 55,000 employees.

US Foods is a United States foodservice distributor that supplies fresh, frozen and dry foods together with non-food products used by commercial kitchens. Its customers include independent restaurants, restaurant chains, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, educational institutions and government organisations. The business purchases products from suppliers and distributes them through a national network of warehouses and delivery operations. It offers national brands as well as its own private-label products and earns revenue from wholesale product sales. The group combines broadline distribution with specialist food businesses acquired in regional markets. Formerly called U.S. Foodservice, it adopted the US Foods name in 2011. Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and KKR acquired the business from Ahold in 2007. A proposed sale to Sysco was terminated in 2015, and the company subsequently returned to public ownership through an initial public offering in 2016.

Amrize is a building solutions company focused exclusively on the North American market. Amrize earns revenue from the sale of cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, asphalt, roofing systems, and other building solutions. The company is organized into two reportable segments: building materials and building envelope. The building materials business consists of Amrize’s cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and asphalt operations. The building envelope segment offers advanced roofing and wall systems, including single-ply membranes, insulation, shingles, sheathing, waterproofing, and protective coatings, along with adhesives, tapes, and sealants.

Grasim Industries Ltd is a cement and viscose staple fibre (VSF) manufacturing firm based in India. The activities of the group fall under the operating segments of Cellulosic Fibres, Chemicals, Building materials, Financial Services, and Others. It derives key revenue from the Building materials segment which covers products like grey cement, paints, white cement, and allied products. Geographically, the company derives a majority of its revenue from the domestic market and the rest from other countries through exports.

Bunge Global SA is an agribusiness solutions company, connecting farmers to consumers and delivering essential food, feed and fuel to the globe. The company segments include Soybean Processing and Refining; Softseed Processing and Refining; Other Oilseeds Processing and Refining; Grain Merchandising and Milling; and Corporate and Other. It generates maximum revenue from the Soybean Processing and Refining segment, which includes integrated business principally involved in the purchase, storage, transportation, processing, distribution, refining, marketing, and sale of soybeans and soybean related products, as well as biodiesel and fertilizer production and distribution. Geographically, the company operates in United States, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Rest of the World.

Genuine Parts sells aftermarket automotive parts (60% of sales) and industrial products (40% of sales) in the United States and internationally. The automotive segment primarily acts as a distributor to its network of 9,800 global retail locations, of which about two-thirds are independently owned and operated. We estimate Genuine serves around 6,000 retail locations in the US operating under the Napa Auto Parts brand, with about 80% of end-market sales derived from professional customers. Its industrial segment, primarily operating under the Motion name in the United States, is a leading distributor of bearings, power transmission, and other industrial products to more than 200,000 maintenance, repair, and original equipment manufacturer customers.

Wesco can be traced back to the late 1800s but was officially founded in 1922, acting as the distribution arm of Westinghouse Electric. Throughout the 1900s, Wesco entered and subsequently exited the consumer electronics, transit, bottling, and nuclear plant distribution markets. It was sold to a private equity firm in 1994 and then went public in 1999, and numerous acquisitions have since been made to fill the gaps in Wesco’s geographical and product coverage. Today, the firm primarily distributes electrical, networking, security, and utility equipment used in the construction and repair of structures such as offices, data centers, power transmission lines, and manufacturing plants. Wesco has operations around the globe but generates the majority of its revenue in the United States.

Performance Food Group Co , markets and distributes national and company-branded food and food-related products. The company also specializes in distributing candy, snacks, beverages, cigarettes, other tobacco products, health and beauty care products and other items to vending distributors, box retailers, theaters, convenience stores, drug stores, grocery stores, travel providers, and hospitality providers. The company has three reportable segments: Foodservice, Vistar, and Convenience.

Cemex SAB de CV is a ready-mix concrete company that mainly engaged in activities that are oriented to the construction industry, mainly through the production, marketing, sale, and distribution of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, urbanization solutions, and other construction materials and also provide related services and reliable construction-related services to customers and communities and maintain business relationships in more than 60 countries throughout the world. The company operates in different parts of the world, with operations in Mexico, the United States, the EMEA region and the SCA&C region.

James Hardie is a manufacturer of fiber cement-based building products, selling primarily to the residential construction industry. North America is the primary geography, generating about 80% of group earnings. Here, it is the largest manufacturer of fiber cement, which is mainly used for exterior siding on houses. Following the Azek acquisition in 2025, it also produces wooden composite decking materials, siding trims, and accessories for outdoor areas, including stair and deck railing. Businesses in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe make up the rest of its earnings.

