Wolseley may put Stock Building Supply on sale block

Wolseley CEO Chip Hornsby may be mulling options for one of the London parent's U.S. units, Stock Building Supply of Raleigh.

[Mike]

I cannot believe a supposely strong company is failing... when all the rave was how well prepared they where.

[John]

I don't care how prepared you are.. You sell material at low margins you are bound to go broke.

[Rick]

In the Florida market Stock is selling wood trusses below the cost of materials. I do not think it can continue with this stategy??

[Matt Berry]

In Utah Stock sells wood trusses below cost. There is no way they can keep on surviving this storm with that mentality. I will sit on the sidelines and watch them eat it hard!

[Simpleman]

builders first is doing the same thing,they call it gaining market share. lost 45,000.000.00 last quarter. they will fall soon.

[Jim]

Sure, all you guys are right....not.
Stock is doing all the right things in an extremely tough market, they didn't get where they are by being idiots. Y'all sound green with envy. Suck it up!

[old days]

I worked at Stock in the early 80's when the Stock family owned and operated 7 stores in the Midwest there was no such thing as selling something below cost you would be out the door in a minute. Today I work for another large supplier and run up against Stock alot and all I see them doing is selling product at or below cost, what the heck. Just doesnt make any sense. bleed bleed bleed all your money Woesley!!!!!!!!!! it will be better for us when your gone.

[Mom-Pop Bldg Supply]

Jim, you are hilarious! Stock has down nothing right except lowball to drive the price down below material costs. Everytime you win a job, we just sit back and laugh knowing you just lost another 20%.

[Rob]

We're converting our truss plant to a truss broker. Instead of wasting time and money on manufacturing and equipment, we'll buy our materials already designed and assembled by Stock at cost and then mark them up for a small profit.

[Bill]

Stock building supply sucks. I worked for them in their install department. It was terrible. I hope they get bought out. Good buy Stock Building Supply!!

[Jim]

Again, it's easy for folks outside Stock Building Supply to make random, incorrect statements on an anonymous forum. I can honestly say the we have not, are not, and will not sell product below cost.....that is not a profitable model. Maybe we get better pricing from our vendors than some smaller companies, and perhaps that is confusing you. And as for the "ex-employee" statements, well, seriously, folks......times are tough but we shall indeed prevail, I would suggest the power of positive thinking. Y'all think times are tough now, imagine what your grandparents and great-greandparents went through in the Great Depression, they didn't sit and whine, they Made It Happen!

[Simpleman]

Jim, you must be in middle mgt.the only way to make it happen in this market, is to give it away. how else do you get such HUGE losses, hey maybe you can make it up in volume. yea thats the ticket.

[Bill]

Jim, I personally saw the profit margins on the account managers computer screen. Most of the margins where red and negitive. I don't know if you are a sales rep or an account manager for a national account. I know Stock will not sell products to the average customer below cost but those customers are a small percent of what Stock is selling. Most, not all is being sold below cost just to keep bigger account from leaving Stock. I know this because Stock bid on the same work I did and cut there pricing. I was told by the homebuilder how much Stock dropped there pricing. I feel sorry for all those who may end up loosing jobs but I think Stock needs to go. They have held a monopoly on the raleigh housing market for to long. There are other and I think better lumber supply compaines around.

[Joe Blow]

LOL!!! Just wait when winter shows up.. That's when the real bleeding and freezing is going to happen. Good Luck to all individuals in this crazy industry!!!!

[Macomb employee]

Let me tell you about Stock we are the leaders in the industry look out we might buy you out! We will be around for years.

[joe employee]

I work for stock and the way things are run at this location is a joke thay spend $10.00 to make $5.00 i dont feel good about my job security

[Macomb employee]

joe employee wrote:

I work for stock and the way things are run at this location is a joke thay spend $10.00 to make $5.00 i dont feel good about my job security

you must be out of your mind this company is the future. go find a new job loser

[Macomb employee]

Joe Blow wrote:

LOL!!! Just wait when winter shows up.. That's when the real bleeding and freezing is going to happen. Good Luck to all individuals in this crazy industry!!!!

who the hell are you? WE ARE THE FUTURE!

[Joe Blow]

Who the hell are you Macomb? You and Jim Jones need to get together and drink some cool-aide. You followers of jim Jones and Mr. Macomb will make up the cleasing that needs to take place in this over supplied industry. Bundle up brothers and hang on. It will warm up, but not til 2010!

[Chi-town]

Stock Building is not going anywhere even if sold. I cannot promise that SBS will not sell, but it would be idiotic for Wolseley to do so. They have invested a lot of money in projects that will have a great pay off in the years to come. The winter will be tough but the company continues to increase in market share and when the market turns I believe they will be in the best position in the market.