Inventory Turnover Ratio benchmark

Inventory Turnover Ratio Benchmark for MRO Distribution (2026)

Last updated July 2026

The short answer

In mro distribution, inventory turnover ratio typically runs 2–4 turns. Criticality buffers lower turns; target the dead tail. Inventory turnover (turns) is how many times a business sells and replaces its average inventory in a year. Higher turns mean less cash tied up per dollar of sales.

Formula Inventory Turns = Cost of Goods Sold ÷ Average Inventory

Inventory Turnover Ratio by industry (2026)

IndustryTypical TurnsWhat good looks like
All industrial distribution 3–6 turns Best-in-class distributors exceed 6 turns
Industrial Distribution 3–5 turns Top quartile above 5
Oil & Gas Distribution 2–4 turns Long-lead spares cap turns; above 4 is strong
MRO Distribution 2–4 turns Criticality buffers lower turns; target the dead tail
Electrical Distribution 4–6 turns Faster-moving mix; above 6 is excellent
PVF Distribution 2–4 turns Deep tails cap turns; target dead stock
Utilities & Power 1.5–3 turns Critical spares lower turns; above 3 is strong
Oilfield Services 1.5–3 turns Project demand caps turns; above 3 is strong
Mining 1.5–3 turns Remote spares lower turns; target idle equipment
Chemical & Process Manufacturing 2–4 turns Reliability spares weigh on turns

Inventory turnover (turns) is how many times a business sells and replaces its average inventory in a year. Higher turns mean less cash tied up per dollar of sales.

Where does yours land? If mro distribution operations want to move Turns in the right direction, the fastest lever is usually the excess and obsolete tail — the SKUs holding cash without serving demand.

Sources: Epicor / MDM

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