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

June 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 $588.1 billion, up 27.5% from the revised June 2020 level and up 2% from the revised May level. The April 2021 to May 2021 percent change was unrevised from the preliminary estimate of 0.8%.

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 $717.6 billion at the end of June, up 1.1% from the revised May level. Total inventories were up 10.5% from the revised June 2020 level. The May 2021 to June 2021 percent change was revised from the advance estimate of up 0.8% to up 1.1%.

The June inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.22. The June 2020 ratio was 1.41.