December Wholesale Sales & Inventories Tick Downward

Washington, DC, February 9, 2016—December 2015 sales of merchant wholesalers were $440.0 billion, down 0.3% from the revised November level and down 4.5% from the December 2014 level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The November preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.3 billion or 0.3%. December sales of durable goods were up 0.3% from last month but down 3.0% from a year ago. Sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 2.5% from last month, while sales of electrical and electronic goods were down 1.9%. Sales of nondurable goods were down 0.9% from November and were down 5.9% from last December. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 4.5% from last month.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $582.0 billion at the end of December, down 0.1% from the revised November level but up 1.9% from the December 2014 level. The November preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.1 billion. December inventories of durable goods were down 0.3% from last month but up 0.5% from a year ago. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were down 4.4% from last month. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 0.1% from November and up 4.1% from last December. Inventories of chemicals and allied products were up 2.3% from last month, while inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were down 7.8%.

The December inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.32. The December 2014 ratio was 1.24.