Sales. July 2006 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, were $331.7 billion, up 0.4 percent from the revised June level and were up 12.6 percent from the July 2005 level. The June preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.7 billion or 0.2 percent. July sales of durable goods increased 0.1 percent from last month and were up 10.4 percent from a year ago. July sales of nondurable goods were up 0.7 percent from last month, and were up 14.7 percent from last year. Compared to last month, sales of farm product raw materials grew 5.6 percent, and petroleum and petroleum products increased 2.4 percent.
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, were $382.0 billion at the end of July, up 0.8 percent from last month and were up 8.8 percent from a year ago. The June preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.9 percent from June and were up 9.2 percent from last July. Compared to last month, inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 2.7 percent and electrical and electronic goods and supplies also increased 2.7 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods grew 0.5 percent from June and were up 8.2 percent compared to last July. Inventories of farm product raw materials increased 3.7 percent from last month and inventories of paper and paper products were up 1.4 percent.
Inventories/Sales Ratio. The July inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.15. The July 2005 ratio was 1.19.
