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


The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that September 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 $330.2 billion, down 1.2% from the revised August level, but were up 8.1% from the September 2005 level. The August preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.4 billion or 0.4%. September sales of durable goods decreased 0.3 percent from last month, but were up 9.0% from a year ago.

Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials were down 4.0 percent, while sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 2.6 percent. September sales of nondurable goods were down 2.0 percent (+/-0.7%) from last month, but were up 7.3 percent from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products decreased 7.1 percent from last month.

Inventories

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $390.3 billion at the end of September, up 0.8 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month and were up 9.9 percent (+/-1.0%) from a year ago. The August preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.4 billion or 0.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 1.5 percent from August and were up 11.7% from last September.

Compared to last month, inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software increased 3.5 percent and inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 3.3 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods decreased 0.4% from August, but were up 6.8 percent (+/-1.2%) compared to last September. Inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries decreased 3.1 percent from last month, while inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were up 2.4 percent.

Inventories/Sales Ratio

The September inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.18. The September 2005 ratio was 1.16.


Available at:

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