Distributive Trade Sales & Manufacturers' Shipments Flat in March

Washington, DC, May 12, 2017-The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for March was estimated at $1,361.0 billion, virtually unchanged from February 2017, but was up 6.5% from March 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,840.8 billion, up 0.2% from February 2017 and were up 2.6% from March 2016.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of March was 1.35. The March 2016 ratio was 1.40.