Wholesaler Sales Rose 1.3% in September

Washington, DC, November 9, 2017-September 2017 sales of merchant wholesalers were $480.5 billion, up 1.3% from the revised August level and were up 8.5% from the September 2016 level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The July 2017 to August 2017 percent change was revised from the preliminary estimate of up 1.7% to up 1.9%.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $609.5 billion at the end of September, up 0.3% from the revised August level. Total inventories were up 4.6% from the revised September 2016 level. The August 2017 to September 2017 percent change was unrevised from the advance estimate of up 0.3%.

The September inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.27. The September 2016 ratio was 1.32.