Combined sales of the four publicly reporting E&S companies—Middleby Corp., ITW’s Food Equipment Group, Rational North America and Electrolux Professional The Americas—declined 2.8% 1Q-24 compared to 1Q-23, according to analysis of company earnings reports by John Muldowney at Clarity M&A exclusively for The Ashton Report. Three of the four companies reported sales declines. The downturn…