Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
Thank you sir. We will now begin the question-and-answer session. (Operator Instructions). And our first question comes from line of Dan Binder with Jefferies & Company. Please go ahead.
Daniel Binder - Jefferies & Company, Inc.
Hi, it's Dan Binder.
Richard Gochnauer
Good morning Dan.
Daniel Binder - Jefferies & Company, Inc.
Good morning. I had several questions I'll ask a few and then I'll come back later in the call if there's time. I will just start with the top line assumption of negative high singe digit. Our model's roughly inline with that right now. But just curious with what we were not factoring in perhaps was the level of inflation that you saw in Q4 and I guess I am just kind of curious, what kind of inflation or potentially deflation, I am not sure, would you expect in '09. And given the way things are trending at negative double-digit right now, with unemployment moving higher. I guess I am just kind of curious what your assumptions are though the year on this negative double-digit top line growth number.
Richard Gochnauer
Well, we're in the same boat as everyone, trying to figure out where this market is taking everybody. And that's why we kind of told you what our planning assumptions are, which is the basis by which we're trying to manage our business at the moment and will of course adjust that as we know more information.
With regard to the issue of inflation, as we indicated we will have a positive impact of inflation in the fourth quarter. We have also heard about some increases that will take place in the second quarter, but there is also some products that have actually come down in price. Those are generally petroleum based products, although there is some indication, that was announced during the turnaround with some potential price increases.
Now it's a little bit of a mix bag, but our planning assumptions assume that the big impact will be the first quarter and little impact plus or the minus for the balance of the year, on the inflation question.
With regard with the total revenue other than the comments I made, it's difficult to predict the... you and others have correctly shown the impact on employment and how that affects overall office supplies and even jan-san supplies business. We are seeing obviously the impact on the industrial business take place as people have cut back on inventories and adjusted their purchases and factories have shut down. So that affected the supplies business there.
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