WASHINGTON — August 2007 sales of merchant wholesalers rose 0.4 percent from July to $360.9 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The total was up 6.8 percent over August 2006.
Sales of durable goods increased 0.9 percent from July and 4.4 percent from August 2006. Nondurable goods sales were down 0.1 percent from July, but up 9.1 percent from August 2006.
Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 6.1 percent. Sales of farm product raw materials increased 9.5 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were up 0.1 percent from July to $399 billion. The total was 4.4 percent higher than August 2006.
End-of-month inventories of durable goods rose 0.4 percent from July and 1.9 percent for August 2006. End-of-month inventories for nondurable goods were down 0.4 percent from July, but up 8.9 percent from last August.
Inventories for motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies increased 2.4 percent from July. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum slipped 1.9 percent.
Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were down 3.3 percent from July. Inventories of farm product raw materials rose 5.3 percent.
The inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers was 1.11. The August 2006 ratio was 1.13.
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