Wholesaler Sales Rose 0.7% in February, Down YOY

Washington, DC, May 10, 2016—March 2016 sales of merchant wholesalers were $430.7 billion, up 0.7% from the revised February level, but were down 2.0% from the March 2015 level, the U.S. Census Bureau announced.

The February preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged.

March sales of durable goods were down 0.2% from last month and were down 0.4% from a year ago. Sales of hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies were down 2.2% from last month. Sales of nondurable goods were up 1.6% from February, but were down 3.5% from last March. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 13.5% from last month and sales of farm product raw materials were up 2.7%.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $583.6 billion at the end of March, up 0.1% from the revised February level and were up 0.3% from the March 2015 level. The February preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.5 billion or 0.1%. March inventories of durable goods were down 0.1% from last month and were down 2.2% from a year ago. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum were down 2.0% from last month, while inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 1.0%. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 0.5% from February and were up 4.6% from last March. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were up 3.3% from last month and inventories of drugs and druggists' sundries were up 2.0%.

The March inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.36. The March 2015 ratio was 1.32.