Merchant Wholesaler Sales & Inventories Down in November

Washington, DC, January 8, 2016—November 2015 sales of merchant wholesalers were $442.8 billion, down 1.0% from the revised October level and down 4.6% from the November 2014 level, says the U.S. Census Bureau.

The October preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.5 billion or 0.1%.

November sales of durable goods were up 0.4% from last month but down 1.8% from a year ago. Sales of lumber and other construction materials were up 1.4% from last month. Sales of nondurable goods were down 2.4% from October and down 7.2% from last November. Sales of farm product raw materials were down 15.0% from last month, and sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 7.4%.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $582.9 billion at the end of November, down 0.3% from the revised October level but up 2.2% from the November 2014 level.

The October preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.0 billion or 0.2%.

November inventories of durable goods were down 0.2% from last month but up 1.3% from a year ago. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum were down 3.0% from last month. Inventories of nondurable goods were down 0.5% from October but up 3.7% from last November. Inventories of farm product raw materials were down 7.1% from last month, and inventories of paper and paper products were down 1.3%.