The U.S. Census Bureau announced September 10 that July 2010 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 $350.1 billion, up 0.6 percent (+/-0.5 percent) from the revised June level and were up 12.7 percent (+/-1.6 percent) from the July 2009 level. The June preliminary estimate was revised upward $600 million, or 0.2 percent. July sales of durable goods were up 0.5 percent (+/-0.9 percent) from last month and were up 14.8 percent (+/-1.6 percent) from a year ago. Sales of machinery, equipment and supplies were up 3.3 percent from last month. Sales of non-durable goods were up 0.6 percent (+/-0.7 percent) from last month and were up 10.9 percent (+/-2.3 percent) from last year.
Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $405.0 billion at the end of July, up 1.3 percent (+/-0.4 percent) from the revised June level and were up 2.5 percent (+/-1.2 percent) from a year ago. The June preliminary estimate was revised upward $800 million or 0.2 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods were up 1.0 percent (+/-0.4 percent) from last month, but were virtually unchanged (+/-1.6 percent) from last July. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 2.7 percent from last month and electrical and electronic goods were up 2.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of non-durable goods were up 1.7 percent (+/-0.7 percent) from June and were up 6.4 percent (+/-2.1 percent) compared to last July. Inventories of farm product raw materials were up 11.6 percent from last month and inventories of apparel, piece goods and notions were up 4.1 percent.
Inventories/Sales Ratio
The July inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.16. The July 2009 ratio was 1.27.
