Ace Hardware reported record fourth-quarter revenues of US$2.3 billion, a 7.6 percent increase from Q4 2023. Net income for the quarter hit another record for the company, reaching $53.8 million. Sales by the 3,700 Ace retailers (including no Canadian Ace dealers) were up 1.6 percent, reflecting a 1.9 percent increase in average ticket but slightly offset by a 0.3 percent decrease in same-store transactions. Consolidated revenues for fiscal 2024 totalled $9.5 billion, an increase of 3.9 percent.

Castle Building Centres Group has announced the launch of a new centralized Estimating & Design Services (EDS) program for its membership. The program is touted as a first for a buying group in the industry. In a release, one member dealer described the program as “very easy to use, very fast, and most importantly accurate.”

Throwback Thursday is a regular weekly feature in which we dip into the archives of the Hardlines Weekly Report.

Twenty-five years ago, RONA announced that it had purchased Cashway Building Centres for around $50 million. The move constituted “a major step forward and a realization of RONA’s expansion strategy,” said the RONA chairman at that time, Henri Drouin. The deal added Cashway’s 61 stores in Ontario and 1999 sales of $322 million to RONA’s network of 424 stores, for a combined annual sales of $1.8 billion. Cashway was, at the time, Ontario’s third-largest retail home improvement chain.

Peavey Industries is sounding the alarm about fraudulent websites seeking to prey on consumers interested in its liquidation sales. The retailer, which announced in late January that it would close all 90 of its Peavey Mart locations, has reminded the public that it does not offer online shipping. The RCMP says customers should look for a blue verification checkmark on social media pages and a Canadian phone number to avoid having their credit card information stolen.

The contractor business has never been hotter. Whether it’s GSDs, LBM-based pro yards, specialty pro yards, or ICI dealers, it seems like everybody wants to get a piece of the pro action. As DIY consumers are buffeted by an uncertain economy, one thing remains true—Canada needs to build homes at a rate never before seen. Hardlines is supporting this sector with two new publications. The quarterly Pro Dealer magazine is free to dealers—subscribe here! The monthly Pro Dealer Business e-newsletter is also free to dealers and its first issue deploys this week—subscribe here!

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order Monday that would impose 25 percent tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports to the U.S. The tariffs are slated to go into effect March 4 and will cancel existing exemptions and duty-free quotas for major suppliers in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and other countries around the world.

In a statement following the tariff announcement, the United Steelworkers union condemned the tariffs, saying they were unjustified measures that threaten thousands of Canadian jobs, disrupt supply chains, and undermine decades of economic cooperation.

“Trump’s tariffs are a direct attack on workers and communities,” said Marty Warren, USW national director for Canada. “We’ve been through this before, and we know these kinds of reckless trade measures don’t work, and hurt workers, destabilize industries, and create uncertainty across the economy on both sides of the border.”

Jacqueline Janes (via LinkedIn)

At Wolseley Canada, Jacqueline Janes has been appointed director, Atlantic Canada. She joined the wholesale plumbing, heating, and electrical supplier in 2020 as a sales manager, working at building and maintaining relationships and reinforcing Wolseley as a destination in Atlantic Canada. In her new role, Janes will be responsible for driving growth in the Atlantic region through the sales and branch teams.

“Jacqueline has been a valued member of Wolseley Canada and is an important part of the success we’ve seen in Atlantic Canada,” Wolseley Canada president Wally Quigg said in a release. “I am looking forward to working with Jacqueline as we continue to grow our market share in the Atlantic region.”

The value of building permits rose by 11.0 percent to $13.1 billion in December, StatCan reports. The increase was led by a 21.2 percent increase in the residential sector, largely due to gains in Ontario and British Columbia. While multi-family dwellings were the main driver of growth, permits for single-family construction rose in value by 1.8 percent to $2.9 billion.

The latest edition of Hardlines Dealer News lands in inboxes tomorrow. In this issue, we explore the next Hardlines Retail Report, Orgill’s response to Ace’s withdrawal from Canada, and how dealers are gearing up for the prospect of U.S. tariffs. Hardlines Dealer News is monthly and it’s free: click here to subscribe now!

Supply-Build Canada (formerly the Western Retail Lumber Association) has extended the deadline for its online auction to Wednesday. All proceeds support the Love, Jayne Foundation, honouring the life of the late Jayne Hounslow, daughter of Burlington Merchandising & Fixtures president Sarah Hounslow. Items include a custom moulding/wall panel project by Alexandria Moulding and a roofing shingle package from IKO. Click here to bid!