Metrics 2.0 Retail/Wholesale : Trends by the Numbers

Factory Orders Fell 4.7%, Biggest Drop in Over Six Years; Inventories Jump Again

New orders at U.S. factories fell 4.7% in October, the biggest fall in more than six years, while inventories rose, suggesting slowdown in the economy, according to data released by Commerce Department.

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Posted to Retail/Wholesale| December 5, 2006 10:47 AM | Permalink

Durable Goods Drop Most in 6 Years; Consumer Confidence Fell

New orders for manufactured durable goods in October decreased $19.0 billion or 8.3% to $210 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the largest drop in more than six years. This followed two consecutive monthly increases, including an 8.7% September increase.

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Posted to Retail/Wholesale| November 28, 2006 5:30 PM | Permalink

Core Inflation Biggest Drop in 13 Yrs; Retail Sales Declined 0.2%; Inventories Rose 0.4%

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that U.S. retail and food services sales for October, were $363.7 billion, a decrease of 0.2% from the previous month, but up 4.5% from October 2005. This is second consecutive monthly decline in retail sales, following a 0.8% fall in September. Total sales for the August through October 2006 period were up 5.3% from the same period a year ago.

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Posted to Retail/Wholesale| November 14, 2006 11:58 AM | Permalink

Retail Sales Rule Down, Productivity Halts, Wages Up Most in Two Decades

October retail sales show a mixed bag. According to Thomson Financial, based on 50 merchants that have reported so far, 28 retailers had same-store sales results that missed expectation; 22 beat estimates. Same-store sales are sales at stores opened at least a year and are considered the best measure of a retailer's health.

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Posted to Retail/Wholesale| November 2, 2006 11:08 AM | Permalink

Retail sales slides by 0.4%; Export/Import Prices down, first in 6 months

Retail Sales: U.S. retail and food services sales for September, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $366.2 billion, a decrease of 0.4 percent from the previous month, but up 5.5 percent from September 2005, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Total sales for the July through September 2006 period were up 5.6 percent from the same period a year ago.

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Posted to Retail/Wholesale| October 13, 2006 3:10 PM | Permalink

Business inventories for April increased 0.4% to $1.3 trillion

$155 billion
April '06 inventories at motor vehicle and parts dealers, a decrease of 0.8% from March
$48 billion
April '06 inventories at building materials, garden equipment & supplies, an increase of 0.9% from March

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,310.3 billion, up 0.4% from March and up 4.1% from April 2005 (adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes), according to U.S. Census Bureau.

The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for April, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,043.3 billion, up 0.6 percent from March and up 7.5 percent from April 2005.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of April was 1.26, unchanged from March. The April 2005 ratio was 1.30.

Posted to Retail/Wholesale| June 13, 2006 12:41 PM | Permalink

April 2006 sales of merchant wholesalers up 10.1% year-over-year to $319.9 billion

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that April 2006 sales of merchant wholesalers were $319.9 billion, up 1.3% from the revised March level and were up 10.1% from the April 2005 level.

Oil prices contributed to the largest increase as petroleum products sales increased the 8.7% from last month to $35.2 billions.
Electrical and electronic goods saw the largest decline of 1.9% from March to $22.4 billions.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $371.3 billion at the end of April, up 0.9% from last month, and 6.6% from a year ago.

$8.1billion
Apr'06 sales of Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages by the merchant wholesalers

(Source: US Census Bureau)

Posted to Retail/Wholesale| June 8, 2006 9:49 AM | Permalink

Monthly Wholesale Trade Total Sales Up 0.7% and Inventories Up 0.2% in March

March 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 $315.0 billion, up 0.7 percent from the revised February level and were up 9.9 percent from the March 2005 level, U.S. Census Bureau announced today.

Total inventories were $366.7 billion at the end of March, up 0.2% from last month, and were up 6.3% from a year ago.

The March inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.16. It was was 1.20 in Mar'05.

▪	March sales of durable goods increased 0.3% MoM and were up 9.2% from a year ago.
▪	Sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 3.9% while sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 2.6% from Feb'06.
▪	End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.3% from February and were up 5.7% compared to last Mar'05.
▪	Inventories of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages increased 2.9% from February, while inventories of farm product raw materials fell 3.0%.
▪	Nondurable goods account for 36.8%of total inventories while durable goods constitute the rest 63.2%.

Monthly Wholesale Trade: http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/mwts.html

Posted to Retail/Wholesale| May 9, 2006 2:11 PM | Permalink

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