The following is the unedited transcript of the news release from the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce.

Sales

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that June 2006 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 $331.1 billion, up 1.4% from the revised May level and were up 13.5% from the June 2005 level. The May preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.9 billion or 0.3%.

Sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 2.6% from last month, while sales of hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies decreased 2.0%. June sales of nondurable goods increased 2.6% from last month and were up 16.1% from last year. Sales of apparel, piece goods, and notions grew 6.7% from last month and sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 6.1%.

Inventories

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $378.9 billion at the end of June, up 0.8% from last month and were up 8.1% from a year ago. The May preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.2 billion or 0.1%. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.5% from May and were up 8.4% from last June.

Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were up 2.8% and inventories of lumber and other construction materials increased 2.3% from last month. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 1.1% from May and were up 7.4% compared to last June. Inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries grew 3.0% from last month and inventories of grocery and related products increased 2.6%.

Inventories/Sales Ratio

The June inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.14. The June 2005 ratio was 1.20.


Available at:

http://www.census.gov/mwts/www/currentwhl.html