Technology

Brokerage Labor Cost Per Transaction Exceeds $900 thru mid-year 2024

Published

2 years ago

September 12, 2024

BOSTON, Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — AccountTECH, a leading accounting software and financial analysis firm for the Real Estate industry, has released a benchmark report detailing labor costs for the first six months of 2024.

Labor cost benchmark in 2024

The study analyzed labor costs for brokerages from January to June 2024. The study included 100 randomly selected companies known for maintaining accurate GAAP protocols and excluding brokerages that inflate profitability through broker/owner personal sales. Collectively, these 100 companies closed 51,769 sides with 17,749 agents in the period.

Key Findings: Labor cost per Transaction

The analysis reveals that the average labor cost per transaction surpassed $900.

In this study, the average labor cost per transaction was $919.50 for the first 6 months of 2024.

For profitable companies in the study, the average labor cost for the period was $821 per side.

For unprofitable companies in the study, the average labor cost was $1,046 per side.

Labor cost per Transaction does not predict profitability

Labor costs per transaction don’t necessarily correlate with profitability, which came as a surprising discovery. In the companies studied, as the number of closed transaction sides increased, total labor costs did not increase. Conversely, as the number of closed transaction sides decreased, total labor costs did not decrease. Overall, labor cost appears to have no direct correlation to the number of transactions closed in any given period.

Other unexpected findings include the following:

high labor costs did not indicate that a company is closing more transactions than other test subjects with lower labor costs.

higher transaction counts do not necessarily mean that a brokerage will have increased profitability

Here is an example that highlights the inconsistencies:

One company in the study closed 248 sides in the study date range with a labor cost of $1,150 per transaction. This company was profitable with a 4.52% EBITDA margin

Another company in the study closed 250 sides in the same period with a labor cost of $723 per transaction. This company (37% lower costs per transaction) was unprofitable with a loss of negative -0.05% EBITDA margin

Labor costs are, by far, the largest expense category for all Real Estate brokerages. However high labor costs do not always predict unprofitability. A review of the profitable companies in our study shows that 24.14% had very high labor costs – ranging from $1,100 to $4,400 per side – and yet they were still profitable.

Analysis

Brokerages have long focused on increasing transaction count by increasing agent count. If transaction counts are increasing or agent counts are increasing, one would expect that costs per agent and costs per transaction should decrease proportionally – but in our analysis, that correlation does not seem to exist. Here is a graph of 20 companies in our study. If you look at the companies highlighted in purple.

One company in the study closed 188 sides with a labor cost per side of $550. This company lost $32,000 thru June 30th, 2024.Another company in the study closed 222 sides with a labor cost per side of $1,547. This company had a profit of $197,500 thru the same period.Comparing Real Estate brokerages to themselves over time, in our study, we did not find that labor costs per transaction decreased significantly in periods of rapid agent count growth. This appears to be due to brokerages growing through acquisitions – and experiencing labor cost increases because of the staff overhead that comes with all M&A activity.

Joe Peront, CFO of Century 21 Northeast has long understood the challenge of real estate brokerage labor costs. These costs have a rigidity that keeps them from adjusting to changing markets. Joe writes: “When analyzing a brokerage’s ability to be profitable, I’ve found that adopting a cost accounting approach offers valuable insights. I start by viewing each transaction as a product being produced. The costs involved in delivering this “product” can be effectively broken down into two categories. The first category encompasses fixed costs, such as rent, utilities, insurance, software, and accounting. The second, more critical category includes variable costs like labor for compliance, training, marketing, and agent management.

AccountTech’s recent analysis uncovers two key findings. First, it demonstrated that, despite variations in brokerage size and closed transaction count, there exists a constant and predictable range for the metric of labor costs. Second, it shows that we, as an industry, are failing to adjust labor cost up or down in response to the number of closed transactions. These insights are key to understanding and optimizing profitability across the industry.”

