Wholesale revenues in August were $445.4 billion, down 1 percent from the revised July level, and down 4.7 percent from August 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
August sales of durable goods were down 1.2 percent from last month and down 1.9 percent from a year ago. Sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were down 5.1 percent from last month and sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 2.7 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were down 0.7 percent from July and were down 7.2 percent from last August. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 4.6 percent from last month and sales of farm product raw materials were down 3.1 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $583.9 billion at the end of August, up 0.1 percent from the revised July level and up 4.1 percent from the August 2014 level.
Inventories of durable goods were up 0.3 percent from last month and up 4.2 percent from a year ago. Inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 1.9 percent from last month, while inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were down 1.7 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were down 0.2 percent from July, but were up 4 percent from last August. Inventories of farm product raw materials were down 3.1 percent from last month, while inventories of beer, wine and distilled alcoholic beverages were up 1.1 percent.
The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.31. The August 2014 ratio was 1.20.
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