ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - OCTOBER 1996 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for October adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $206.6 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 5.2 percent (+/-1.0%) from October 1995. Total sales for the August through October period were 4.6 percent (+/-0.7%) above the same period a year ago. The August to September 1996 percent change was revised from +0.7 percent (+/-0.7%) to +0.8 percent (+/-0.5%). Durable goods were unchanged from September but were 6.5 percent above last year. Automotive sales were up 6.5 percent from last year. Nondurable goods increased 0.3 percent (+/-0.7%) from last month and were up 4.4 percent from last year. General merchandise sales were up 6.2 percent from October 1995. The advance estimates are based on a small subsample of the Bureau's full retail sales sample. Estimates from the advance and the subsequent full survey can differ because of the earlier reporting in the advance and because of sampling variability present in both surveys. The Advance Monthly Retail Sales Report for November is scheduled to be released December 12, 1996 at 8:30 a.m. ==================== TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--OCTOBER 1996 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1996 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Aug. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 206,577 206,196 204,599 Total (excl. auto group).. 155,849 155,305 154,577 Durable goods, total........ 84,271 84,300 83,536 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,277 11,204 11,161 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 8,600 8,605 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,180 1,173 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 50,728 50,891 50,022 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 47,658 47,856 46,968 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,035 3,054 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,367 11,485 11,511 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 5,583 5,635 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,012 4,959 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 122,306 121,896 121,063 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,111 25,928 25,922 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,322 20,240 20,173 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 20,570 20,503 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 675 691 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,013 5,058 54 Food stores....................... 35,885 35,638 35,248 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,067 33,796 33,379 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,022 13,010 12,960 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,477 9,510 9,420 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 863 848 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,744 2,680 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,549 1,601 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,812 19,822 19,697 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,581 7,509 7,499 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 1,913 1,982 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,071 4,008 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 54,947 54,986 594 1995 SIC Kind of business code Oct.(r) Sep.(r) Retail trade, total........... 196,289 196,597 Total (excl. auto group).. 148,675 149,369 Durable goods, total........ 79,157 78,759 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 10,472 10,355 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,058 7,962 525 Hardware stores................. 1,137 1,139 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 47,614 47,228 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 44,642 44,292 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 2,972 2,936 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,067 11,065 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,496 5,510 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,684 4,641 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 117,132 117,838 53 General merchandise group stores.. 24,592 25,001 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,153 19,466 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 19,554 19,765 533 Variety stores.................. 639 645 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,800 4,890 54 Food stores....................... 34,463 34,281 541 Grocery stores.................. 32,653 32,471 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,158 12,296 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,052 9,279 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 838 842 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,809 2,878 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,541 1,557 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,609 19,653 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,092 7,102 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,900 1,903 5961 Total mail order................... 3,908 3,937 53,56,57, GAF................................ 52,119 52,736 594 * Advance estimates are not available from the subsample panel for these kinds of business. NA Not available. r Revised. =========================== TABLE 1B: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--OCTOBER 1996 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1996 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Aug. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 208,175 197,351 214,001 Total (excl. auto group).. 156,523 147,872 160,469 Durable goods, total........ 85,348 81,577 88,511 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,281 11,467 12,172 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 8,858 9,474 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,133 1,232 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 51,652 49,479 53,532 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 48,373 46,468 50,209 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 40,810 43,362 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,011 3,323 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,344 10,929 11,596 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 5,466 5,872 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,636 4,855 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 682 758 Nondurable goods, total..... 122,827 115,774 125,490 53 General merchandise group stores.. 25,807 23,537 26,129 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,977 18,378 20,395 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 18,709 20,777 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 607 691 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,552 5,043 54 Food stores....................... 35,686 34,076 36,800 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,863 32,343 34,914 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,308 12,971 14,023 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,524 9,019 10,314 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 777 795 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,610 2,718 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,388 3,920 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,509 2,004 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,050 19,485 21,430 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,482 7,006 7,394 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 1,791 2,087 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 3,782 3,495 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 50,506 56,196 594 1995 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Retail trade, total........... 193,987 192,776 Total (excl. auto group).. 147,165 145,489 Durable goods, total........ 77,791 78,241 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,058 10,838 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,695 8,368 525 Hardware stores................. 1,135 1,144 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 46,822 47,287 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 43,749 44,292 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 38,347 38,500 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,073 2,995 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 10,857 10,753 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,567 5,527 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,483 4,376 5722 Household appliance stores.... 691 695 Nondurable goods, total..... 116,196 114,535 53 General merchandise group stores.. 23,969 23,059 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 18,617 17,948 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 18,939 18,275 533 Variety stores.................. 619 588 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,733 4,523 54 Food stores....................... 33,634 33,875 541 Grocery stores.................. 31,837 32,146 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,389 12,419 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 8,880 9,171 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 817 782 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,784 2,838 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,207 3,230 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,430 1,593 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,766 19,653 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 6,922 6,711 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,828 1,886 5961 Total mail order................... 4,330 3,736 53,56,57, GAF................................ 50,240 49,672 594 * Advance estimates are not available from the subsample panel for these kinds of business. NA Not available. r Revised. ======================== TABLE 2: PERCENT CHANGE IN ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--OCTOBER 1996 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Oct. Sep. 1996 1996 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Sep. Oct. Aug. Sep. CODE 1996 1995 1996 1995 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.2 +5.2 +0.8 +4.9 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.4 +4.8 +0.5 +4.0 Durable goods, total........ 0.0 +6.5 +0.9 +7.0 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +0.7 +7.7 +0.4 +8.2 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -0.3 +6.5 +1.7 +7.8 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -0.4 +6.8 +1.9 +8.0 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -1.0 +2.7 -0.2 +3.8 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.3 +4.4 +0.7 +3.4 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.7 +6.2 0.0 +3.7 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.4 +6.1 +0.3 +4.0 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.3 +4.1 54 Food stores....................... +0.7 +4.1 +1.1 +4.0 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.8 +4.3 +1.2 +4.1 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.1 +7.1 +0.4 +5.8 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... -0.3 +4.7 +1.0 +2.5 58 Eating and drinking places........ -0.1 +1.0 +0.6 +0.9 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +1.0 +6.9 +0.1 +5.7 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Oct. Sep. 1996 1996 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Sep. Oct. Aug. Sep. CODE 1996 1995 1996 1995 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +5.5 +7.3 -7.8 +2.4 Total (excl. auto group).. +5.9 +6.4 -7.9 +1.6 Durable goods, total........ +4.6 +9.7 -7.8 +4.3 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +7.1 +11.1 -5.8 +5.8 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +4.4 +10.3 -7.6 +4.6 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +4.1 +10.6 -7.5 +4.9 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +3.8 +4.5 -5.8 +1.6 Nondurable goods, total..... +6.1 +5.7 -7.7 +1.1 53 General merchandise group stores.. +9.6 +7.7 -9.9 +2.1 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +8.7 +7.3 -9.9 +2.4 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -10.0 +2.4 54 Food stores....................... +4.7 +6.1 -7.4 +0.6 541 Grocery stores.................. +4.7 +6.4 -7.4 +0.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... +2.6 +7.4 -7.5 +4.4 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +5.6 +7.3 -12.6 -1.7 58 Eating and drinking places........ +2.9 +1.4 -9.1 -0.9 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +6.8 +8.1 -5.2 +4.4 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--OCTOBER 1996 (Press Release available without charge from Public Information Office, Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C. 20233). Survey methodology and measures of sampling variability are documented in the Advance Press Release. Questions concerning this report should be directed to Mr. Ronald Piencykoski (301) 457-2713/2666.