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Wholesale Inventories Up 0.7% in July
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The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that July 2012 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 $402.4 billion, down 0.1 percent (+/-0.4)* from the revised June level, but were up 2.7 percent (+/-0.7%) from the July 2011 level. The June preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.1 billion. July sales of durable goods were down 0.8 percent (+/-0.5%) from last month, but were up 2.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from a year ago. Sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were down 2.5 percent from last month and sales of professional and commercial equipment and supplies were down 2.3 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.5 percent (+/-0.5%)* from June and were up 2.8 percent (+/-0.9%) from last July. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 5.6 percent from last month and sales of drugs and druggists' sundries were up 1.2 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $485.2 billion at the end of July, up 0.7 percent (+/-0.4%) from the revised June level and were up 5.3 percent (+/-1.1%) from the July 2011 level. The June preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged. July inventories of durable goods were up 0.7 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month and were up 8.8 percent (+/-1.1%) from a year ago. Inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 3.8 percent from last month and inventories of machinery, equipment, and supplies were up 1.6 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 0.7 percent (+/-0.5%) from June and were up 0.5 percent (+/-1.9%)* from last July. Inventories of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages were up 3.0 percent from last month and inventories of farm product raw materials were up 2.6 percent.
The July inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.21. The July 2011 ratio was 1.18.
Posted: September 12, 2012 Wednesday 10:00 AM