Matrixx CEO predicts retailers will stock cough/cold medicines in a timelier manner

PHOENIX The purchase of cough and cold items by retailers may more closely correspond with illness rates going forward as opposed to seeing a significant purchase spike just before the cough and cold season in August, Carl Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Matrixx Initiatives, revealed in a press statement Wednesday regarding Matrixx’ most recent quarterly results.

“Over the past couple of years, we have seen our largest retail customers trim the size of their pre-season purchases—which had generally occurred in August and September—and focus on repurchasing inventory as consumption levels increase during the cold season,” he said. “We expect that trend to continue as the consolidation in the industry and growth of several national chains has allowed retailers to manage inventory at tighter levels and replenish store shelves in a timelier manner. We believe this shift in behavior will spread retail orders over the entire cold season compared to the large early inventory buys in previous years, which were sold down throughout the season.”