Commentary

“Our industry is at a pivotal moment in terms of labor cost management,” said Mark Blagden, CEO at AccountTECH. “Our analysis indicates that the average labor cost, when evaluated on a per transaction OR a per agent basis, has reached unprecedented levels – but these KPI are not predictive of profitability. The study shows that companies maintain static labor cost expenditures even when transaction sides or agent count are trending lower. This in-elasticity of labor overhead is decreasing profitability. Since labor is the number one cost to brokerages, the industry needs a new way to benchmark for labor cost that isn’t based on transaction count or agent count. Changing the way we budget for labor is crucial for companies aiming to optimize profitability”

Summary

Labor cost is a remarkably accurate predictor of profitability. The challenge is that trying to forecast profitably based on agent count or closed transaction sides isn’t profitable.

This study revealed that the only reliable predictor of brokerage net profitability is labor cost as a percentage of total revenue. While the KPI is not intuitive, we found that this formula appears to be able to accurately predict a brokerage’s net profitability percentage – just based on labor costs. It turns out that if you know a Real Estate brokerage’s labor cost, you can know your net profit in advance.

AccountTECH subscribers should look for the complete study results and forecasting tools to appear in the Spotlight section of their darwin.Cloud software.

Brokerages are working toward decreasing costs. One critical issue facing the industry is the need to create an overhead structure that can become less expensive when sales are down – but staff up quickly when needed. One solution that many brokerages are turning to is outsourcing. Read this survey released by AccountTECH that shows outsourcing the Real Estate office accounting can decrease accounting labor costs by 90%.

About AccountTECH

For over 25 years, AccountTECH’s team of real estate accountants and software engineers have been building tools that increase the efficiency of brokerages. Their latest flagship product is darwin.Cloud – a 4th generation evolution of their popular back office accounting software. The team is constantly adding automation and integrations towards the goal of single-point-of-entry. Their motto is: data entry can happen anywhere, but everything winds up in darwin. In their work with clients, partners and each other, they bring integrity to every interaction and every line of code.

AccountTECH www.accounttech.com (978) 947-3600

For sales inquiries, please contact:
Theresa Hurt theresa@accounttech.com
(978) 710-0071

Media contact:
Rizza Batol
rizza@accounttech.com
978.710.0071

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SOURCE AccountTECH

Technology

ImageTrend CFO John Wolfenden Accepted Into Forbes Finance Council

Published

29 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

Invitation-only professional community selects finance leader based on the depth and diversity of his experience

EAGAN, Minn., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ImageTrend, the leading provider of software and AI intelligence for emergency response, healthcare and public safety organizations, today announced that Chief Financial Officer John Wolfenden has been accepted into the Forbes Finance Council.

The Forbes Finance Council brings together executives, investors, and market operators who help shape how capital is allocated, managed, and protected in increasingly complex environments. The invitation-only members are vetted by a selection process that evaluates professional experience, leadership, and industry expertise.

Wolfenden was selected following a review of his experience as CFO of multiple software companies and his track record of strengthening financial operations, improving business processes and supporting growth. At ImageTrend, he leads the finance function and serves as a strategic partner across the business as the company advances its AI-powered platform and supports more than 11,000 agencies.

Recognized Finance Leadership

Across his CFO roles, Wolfenden has focused on operational improvement, business growth and building finance functions that serve as strategic partners across the organization. At ImageTrend, he plays a critical role in the executive leadership team, overseeing financial strategy and operations and helping the company build the scalable foundation required for long-term growth.

“John’s impact at ImageTrend goes well beyond the finance function,” said Joe Graw, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Growth Officer. “He brings financial discipline, commercial perspective and a roll-up-your-sleeves approach to the decisions that shape how we grow and serve our customers. His selection for Forbes Finance Council is well deserved and gives him a valuable platform to share that expertise with other finance leaders.”

Contributing to a Selective Finance Community

As a council member, Wolfenden will join a curated peer community and have opportunities to work with an editorial team to share expert insights in original articles and contribute to Expert Panels on Forbes.com. He plans to share lessons from scaling software organizations and strengthening finance operations.

“I am honored to have been selected to join Forbes Finance Council,” said Wolfenden. “I look forward to exchanging ideas with other finance leaders and learning from their experiences. I have always believed that finance should work closely with every part of the business, helping teams solve problems and make sound decisions. I am excited to bring what I learn back to ImageTrend as we continue improving how we operate and supporting the company’s growth.”

