March Wholesaler Sales Rose 9.1% YOY

Washington, DC, May 9, 2017-March 2017 sales of merchant wholesalers were $465.5 billion, virtually unchanged from the revised February level, but were up 9.1% from the March 2016 level, according to the Census Bureau.

The January 2017 to February 2017 percent change was revised from the preliminary estimate of up 0.6% to up 0.7%.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $594.6 billion at the end of March, up 0.2% from the revised February level. Total inventories are up 3.0% from the revised March 2016 level. The February 2017 to March 2017 percent change was revised from the advance estimate of down 0.1% to up 0.2%.

The March inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.28. The March 2016 ratio was 1.35.