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 February 2007 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 $340.8 billion, up 1.2% from the revised January level and were up 7.1% from the February 2006 level. The January preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.5 billion or 0.1%.

February sales of durable goods were down 0.8% from last month, but were up 4.4% from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials were down 3.0% and sales of electrical goods decreased 1.8%. February sales of nondurable goods were up 3.2% from last month and were up 9.8% from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 8.8% and sales of farm product raw materials were also up 8.8%.

Inventories

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers'' sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $392.4 billion at the end of February, up 0.5% from last month and were up 8.3% from a year ago. The January preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.4 billion or 0.1%. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.3% from January and were up 8.4% from last February. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.9% from January and were up 8.2% compared to last February. Inventories of grocery and related products were up 2.4% from last month.

Inventories/Sales Ratio

The February inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.15. The February 2006 ratio was 1.14.


Available at:

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