Diploma PLC is a group of businesses supplying specialised technical products and services to various industries. The Group is organized into three main reportable business sectors: Controls, Seals and Life Sciences. The company offers consumables, instrumentation, and related services to the healthcare and environmental industries; seals, gaskets, filters, cylinders, components, and kits for heavy mobile machinery and industrial equipment; and specialized wiring, connectors, fasteners, and control devices for various applications. It operates in segments such as Wire & Cable (UK), Industrial Automation, Specialty Adhesives, Windy City Wire, Interconnect and Specialty Fasteners. The company operates in UK, USA, Rest of Europe, and Rest of World.

Anhui Conch Cement mainly engages in the production and sale of cement, clinker, and concrete in China. The company was established in 1997 and headquartered in Anhui province. With annual cement production capacity of over 400 million metric tons in 2024, the firm is the second-largest cement manufacturer in China. Sales of self-produced products contribute to about 80% of its revenue, with the remainder mainly from the trading business and service income.

Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA operates in food distribution, agribusiness, and other businesses. The food distribution business is the group's main activity, which consists of retail and wholesale operations under the brand's Pingo Doce and Recheio in Portugal, Poland, and Colombia. The group segments. Portugal Retail: comprises the business unit of JMR (Pingo Doce supermarkets), Portugal Cash & Carry: includes the wholesale business unit Recheio, Poland Retail: the business unit which operates under the Biedronka banner, Colombia Retail: the business unit which operates under Ara banner, Poland Health and Beauty: includes the Hebe banner business unit which operates in Poland, & Others, eliminations and adjustments. The majority of revenue is derived from the Poland retail segment.

Posco Future M is in the business of coal chemistry and carbon materials. Its key business includes refractory manufacture and sale, furnace construction and maintenance, lime business, environmental business, comprehensive chemicals, carbon materials, and secondary battery anode materials, among others. The group operates in two segments: Basic Materials Division, which includes Refractory Business, Lime Mars Business, and Energy Materials Division, which includes the manufacture and sale of cathode and cathode materials. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Energy Materials Division.

Applied Industrial Technologies Inc value-added distributor and technical solutions provider of industrial motion, fluid power, flow control, automation technologies and related maintenance supplies. It focus on industrial bearings, power transmission products, fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control, and factory automation solutions, as well as general maintenance products. Its customers use its products and services for both Maintenance, Repair, and Operations, Original Equipment Manufacturing, and new system install applications across a variety of end markets mainly in North America, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It segments are Service Center and Engineered Solutions. Majority of revenue is from Service Center. Majority of sales is from USA.

Toromont Industries Ltd is a Canadian industrial company. The company operates two business segments: Equipment Group and CIMCO. The larger segment by revenue, Equipment Group supplies and rents mobile and stationary machines used in road building, mining, aggregates, public infrastructure, residential construction, power generation, agriculture, forestry, truck engines, industrial, demolition, and waste management. CIMCO offers solutions for the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of industrial and recreational refrigeration systems. The company operates majorly in Canada and derives a smaller portion of sales from the United States of America and other regions.

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 Sunbelt 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.

Bunzl is a worldwide distributor of nonfood consumables, including disposable cutlery, cleaning products, and personal protective equipment. The company's geographical segments include North America, continental Europe, the UK and Ireland, and the rest of the world, with North America generating the highest revenues. Bunzl supplies to a broad range of sectors, with the largest being food service and grocery. Its customers include firms such as Sodexo, Walmart, Domino’s Pizza, Hilton, and the UK's National Health Service.

Bollore SE is an infrastructure company domiciled in France. The company organizes itself into four segments: transportation and logistics, oil logistics, communication, and industry segment. The transportation and logistics segment offers freight forwarding and logistics services. The oil logistics segment distributes oil and fuel. The communication segment provides advertising, cinema, and telecommunications services. The industry segment is engaged in manufacturing polypropylene film for capacitors and packaging films. The firm generates majority of the revenue from the communications segment.

Rexel SA is a provider of electrical products and services to residential, nonresidential, and industrial markets. The product offering includes electrical equipment such as appliances and accessories, cables and routing, lighting, security and communication, home automation, climate control, and building management systems used in the construction, renovation, and maintenance of buildings and infrastructures. Clients include small and midsize installers, large installers and facility managers, commercial companies, and industrial customers. Rexel has three operating segments; Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, out of which a majority of its revenue is derived from Europe.

Arrow Electronics Inc. is a provider of products, services, and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. It has one of the world's broadest portfolios of product offerings available from electronic components and enterprise computing solutions suppliers, coupled with a range of services, solutions, and software, the company helps industrial and commercial customers introduce products, reduce their time to market, and enhance their overall competitiveness. The company has two business segments, the global components business and the global enterprise computing solutions.

QXO Inc is the publicly traded distributor of roofing, waterproofing and complementary building products in the United States. The company aims to become the tech-enabled leader in the approximately $800 billion building products distribution industry and generate outsized value for shareholders. It is targeting nearly $50 billion in annual revenues within the next decade through accretive acquisitions and organic growth.

