Feb. Wholesaler Sales Down 0.2%, Durable Goods Sales Up 1.2%

Washington, DC, April 8, 2016—February 2016 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices were $427.6 billion, down 0.2% from the revised January level and were down 3.1% from the February 2015 level, the U.S. Census Bureau announced.

The January preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.8 billion or 0.2%.

February sales of durable goods were up 1.2% from last month and were up 0.2% from a year ago. Sales of electrical and electronic goods were up 3.1% from last month and sales of lumber and other construction materials were up 2.9%. Sales of nondurable goods were down 1.6% from January and were down 6.2% from last February. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 10.1% from last month and sales of farm product raw materials were down 2.0%.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $583.3 billion at the end of February, down 0.5% from the revised January level, but were up 0.6% from the February 2015 level. The January preliminary estimate was revised downward $2.1 billion or 0.4%. February inventories of durable goods were down 0.1% from last month and were down 1.3% from a year ago. Inventories of lumber and other construction materials were down 1.6 percent from last month, while inventories of electrical and electronic goods were up 2.0 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were down 1.1% from January, but were up 3.7% from last February. Inventories of farm product raw materials were down 4.2% from last month and inventories of drugs and druggists' sundries were down 3.5%.

The February inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.36. The February 2015 ratio was 1.31.