On "Watsco Completes Acquisition of Jackson Supply Co."

Watsco keeps buying up regional distributors because the fragmentation in HVAC supply still works in their favor. Twenty-five more locations spread across seven states doesn't change the fundamental math for most shops—you're still choosing between the big consolidator with scale and pricing power, or staying loyal to whoever's left standing in your market. The real squeeze comes later, when Watsco uses that footprint to tighten margin on commodity items and funnel you toward their house brands. Independent contractors betting on local relationships holding steady should start thinking about what happens when there's no one left to switch to.