Why This Matters to Distributors: Motion continues to post solid growth even as manufacturing demand remains uneven. The results show continued investment in industrial maintenance and automation while providing an early look at the business before it becomes an independent industrial distributor in 2027.
Motion, the industrial distribution business of Genuine Parts Co., posted another quarter of strong sales growth as its parent company reaffirmed plans to separate its automotive and industrial operations into two independent public companies next year.
Motion generated $2.4 billion in second-quarter sales, up 7.1% from the same period a year ago. Sales from existing operations increased 6.1%, while currency exchange rates and acquisitions provided modest additional growth.
Operating profit also improved during the quarter, rising 10% to $316 million, while profitability increased slightly from a year earlier.
The industrial business was Genuine Parts’ fastest-growing segment during the quarter, outperforming the company’s overall sales increase of 6%.
“The GPC team delivered solid second-quarter results, driven by continued sales growth and disciplined execution across our businesses,” Chairman and CEO Will Stengel said. He added that the company remains on track to complete the separation of its automotive and industrial businesses during the first quarter of 2027.
The move will create a standalone Motion focused exclusively on industrial replacement parts, automation, bearings, power transmission, fluid power and related products and services.
For the first six months of 2026, Motion reported $4.7 billion in sales, a 6.2% increase from the same period last year. Sales from existing operations rose 5%, while operating profit increased more than 11%.
The results indicate that demand for industrial products remained steady despite continued uncertainty in the manufacturing economy.
Although the company did not provide details by product category or end market, Motion has benefited from continued spending on maintenance, repair, and operations products, along with investments in automation and plant productivity.
Genuine Parts left its full-year outlook for the industrial business unchanged, continuing to expect 3% to 6% sales growth in 2026.
The company said it continues to prepare Motion to operate as an independent company. During the second quarter, Genuine Parts recorded costs related to the planned separation as it works toward completing the transaction next year.
For industrial distributors, the results point to continued resilience in the maintenance and repair market even as broader manufacturing activity remains mixed. Customers continue to invest in equipment reliability, automation, and productivity improvements, supporting demand for industrial replacement parts and value-added services.
The separation also will reshape the industrial distribution landscape. As an independent company, Motion will be able to focus exclusively on industrial markets, with greater flexibility to invest in technology, expand through acquisitions and pursue growth opportunities tailored to manufacturing customers.
Motion is one of North America’s largest industrial distributors, supplying bearings, power transmission products, fluid power components, automation equipment, industrial safety products and repair services to manufacturers, utilities, energy companies, and other industrial customers. It operates throughout North America and Australia and Asia.
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