The U.S. Census Bureau announced that June 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 $331.1 billion, up 1.4 percent (+/-0.5 percent) from the revised May level and were up 13.5 percent (+/-1.0 percent) from the June 2005 level.
The May preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.9 billion or 0.3 percent. June sales of durable goods increased 0.2 percent (+/-0.8 percent)* from last month and were up 10.8 percent (+/-1.2 percent) from a year ago.
Sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 2.6 percent from last month, while sales of hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies decreased 2.0 percent.
June sales of nondurable goods increased 2.6 percent (+/-0.8 percent) from last month and were up 16.1 percent (+/-1.5 percent) from last year. Sales of apparel, piece goods, and notions grew 6.7 percent from last month and sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 6.1 percent.
Inventories: Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers' sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $378.9 billion at the end of June, up 0.8 percent (+/-0.3 percent) from last month and were up 8.1 percent (+/-1.0 percent) from a year ago.
Inventories/Sales Ratio: The June inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers' sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.14. The June 2005 ratio was 1.20.
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