“December’s sales gains show the resilience of small businesses during a competitive holiday season,” said Prasanna Dhore, chief data officer at Fiserv. “Consumers focused on essentials and made selective discretionary purchases, driven by ongoing cost pressures. These patterns, resulting in modest monthly sales growth, highlight how small businesses continue to adjust in a challenging economic climate.”
The seasonally adjusted Index climbed to 144, while year-over-year sales grew (+1.6 per cent), due to higher average ticket sizes and steady demand for essentials. Retail sales among small businesses rose +0.9 per cent month-over-month (m-o-m) and +0.3 per cent year-over-year (y-o-y), with Core Retail (excluding volatile categories) posting stronger year-over-year growth at +1.1 per cent. Sporting goods led annual gains at +5.2 per cent, supported by increased foot traffic at +5.8 per cent.
Compared to November, sales grew in 43 of 50 states during the month of December, a significant increase from the month prior, when only 11 states saw sales increases. Month-over-month increases from high-volume states, including California (+1.6 per cent) and Texas (+1.1 per cent), contributed significantly to this growth. New York (-0.5 per cent), Colorado (-1.5 per cent) and Pennsylvania (-0.2 per cent) were among the few states to experience month-over-month declines.
ALCHEMPro News Desk (RR)
Receive daily prices and market insights straight to your inbox. Subscribe to AlchemPro Weekly!
marketing@alchempro.com
