Wholesale revenues in August were $453.9 billion, down 0.7 percent from the revised July level and up 5.8 percent from the August 2013 level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
August sales of durable goods were up 0.1 percent from last month and up 7 percent from a year ago. Sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 1.6 percent from last month. Sales of nondurable goods were down 1.3 percent from July but up 4.7 percent from last August. Sales of grocery and related products were down 0.8 percent from last month, and sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 3.8 percent.
Total inventories were $538 billion at the end of August, up 0.7 percent from the revised July level and up 7.9 percent from the August 2013 level. August inventories of durable goods were up 0.8 percent from last month and up 8.5 percent from a year ago.
Inventories of hardware and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies were down 2.7 percent from last month, while inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 4.5 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 0.5 percent from July and 6.9 percent from last August.
Inventories of farm product raw materials were down 3.8 percent from last month, while inventories of drugs and druggists' sundries were up 1.6 percent.
The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers was 1.19. The August 2013 ratio was 1.16.