For more information about ImageTrend, visit www.imagetrend.com.

About ImageTrend

ImageTrend helps emergency response teams who struggle with documentation overload by giving them one AI-powered operating system so they can command with confidence and protect more lives with better decisions.

Founded in 1998, the company serves more than 11,000 agencies in the United States, Canada and United Arab Emirates across Fire, Emergency Medical Services, and Hospital segments. With its deep industry knowledge and advanced data analytics capabilities, the software provider helps its customers streamline operations, shape long-term strategies, and dramatically improve outcomes. Its AI-embedded product solutions and dedicated team provide the intelligence and confidence that first responders need to tackle today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s uncertainties.

About Forbes Councils

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive.

To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit https://councils.forbes.com.

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SOURCE ImageTrend LLC

Technology

Okuma America Corporation to Exhibit at IMTS 2026 with Comprehensive Lineup

Published

29 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

Newly Designed Machines, Open-architecture CNC Control, Multiple Automation Systems, Intelligent Technologies, World-Class Services, Sustainable Initiatives, & More to be Featured

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The leadership team at Okuma America Corporation, a global leader and single-source builder of computer numeric control (CNC) machine tools, controls, and automation systems, is excited to announce the company’s exhibition plans for the 2026 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) to be held in Chicago, Illinois, from September 14 to 19, 2026.

Within its 17,000 square-foot booth, the company plans to showcase a comprehensive offering for the metalworking industry featuring new CNC machine tools, an industry-leading CNC control, a robust line of automation systems, intelligent manufacturing technologies, new world-class services, and more. Okuma America Corporation will host a media event in the South Hall (Booth #338500) on Tuesday, September 15 at 2:00 pm to highlight the company’s IMTS offerings, share insights from the Okuma leadership team, and showcase latest technologies during booth tours.

New & Notable

Four CNC Machines to Make Americas Debut
Of the 11 CNC machine tools Okuma will exhibit at IMTS 2026, four will make their debut in the Americas:

NEW – Okuma MB-100V Vertical Machining CenterNEW – Okuma GENOS M4000H-e Horizontal Machining CenterNEW – Okuma MS-320H Horizontal Machining CenterNEW – Okuma MULTUS U1000 Multitasking Lathe

Okuma Factory Automation and Peripherals
Okuma will present a comprehensive lineup of automation systems developed by the Okuma Factory Automation (OFA) Group, along with best-in-class solutions from its industry partners, all of which seamlessly integrate with Okuma machines. Leading the charge on automation innovation, Okuma is partnering with Intrinsic AI to display an AI automation robot cell. The company is pleased to announce that 9 of its 11 IMTS 2026 CNC machine tools will be paired with automation systems, including three solutions making their debut in the Americas:

NEXT GENERATION – Okuma Robot Loader (ORL) Series Enhancements & Additions – easy-to-integrate robotic systems designed to load and unload workpieces from machinesOkuma Robot Loader Drawer II (ORL-D II)Okuma Robot Loader for Machining Centers (ORL-MC II) with palletOkuma Robot Loader Plus with Pallet (ORL+) – a system designed to perform multiple functionsNEW – Okuma Tower Pallet Changer – vertical, two-level pallet changer with 13-pallet capacityNEW – Modular Automatic Tool Changer

NEW Virtual Reality Experience
Okuma will provide IMTS 2026 attendees with the opportunity to explore various Okuma machine models in a virtual reality environment. A dedicated area within the Okuma booth (booth #338500) will be available for participants to wear a virtual reality headset to view, walk around, and interact with a virtual 3D model of various Okuma CNC machine tools. This includes models beyond what is physically being exhibited within the booth, such as the MCR-A5CII double column machining center.

