Sales of durable goods in July improved 0.5 percent vs. 2009

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.