US seasonally adjusted wholesale inventories rose 1.1% in April from March, 6.7% year-over-year to US$530.6B; seasonally adjusted wholesale sales climbed 1.3% from revised March level, 7.8% year-over-year to US$450.2B: Dept. of Commerce

Cindy Allen

WASHINGTON , June 10, 2014 (press release) – Sales. The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that April 2014 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $450.2 billion, up 1.3 percent (+/-0.5) from the revised March level and were up 7.8 percent (+/-1.8%) from the April 2013 level. The March preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.9 billion or 0.2 percent. April sales of durable goods were up 1.7 percent (+/-0.7%) from last month and were up 6.0 percent (+/-1.2%) from a year ago. Sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 2.9 percent from last month and sales of professional and commercial equipment and supplies were up 2.4 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 1.0 percent (+/-0.5%) from March and were up 9.4 percent (+/-2.8%) from last April. Sales of drugs and druggists' sundries were up 3.0 percent from last month and sales of grocery and related products were up 1.2 percent.

Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $530.6 billion at the end of April, up 1.1 percent (+/-0.2%) from the revised March level and were up 6.7 percent (+/-0.9%) from the April 2013 level. The March preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.1 billion. April inventories of durable goods were up 0.9 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month and were up 6.6 percent (+/-1.4%) from a year ago. Inventories of electrical and electronic goods were up 2.8 percent from last month and inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 2.5 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 1.4 percent (+/-0.5%) from March and were up 6.8 percent (+/-1.4%) from last April. Inventories of drugs and druggists' sundries were up 2.6 percent from last month and inventories of paper and paper products were up 2.3 percent.

Inventories/Sales Ratio. The April inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.18. The April 2013 ratio was 1.19.

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