Wholesale trade showed moderate improvement in August, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

August 2020 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 $486.6 billion, up 1.4% (±0.5%) from the revised July level, but were down 2.3% (±1.1%) from the revised August 2019 level. The June 2020 to July 2020 percent change was revised from the preliminary estimate of up 4.6% (±0.5%) to up 4.8% (±0.5%).

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $635.5 billion at the end of August, up 0.4% (±0.2%) from the revised July level. Total inventories were down 5.2% (±0.7%) from the revised August 2019 level. The July 2020 to August 2020% change was revised from the advance estimate of up 0.5% (±0.2%) to up 0.4% (±0.2%).

The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.31. The August 2019 ratio was 1.35.