Wholesaler Sales Rose 1.7% in August, Up 7.2% YOY

Washington, DC, October 6, 2017-August 2017 sales of merchant wholesalers were $473.4 billion, up 1.7% from the revised July level and were up 7.2% from the August 2016 level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The June 2017 to July 2017 percent change was revised from the preliminary estimate of down 0.1% to virtually unchanged.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $608.1 billion at the end of August, up 0.9% from the revised July level. Total inventories were up 4.5% from the revised August 2016 level. The July 2017 to August 2017 percent change was revised from the advance estimate of up 1.0% to up 0.9%.

The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.28. The August 2016 ratio was 1.32.