Distributive Trade Sales & Manu. Shipments Inched Up in May

Washington, DC, August 15, 2019-The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for May was estimated at $1,461.4 billion, up 0.2% from April 2019 and was up 1.5% from May 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories were estimated at an end-of-month level of $2,036.4 billion, up 0.3% from April 2019 and were up 5.3% from May 2018.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of May was 1.39. The May 2018 ratio was 1.34.