CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) has released its 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry report.
The 2025 NSCA report “provides valuable, industry-specific information for systems integrators on key business fundamentals,” according to the association announcement. These include markets served, systems and technologies offered, sales trends, labor breakdowns and company financial health.
Drawing on insights from almost 100 integration firms across 31 states, three Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico, the 17th edition of NSCA’s Financial Analysis of the Industry report “continues to deliver updated intelligence for integrators that want to refine their business models and stay competitive,” the NSCA announcement says.
Key Insights from 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry Report
Key findings in this year’s NSCA Financial Analysis of the Industry report include:
- Industry shifts in sales strategies: The 2025 report reveals a continued move away from competitive bidding and toward negotiated/direct sales, which now account for approximately 72% of total industry revenues.
- Improved profitability and cash flow: Despite economic unpredictability, median gross profit margins improved to 34.2%, while cash-on-hand saw a healthy boost, signaling stronger financial resilience overall.
- Diverging employment trends: When it comes to utilization rates, smaller firms especially report operating at or over capacity, while larger firms show more signs of underutilization and workforce reconfiguration as they adjust staffing levels to fluctuating workloads.
- Recurring revenue growth: Recurring revenue now represents the largest share of revenue ever. This reflects a strategic shift toward managed services and more predictable income streams.
How NSCA Conducted the Survey
NSCA worked with ESG Professional Accountants, an independent research firm, to preserve confidentiality while developing this report. The firm helped collect data from the 99 integration firms that participated in the 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry survey.
The information presented in the 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry report “provides an in-depth look at integrator operations and dynamics,” according to the NSCA announcement. It also helps NSCA members better understand the financial health and performance of their companies compared to others, the announcement says.
2025 NSCA Financial Analysis of the Industry Report Remains Integral for Integrators
Integrators can use the data from the 2025 NSCA Financial Analysis of the Industry report in order to:
- Compare their own financial ratios to industry medians and percentiles to identify strengths and weaknesses
- Refine pricing and project bidding strategies in response to market trends
- Evaluate and adjust staffing strategies or optimize labor-utilization rates based on comparative data segmented by firm size
- Spot inefficiencies, refine material purchasing, and improve job costing practices to protect profit
- Optimize project-review processes and recognition programs, comparing frequency, method, and outcomes of post-job reviews to high-performing companies
Members can also join an exclusive webinar on Nov. 18, where NSCA leadership will go inside the 2025 report with insights from NSCA executive director Tom LeBlanc, Solutions360 president Joel Harris and AVI Systems chief financial officer Chris Mounts.
“The data in this report can’t be found anywhere else in our industry,” says LeBlanc in the NSCA announcement. “Our members use it to see where they excel and where adjustment is needed. Only when you understand where you stand among your peers can you begin to target areas for improvement and prioritize actions that build a healthier, more competitive business.”
