Wholesale revenues in April were $448.3 billion, up 1.6 percent from the revised March level, but were down 3.3 percent from April 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
April sales of durable goods were up 1.2 percent from last month and up 2.4 percent from a year ago. Sales of electrical and electronic goods were up 3.2 percent from last month and sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 3.2 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 2 percent from March, but were down 8.2 percent from last April. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 7.4 percent from last month and sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 4.9 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $576.9 billion at the end of April, up 0.4 percent from the revised March level and were up 4.5 percent from the April 2014 level. Inventories of durable goods were up 0.1 percent from last month and were up 6.6 percent from a year ago. Inventories of lumber and other construction materials were up 3.4 percent from last month, while inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were down 3.1 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 0.8 percent from March and up 1.1 percent from last April. Inventories of paper and paper products were up 3.9 percent from last month and inventories of apparel, piece goods and notions were up 2.7 percent.
The April inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.29. The April 2014 ratio was 1.19.
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