Distributive Trade Sales Rose 5.7% in March

Washington, DC, May 14, 2021-The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for March was estimated at $1,638.2 billion, up 5.7% from February 2021 and was up 18.5% from March 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories for March were estimated at an end-of-month level of $2,014.3 billion, up 0.3% from February 2021, but were virtually unchanged from March 2020.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of March was 1.23. The March 2020 ratio was 1.46.