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 August 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 $335.6 billion, up 1.1% from the revised July level and were up 12.5% from the August 2005 level. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.2 billion or 0.1%.

Compared to last month, sales of electrical and electrical goods were up 4.3% and machinery, equipment, and supplies increased 2.8%. August sales of nondurable goods were up 0.9% from last month, and were up 14.4% from last year. Sales of grocery and related products grew 3.7 % from last month and drugs and druggists’ sundries increased 2.6%.

Inventories

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $386.6 billion at the end of August, up 1.1% from last month and were up 9.7% from a year ago. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.4 billion or 0.1%. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.9% from July and were up 10.0% from last August.

Compared to last month, inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 4.1% and professional and commercial equipment and supplies increased 1.2%. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods grew 1.5% from July and were up 9.1% compared to last August. Inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries increased 5.7% from last month and inventories of grocery and related products were up 2.1%.

Inventories/Sales Ratio

The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.15. The August 2005 ratio was 1.18.


Available at:

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