Turn Numbers Into Next Steps
With clear benchmarks on expenses and margins, the report you receive when you participate in the survey equips you to identify new business opportunities, improve forecasting, and reduce costs while strengthening long-term performance.
2025 Data Collection Has Ended
The AmericanHort Financial Benchmark Survey and Report
Participation in the annual survey is open to AmericanHort members
Benefits of Participation
The Financial Benchmark Survey Report contains powerful data, and respondents who complete the entire survey will receive:
- Full Industry Report.This free report provides actionable, comprehensive benchmarking data, which can assist you in identifying strengths, best practices and areas for improvement.
- Key Insights. You will be provided financial metrics related to COGS, SG&A, profit margins, inventory, labor, transportation, and other pertinent information that can guide decision-making, forecasting, cost-saving opportunities, improving profitability, and driving growth.
- Company Comparison Report. Free for Premium members who complete this survey, the report details your company’s performance against industry norms. Interested Basic and Plus members that completed the survey may purchase this report.
AmericanHort and Industry Insights, a strategic third-party expert, conduct this annual survey of greenhouse and nursery growers, garden retailers, landscapers, and other green industry professionals.
All data is confidentially collected and maintained by Industry Insights. Individual company data is never shared, and all benchmark data is only reported in aggregate.
Data Collection Will Begin Again in 2026
Get on the list so you know when the next survey will begin.
Membership Provides Exclusive Access
Participation is for members only and is free with your AmericanHort membership. Not a member?
Participation Made Easy
Your time matters. To simplify the process, we have guidance to let you know what to expect and explain what to prepare ahead for the survey. There is also a downloadable guide [link] for your convenience.
How to Participate
The survey is open to members from June 9-July 25, 2025. To complete the survey, follow these steps:
- Set up a profile account in the Industry Insights portal if you do not have one already.
- If you already have a profile from a previous survey participation, use your same email and password to login.
- Click on “Begin Survey” and you will then be prompted to answer the survey questions.
- Save your data by using the “Save” button as you navigate through the survey questions. You may save and return to the survey to complete it any time prior to the closing date.
- Please allow approximately 25 minutes or less to complete the survey.
If you need assistance with the online survey, please contact Jake Hackathorne of Industry Insights at [email protected].
Preparing for the Survey
You can simplify the survey completion process by gathering relevant data in advance. These financial metrics can be provided by uploading your balance sheet and income statement as reported from your financial accounting software (e.g. QuickBooks, Sage). Industry Insights will confidentially and securely enter the information into your survey based on the data provided.
Here is a list of information to gather:
- Number of years in business
- Revenue and Net profit before taxes in dollars from 2018-2024, and 2025 Forecast
- Percent of sales made via e-commerce
- Percentage of sales generated via greenhouse, nursery, garden retail, or landscaping services
- Percentage of total sales occurring each quarter
- Number of full-time employees, part-time employees (year-round and seasonal)
- Number of company executives/officer, production staff in management, production staff (non-management), sales, office, and other
- Square footage of greenhouse space, acres of nursery space, garden center space, etc.
- Number of locations
Sales by product type and space - Sales by service type
- Sales by channel (I.E. wholesale, IGC, Mass Merchandisers, Landscape Distribution, Individual Customers, etc.)
- Number of customers
Sales by customer type (I.E.: Homeowners/Residential, Landscapers, Municipalities) - Annual expenditure on energy (I.E. electricity, heating, etc.)
- Energy efficiency measures implemented in the past 3 years
- Annual expenditure on water
- Water conservation measures implemented in the past 3 years
- Inventory status as of May 2025 compared to last year
- Number of landscaping projects completed in 2024
- Average landscape project size ($) in 2024
The top three business challenges your company faces - Balance Sheet and Income Statements
AmericanHort has created a downloadable document with this information for your reference.
Salary & Benefits Benchmarking
AmericanHort provides other opportunities to obtain industry data to guide your compensation and benefits decisions.
The AmericanHort Financial Benchmark Industry Report
Available in the late fall to those who complete the survey, this report provides specific data as outlined in the following examples:
Metric Charts
Overall Performance Measures
Surveys are conducted by:
Industry Insights is a leading independent research firm, specializing in operating surveys. All data is collected confidentially and reported in the aggregate.
View Sample Report
Comprehensive data in the full Financial Benchmark Report can guide your strategy.