What's Up | What's Down - August 2025

September 16, 2025

Every month, Datavations brings clarity to the biggest shifts in building materials and home improvement. From revenue swings to pricing trends, stockout losses to SKU shifts, we track where momentum is building — and where it’s fading — so suppliers and distributors know exactly where to focus.

Here’s how the market moved in August:

Revenue Movers

Chart showing top risers and top fallers based on change in revenue YoY (August 2025 vs. August 2024)

Concrete Parts & Accessories rose to the top this month, creating a close tie with Siding Tools which was one of July’s leaders, with a 24% gain, underscoring ongoing demand for core construction materials. Patio Doors (+23%) and Hardscapes (+23%) are also new to the top five space, both categories tied closely to renovation and exterior upgrades. Rounding out the risers is Woodworking Tools with a 19% boost which is a drop from its rise in July (+32%) but still holding strong. August’s risers point to continued investment in core construction and exterior renovation which are areas less tied to short-term consumer sentiment and more reflective of steady project demand.

On the downside, Under Sink Water Filters (-33%) and French Doors (-29%) continue to land in the top fallers this month as well although the YoY drop for French Doors is far less than the -43% fall in July. These categories are joined by two bathroom-related categories (Organizers and Sinks) which are both down 20%+ from 2024. Rubberized Coatings also fell sharply, signaling caution in more discretionary or project-specific purchases. The consistency across these categories suggests sustained weakness in consumer-driven home improvement projects and interior upgrades, particularly in bathrooms and finishing materials.

Executive Takeaway: August revenue growth was concentrated in core building and exterior materials, possibly reflecting some seasonal impacts. End of summer often finds home exteriors getting attention while interior fixtures and discretionary upgrades slow.

Pricing Shifts

Chart showing top risers and top fallers based on change in average sales price YoY (August 2025 vs. August 2024)

Pricing gains were concentrated in tools and durable materials in August although pressure remained uneven. Concrete Tools (+25%) and Woodworking Tools (+15%) saw the strongest increases, likely reflecting elevated input costs and steady demand. Bathtub Parts, Vinyl Flooring, and Gutter Systems also rose by around 10–12%, showing pockets of pricing power. Together, these categories highlight that pricing power is holding in professional-grade tools and essential upgrade materials.

Meanwhile, Ceiling Tiles fell by 42%, with related categories like Ceiling Grids (-16%) also under pressure. Under Sink Water Filters and Showers & Doors both posted double-digit price declines, reinforcing the weakness already seen in revenue performance. These drops underline ongoing pricing pressure in interior fixtures and oversupplied categories.

Executive Takeaway: Tools and durable materials are sustaining pricing strength, while ceilings, fixtures, and filters continue to face heavy markdowns.

Stockout Losses

Chart of the largest and least stockout losses in August 2025.

Stockouts continued to impact practical, high-demand categories although all five of the largest stockout loss categories are new in comparison to last month’s leading losses. Ladders and Nail Guns alone accounted for nearly $1 million in missed revenue, while Patio Doors and Bathroom Sinks also lost more than 1% of sales to availability issues. This highlights how even modest availability gaps can translate into significant missed revenue.

In contrast, categories like Moulding & Millwork, Commercial Roofing, and Wood Siding experienced minimal disruption, with stockout losses accounting for less than 0.1% of sales. Overall, stockout losses in August were notably lower than July, with the top category’s loss rate down 5.8 percentage points and the lowest loss rate down 0.24 points.

Executive Takeaway: Stockouts remain a silent drain on performance. In core categories like ladders and nail guns, small gaps in availability can erase hundreds of thousands in potential sales.

SKU Count Changes

Chart showing top SKU count increases and decreases MoM (August 2025 vs. July 2025)

SKU adjustments told a mixed story although it appears that merchants expanded assortments in categories tied to construction and utility. Masonry Tools (+19%) and Decorative Concrete (+11%) led the increases, supporting the concept of continued investment in categories linked to construction and design detail. Attic Fans (+10%) and Tank Water Heaters (+9%) also expanded, pointing to categories aligned with utility and seasonal resets.

On the flip side, Concrete Parts & Accessories trimmed assortments by -9% despite posting strong revenue growth, a reminder that SKU reduction doesn’t always correlate with weaker demand. Bathroom Mirrors and Kitchen Sinks each fell by -7%, joining Composite Siding in the month’s pullbacks. This may point to a more cautious approach in interior products or simply seasonal shifts away from interiors during this time.

Executive Takeaway: Retailers are adding depth in construction and utility categories while pulling back in bathrooms and siding thus signaling where confidence and caution currently sit.

Why This Matters

The August data highlights the push-and-pull happening across the industry. Strong demand continues to drive revenue gains in categories like concrete, siding tools, and hardscapes, while bathroom fixtures and filters remain under pressure. Price movements showed similar contrasts — from double-digit gains in tools to steep declines in ceilings and filters.

For suppliers and distributors, these shifts aren’t just numbers on a chart. They are indicators of real risk and opportunity:

Revenue growth is concentrated in categories with broad application and steady demand. Core construction materials like concrete, and siding tools are outperforming as project demand stays resilient.
Pricing power is holding in tools and core materials but slipping in consumer-focused or oversupplied categories which may be signaling a softness in discretionary upgrades.
Stockouts are cutting into growth in essential categories, proving that demand without availability equals missed revenue. Even modest availability gaps in ladders, nail guns, and patio doors translated into significant untapped earnings.
SKU changes reveal where merchants are leaning in (construction materials, hardware, utility) and where they’re pruning (bathroom fixtures, siding, filters).

The bottom line: Staying ahead of these shifts requires SKU-level clarity that goes beyond broad market reports. That’s where Datavations comes in — helping suppliers and distributors anticipate change, act decisively, and protect their share in fast-moving categories.

Executive Takeaway: August reinforced a split market: core building materials and tools are powering ahead, while consumer-focused fixtures face pricing and demand pressure. Success will hinge on aligning availability and assortment with the categories driving durable growth.

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Coming soon: Tariffs are adding another layer of pressure on pricing and inventory strategies. Join our Tariffs & Building Materials Webinar on October 2, 2025 for a deeper dive. Stay tuned for registration details.

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