NEW Explore the Okuma Global Repair Center
Okuma is thrilled to share details of its newly constructed Global Repair Center at its headquarters campus in Charlotte, NC. The 35,000 square-foot facility brings mechanical and electrical repair, component exchange, upgrades, and legacy part fabrication together in a new, state-of-the-art building that is four times larger than previous dedicated space. Backed by advanced inspection, testing, CNC simulation, and thousands of ready-to-ship parts, the facility maximizes uptime, safeguards Okuma users’ investment, and reinforces Okuma’s promise to Passionately Pursue a Customer for Life. Booth visitors may explore the new facility via a 3D-printed model and watch a video of the facility’s impressive operations.

NEW Tribute to America 250
Okuma is pleased to recognize and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America with several tributes within its booth experience. Booth visitors can see an intricately-crafted Bald Eagle which is being created on the Okuma MU-8000V vertical machining center. Additionally, the company will also reward attendees who complete an in-booth survey with an exclusive baseball hat that features an American flag design element. Also, the GENOS M4000H-e horizontal machining center, which will be making its Americas Debut, will feature a one-of-a-kind patriotic graphics theme, produced by the company’s NASCAR partner, Richard Childress Racing.

Okuma Machine Featured in Partner Booth
Okuma is proud to partner with 50+ companies in the manufacturing industry through our Partners in Technology program, many who will be featured in demonstrations throughout the Okuma booth. Several program members are also exhibiting at IMTS 2026, including Air Turbine Tool. They will feature an Okuma GENOS M560-V vertical machining center in working display at their booth (#431645).

Comprehensive Technology Lineup

Okuma will showcase 11 CNC machine tools at the show, representing a wide range of the company’s vast product lines. Among these are four new products making their Americas debut. Additionally, ten unique automation systems will be on display, including three proprietary innovations from Okuma Factory Automation. The distinctive OSP-P500 control system will be featured on 9 of the 11 CNC machines in the booth, as well as on free-standing interactive simulators. Okuma will also highlight key components of its world-class service and support program.

Okuma’s complete IMTS 2026 machine, control, and automation lineup includes:

Okuma Machining Centers

Paired Automation System

GENOS M4000H-e – NEW

Internal Two-Station Automatic Pallet Changer (APC)

MB-100V – NEW

MB-5000HII

Okuma Tower Pallet Changer

MS-320H – NEW

Okuma Robot Loader Drawer II (ORL-D II)

MU-8000V

Modular Automation Cell

GENOS M460V-5AX (5-axis)

Okuma Robot Loader Machining Center II (ORL-MC II) & Modular Automatic Tool Changer (ATC)

Lathes

Paired Automation System

LB2000 EX III MYW

Okuma Robot Loader Plus with pallet (ORL+)

LT2000 EX 3T3MY

Okuma NC Unloader and LNS Bar Feeder

LU3000 EX

Okuma Gantry Loader (OGL)

Multitasking Lathes

Paired Automation System

MULTUS U1000 – NEW

Grinder

Paired Automation System

GA26W

Okuma Robot Loader Plus with pallet (ORL+)

Other Highlights

Okuma Speaking & Media Engagements
There will be multiple opportunities for show visitors to attend speaking engagements led by Okuma executive leadership and experts, including:

Okuma Press Conference on Tuesday, 9/15 at 2 PM CST, located in the Virtual Reality section of Okuma Booth (booth #338500)Simon Schneider, Director of Okuma Factory Automation, to present “The Automation Impact: Short-Term Wins to Long-Term Transformations” at Room W192-C on Tuesday, 9/15 at 2:15 CSTWade Andersion, Vice President of Engineering and Okuma Factory Automation, to present at the Blaser Swisslube Booth (booth #431228) on Tuesday 9/15 at 3 PM CST

Okuma is pleased to partner with a variety of manufacturing trade publications for scheduled media engagement and filming sessions throughout IMTS 2026. This includes outlets such as Practical Machinist, MTD CNC, Modern Machine Shop, and more.

Sustainability Initiatives
At Okuma, we’re working together to build a better machine tool and a better future. Okuma CNC machines are equipped with Okuma’s “Green Smart Machine” technology, a series of combined technologies that harmonize high-performance machining with intelligent energy management controls. Specifically, these technologies include Okuma’s proprietary ECO suite plus and Thermo-Friendly Concept, both of which will be displayed at IMTS 2026.

