Wholesale trade improved in July compared to the same month a year ago and was up from the previous month of June, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

July 2021 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading day differences but not for price changes, were $601.3 billion, up 23.7% from the revised July 2020 level and up 2% from the revised June level. The May 2021 to June 2021 percent change was revised from the preliminary estimate of up 2% to up 2.3%.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading day differences, but not for price changes, were $722.4 billion at the end of July, up 0.6% from the revised June level. Total inventories were up 11.5% from the revised July 2020 level. The June 2021 to July 2021 percent change was unrevised from the advance estimate of up 0.6%.

The July inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.20. The July 2020 ratio was 1.33.