Sales. August 2006 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 $335.6 billion, up 1.1 percent from the revised July level and were up 12.5 percent from the August 2005 level. August sales of durable goods increased 1.4 percent from last month and were up 10.6 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of electrical and electrical goods were up 4.3 percent and machinery, equipment, and supplies increased 2.8 percent.
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $386.6 billion at the end of August, up 1.1 percent from last month and were up 9.7 percent from a year ago. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.4 billion or 0.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.9 percent from July and were up 10.0 percent from last August. Compared to last month, inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 4.1 percent and professional and commercial equipment and supplies increased 1.2 percent.
Inventories/Sales Ratio. The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.15. The August 2005 ratio was 1.18.
Click on Related Document below for a breakdown of sales/inventories by sector for August 2006.
