· ABC Supply Co., a $2.6 billion provider of equipment and materials for building professionals, has agreed to acquire $1.5 billion competitor Bradco Supply Corp. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close next month, were not disclosed. ABC sells via a catalog division, an e-commerce site, and more than 350 branches nationwide.
· Systemax, a multichannel seller of computers and industrial supplies, enjoyed a 22% leap in first-quarter sales, to $915.2 million for the three months ended March 31. Net income rose 35%, to nearly $11.6 million. “Our business-to-business operations were the highlight of the quarter with strong sales growth in both North America and Europe,” Gilbert Fiorentino, chief executive of Systemax's Technology Products Group, said in a statement. “In North America we focus our b-to-b efforts primarily on small business, and we were pleased with the growth in this market. In our consumer channels we had moderate sales growth in North America, which was offset by a decline in Europe.” Systemax’s brands include TigerDirect, CompUSA, Circuit City, and Misco.