BlueScope is an Australia-based steelmaker with five business units. The Australian steel products segment mainly specializes in branded coated and painted flat steel products, sold domestically. North Star is the group’s US minimill, specializing in the production of hot rolled coil for US construction and automotive sectors. Building products Asia operates across Southeast Asia, China, and India, and the US building and coated products North America is involved in metal coating and painting, and the supply to nonresidential construction projects using BlueScope’s materials. New Zealand steel and the Pacific Islands business produces flat and long steel products for New Zealand and building components for the Pacific Islands.

Indutrade AB is an industrial group that develops, manufactures, and sells components, systems and services with technical content in selected niches through a vast range of subsidiaries. The group is active in business areas such as; Industrial & Engineering, Infrastructure & Construction, Life Science, Process, Energy & Water, and Technology & Systems Solutions.  The company offers products like valves, pipes and pipe systems, measurement technology, pumps, hydraulics and industrial equipment, and medical technology among others. The primary region of business for the group's subsidiaries is Europe.

Ambuja Cements Ltd manufactures and sells cement, concrete, and cement-related products to the building and construction industries. The company's portfolio of products includes Portland Pozolona cement and ordinary Portland cement. The vast majority of the firm's revenue is generated in India. Ambuja Cements has operations throughout India and uses a network of ports, bulk cement terminals, captive ships, and railroads to transport its products to both warehouses and directly to customers. The company also has a technical services team that partners with customers to teach concrete mixing and curing techniques.

Henry Schein Inc is a solutions company for healthcare professionals. It offers healthcare equipment, products, and services to office-based dental and medical practitioners, as well as alternative sites of care. The company's reportable segments are: Global Distribution and Value-Added Services, Global Specialty Products, and Global Technology. It generates maximum revenue from the Global Distribution and Value-Added Services segment, which includes distribution to the dental and medical markets of national brand and corporate brand merchandise, as well as equipment and related technical services. This segment also includes value-added services such as financial services, continuing education services, consulting, and other practice services.

Finning International Inc is a dealer and distributor of heavy-duty machinery and parts of the Caterpillar brand. The company sells and rents Caterpillar machinery to the mining, construction, petroleum, forestry, and power system application industries. Finning International further provides parts and services for equipment and engines to its customers via its owned distribution network and buys and sells used equipment domestically and internationally after reconditioning or rebuilding the machinery. The company operates in Canada, Chile, UK, Argentina and Others.

Bid Corp Ltd is a foodservice company. The company distributes chilled and frozen foods, fresh produce, meats, and nonfood products to operators around the globe. The company has various business segments, several of which it divides by geographic region. Its business segments include: Australasia, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Emerging Markets. The company generates the vast majority of its revenue from Europe.

Sodexo is one of the largest food service companies globally, operating in 45 countries with annual sales exceeding EUR 20 billion. Sodexo's model rests on operating on-premises catering facilities, rather than centralized industrial kitchens. Food services remain the largest business segment, contributing 66% of revenue in 2024. Sodexo has its own group purchasing organization, or GPO, Entegra, with annual purchasing of over EUR 37 billion. The company spun off its benefits and service business, Pluxee, and now focuses on food services and its second business, facilities-management services.

Addtech AB is a group of businesses offering high-tech products and solutions to customers in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. The Company operates through the Automation, Electrification, Energy, Industry, Process, and Safety segments, with the Industry segment generating the maximum revenue. The Industry business area includes the trend toward increased use of more sustainable fibre-based materials, ergonomic products for special vehicles, and energy-efficient drive systems. Geographically, the Company generates the maximum revenue from Sweden, with the remaining revenue generated from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Rest of Europe, and other countries.

Andritz AG is a producer of high-technology industrial machinery and operates through four operating segments: ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, and board; ANDRITZ Metals includes suppliers of technologies, plants, and digital solutions in metal forming, and also includes automation and software solutions, process know-how, and service; ANDRITZ Hydropower includes suppliers of electromechanical equipment and services for hydropower stations; and ANDRITZ Environment & Energy provides sustainable technologies for industries, including green hydrogen, carbon capture, solid/liquid separation, and renewable fuels. It generates the maximum of its revenue from the ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper segment.

Shree Cement Ltd manufactures and sells cement and cement-related products to the building and construction industries. It derives revenue from cement, clinker, and power sales, of which cement products contribute majorly to the revenue. The cement products are offered under the brands Shree Jung Rodhak and Bangur. Geographically, the company's majority of the revenue is generated within India.

Core & Main is a leading specialty distributor with a focus on water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products. The company provides solutions to municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors across municipal, nonresidential, and residential end markets. The company’s specialty products and services are used in the maintenance, repair, replacement, and construction of water and fire protection infrastructure.