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 November 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 $380.4 billion, up 2.2 percent (+/-0.5%) from the revised October level and were up 14.0 percent (+/-1.3%) from the November 2006 level. The October preliminary estimate was revised upward $2.4 billion or 0.7 percent. November sales of durable goods were up 0.9 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 6.1 percent (+/- 2.0%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 3.9 percent and sales of electrical and electronic goods, were up 3.1 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 3.3 percent (+/-0.7%) from last month and were up 21.7 percent (+/-2.0%) from last year. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 9.7 percent from last month and sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 8.9 percent.

Inventories.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $406.2 billion at the end of November, up 0.6 percent (+/-0.3%) from the revised October level and were up 4.3percent (+/-1.8%) from a year ago. The October preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.1 billion. End-of-month inventories of durable goods were up 0.5 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month and were up 0.5 percent (+/-2.1%)* from last November. Inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 2.3 percent from last month, and inventories of professional and commercial equipment and supplies were up 1.4 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.8 percent (+/-0.5%) from October and were up 11.0 percent (+/-3.5%) compared to last November. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were up 2.6 percent from last month and inventories of chemicals and allied products were up 1.7 percent.

Inventories/Sales Ratio.

The November inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.07. The November 2006 ratio was 1.17.


Available at:

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