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 October 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 $327.8 billion, down 0.5% from the revised September level, but were up 5.9% from the October 2005 level.

The September preliminary estimate was revised downward $2.2 billion or 0.7%. October sales of durable goods decreased 0.4% from last month, but were up 6.3% from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of machinery, equipment and supplies were down 3.3%, while sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies, increased 2.5%. October sales of nondurable goods were down 0.6% from last month, but were up 5.5% from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products decreased 5.1%.

Inventories

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $392.9 billion at the end of October, up 0.8% from last month and were up 10.1% from a year ago. The September preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.8 billion or 0.2%. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.7% from September and were up 11.0% from last October.

Compared to last month, inventories of electrical and electronic goods increased 2.8%. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.9% from September and were up 8.4% compared to last October. Inventories of farm product raw materials increased 23.2% from last month.

Inventories/Sales Ratio

The October inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers'' sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.20. The October 2005 ratio was 1.15.


Available at:

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