Okuma Best-in-Class Distributor Network
In support of Okuma’s mission of ‘Passionately Pursuing a Customer for Life’, Okuma has created strategic relationships with best-in-class distributorships to support customer needs within their local regions of operation. Representatives from each of Okuma’s distributors will be onsite at IMTS 2026.

Okuma Partners in Technology
Okuma’s Partners in Technology network brings together 50+ companies that represent best-in-class manufacturing solutions and technologies that pair perfectly with Okuma CNC machine tools.

For more information on Okuma’s IMTS offering, visit www.okuma.com/imts.

About Okuma America Corporation
Okuma America Corporation is the U.S.-based sales, marketing, engineering, and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world-leading builder of CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, controls, and automation systems. The company was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan, and is the industry’s only single-source provider of CNC machines, drives, motors, encoders, spindles, and automation systems, all manufactured by Okuma. The company designs its own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with each machine tool’s functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma App Store, the industry’s only centralized online marketplace for machine tool apps and related content at that time. Along with its extensive distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in Technology network of enhanced manufacturing technologies, Okuma is committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the open possibilities of machine tools today and into the future. For more information, visit Okuma.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

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SOURCE Okuma America Corporation

Technology

TrendAI™ Adopts Claude Opus 5 to Advance Vulnerability Prioritization, Assessment, and Virtual Patching

Published

29 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

As a participant in Anthropic’s Cyber Verification Program, TrendAI applies frontier reasoning to convert vulnerability intelligence into faster protection across hybrid environments

DALLAS, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TrendAI™, the enterprise AI security leader from Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), today announced it is adopting Claude Opus 5, Anthropic’s latest and most capable Opus model, to help security teams convert vulnerability intelligence into immediate protection, from prioritization and assessment through to virtual patching. The move builds on TrendAI’s collaboration with Anthropic on Claude Opus 4.8, extending the same defensive focus to a model that delivers step-change gains in advanced reasoning, agentic workflows, and long-horizon analysis. As AI makes finding vulnerabilities easier than ever, the harder problem becomes protecting organizations faster than software can be permanently patched, and that is where TrendAI is putting Opus 5 to work.

As a participant in Anthropic’s Cyber Verification Program, which credentials organizations for the defensive use of frontier AI models, TrendAI is positioned to apply Claude Opus 5 to defensive security as access becomes available. The model is Zero Data Retention compatible, supporting TrendAI’s governance and data-protection requirements as it scales AI across security operations.

Rachel Jin, Chief Platform and Business Officer, Head of TrendAI™:
“With Claude Opus 5, TrendAI can move from vulnerability intelligence to action faster than ever, prioritizing what matters most by exploitability and business impact. Finding the vulnerability was always the hard part. Now the challenge is protecting organizations faster than software can be permanently patched, and frontier reasoning is what changes that equation, extending all the way to virtual patching that protects customers before a vendor fix ships. This is what it means to secure the AI age, fearlessly.”

These capabilities support TrendAI Vision One™ in helping security analysts, AppSec teams, and SOC teams prioritize exposure, map attack paths, and accelerate mitigation, including virtual patching, across hybrid environments, moving vulnerability management from a static scanning process into a faster, context-aware risk mitigation workflow.

About TrendAI™
TrendAI™, the global AI security leader and enterprise business unit of Trend Micro, empowers organizations with full AI visibility and consolidated security that inspires confidence, drives innovation, and eliminates risk. Trusted by the largest enterprises and governments across 185 countries, TrendAI™ secures the entire organization, from identities, to infrastructure, to data. Global Fortune 500 companies rely on TrendAI™ to cut risk and stop threats up to three months earlier, powered by world-leading threat and attack intelligence. Through deep ecosystem partnerships with market leaders like NVIDIA, Anthropic, AWS, Google, and Microsoft, TrendAI™ empowers your organization to securely drive forward at the speed of AI. AI Fearlessly. Learn more: trendaisecurity.com

About Anthropic
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company dedicated to building reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. Its Claude family of models, including Claude Opus 5, enables advanced capabilities across a wide range of applications, including code understanding and security analysis.

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SOURCE TrendAI