BENCHMARKS REPORT
Industry Measure: Company Level Data
| SIC: | 5072 | 
| INDUSTRY: | HARDWARE-WHOLESALE | 
| BENCHMARKS FOR THE INDUSTRY | 
|            NO. OF SEGMENTS REPORTING IN THE INDUSTRY:  10  | 
| 
              1997 SALES FOR THE INDUSTRY: $ 3956 (Total Sales in $Millions)  | 
| 
              OPERATING MARGIN: 2.4 (EBIT (divided by) Sales)  | 
| 
              CAPITAL INTENSITY: 27.9 (Sum of Total Debt plus Shareholder Equity (divided by) Sales)  | 
| 
              SALES GROWTH: 7.3 (Compound 3-Year Growth Rate in Sales for the Median Participant in the Industry)  | 
| BENCHMARKS FOR THE TOP FOUR COMPETITORS | 
|            ROE: Net Profits (divided by) Total Shareholder Equity RONCE: EBIT (divided by) Sum of Total Debt plus Shareholders' Equity  | 
| Competitor/Rank by Sales | 
              Market Share               (% Ind. Sales)  | 
ROE | RONCE | 
|            #1: TRUSERV CORP  | 
84.2 | 18.2 | 9.5 | 
|            #2: MOORE HANDLEY INC  | 
3.7 | -10.8 | -3.3 | 
|            #3: HANDY HARDWARE WHLSL -CL A  | 
3.2 | 6.5 | 12.0 | 
|            #4: SWISS ARMY BRANDS INC  | 
3.0 | -5.3 | -8.4 | 
| Total of #1-4: | 94.2 | 12.3 | 8.5 |