Distributive Trade Sales & Manufacturers Shipments Down in December

Washington, DC, February 12, 2016—The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for December was estimated at $1,302.3 billion, down 0.6% from November 2015 and down 2.7% from December 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,813.1 billion, up 0.1% from November 2015 and up 1.7% from November 2014.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of December was 1.39. The December 2014 ratio was 1.33.