February 2006 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 $312.1 billion, virtually unchanged from the revised January level and were up 9.2 percent from the February 2005 level. February sales of durable goods increased 0.2 percent from last month and were up 8.7 percent from a year ago.
Compared to last month, sales of hardware, plumbing and heating equipment and supplies increased 3.2 percent, while lumber and other construction materials decreased 5.2 percent. February sales of nondurable goods were down 0.1 percent from last month, but were up 9.7 percent from last year. Compared to last month, sales of apparel, piece goods, and notions were down 3.5 percent, while farm product raw materials increased 3.5 percent.
Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $365.5 billion at the end of February, up 0.8 percent from last month and were up 6.2 percent from a year ago. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.6 percent from January and were up 6.6 percent from last February. Compared to last month, inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies increased 1.8 percent and professional and commercial equipment and supplies increased 1.6 percent.
Inventories/Sales Ratio
The February inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.17. The February 2005 ratio was 1.20.
Click on Related Document below for a breakout of sales in different wholesale sectors.
