***************************************************************************************************************** ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES SUMMARY - August 2003 ***************************************************************************************************************** The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August, adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $319.2 billion, an increase of 0.6 percent (±0.9%) from the previous month and up 5.4 percent (±1.0%) from August 2002. Total sales for the June through August 2003 period were up 5.3 percent (±0.5%) from the same period a year ago. The June to July 2003 percent change was revised from +1.4 percent (±0.9%) to +1.3 percent (±0.3%). Retail trade sales were up 0.5 percent (±1.0%) from July and were 5.1 percent (±1.1%) above last year. Electronics and appliance stores were up 10.0 percent (±1.8 %) from August 2002 and sales of food services and drinking places were up 9.2 percent (±2.6%) from last year. The advance estimates are based on a subsample of the Bureau's full retail and food services sample. A stratified random sampling method is used to select approximately 5,000 retail and food services firms whose sales are then weighted and benchmarked to represent the complete universe of over three million retail and food services firms. Responding firms account for approximately 65% of the MARTS dollar volume estimate. For an explanation of the measures of sampling variability included in this report, please see the Reliability of Estimates section at the end of this page. The Advance Monthly Retail Sales Report for September is scheduled to be released October 15, 2003 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A. ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--August 2003 Data adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Millions of dollars) 2003 2003 2003 2002 2002 NAICS Kind of Business Aug Jul Jun Code adv. prel. final Aug(r) Jul(r) Retail & food services, total.................... 319,192 317,232 313,142 302,706 300,842 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 241,449 239,885 237,592 227,851 227,433 Retail ....................................... 288,794 287,245 283,318 274,858 272,941 GAFO............................................. (*) 81,621 80,790 77,839 77,521 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 77,743 77,347 75,550 74,855 73,409 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 71,210 70,841 69,071 68,585 67,101 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 8,482 8,425 8,383 7,899 7,747 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 8,113 8,004 7,875 7,373 7,450 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) 5,813 5,720 5,311 5,412 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) 2,191 2,155 2,062 2,038 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 27,055 27,112 26,697 25,123 24,888 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) 23,689 23,331 22,010 21,843 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 42,759 42,607 42,269 40,936 40,970 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 38,509 38,412 38,128 36,919 36,973 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) 2,695 2,656 2,621 2,613 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 16,074 16,024 15,851 15,111 15,030 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) 13,684 13,551 12,839 12,740 447 Gasoline stations................................ 22,073 21,491 21,108 20,341 20,529 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 14,763 14,969 14,793 14,192 14,106 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) 847 841 820 824 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) 2,950 2,898 2,803 2,801 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) 1,809 1,778 1,791 1,776 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 6,878 6,779 6,822 6,852 6,811 452 General merchandise stores....................... 40,428 39,994 39,466 38,090 38,019 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 18,508 18,441 18,221 18,815 18,847 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.).................. (*) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) 21,553 21,245 19,275 19,172 45291 Warehouse clubs & superstores.................. (*) 18,241 17,973 16,247 16,178 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) 3,312 3,272 3,028 2,994 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 8,738 8,720 8,731 8,870 8,716 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 15,688 15,773 15,773 15,216 15,266 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) 10,201 10,195 9,827 9,807 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 30,398 29,987 29,824 27,848 27,901 (*) Advance estimates are not available from the subsample panel for these business classifications. (NA) Not available. (r) Revised. TABLE 1B. ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--August 2003 Data not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, trading-day differences, and price changes. (In Millions of dollars and Annual Percent Change) 8 month total % Chg. 2003 2003 2003 2002 2002 NAICS Kind of Business 2003 from Aug Jul Jun Code 2002 adv. prel. final Aug Jul Retail & food services, total.................... 2,458,931 4.7 329,759 325,127 315,502 318,526 306,129 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts)............ 1,844,186 4.6 246,677 240,625 235,366 235,568 226,611 Retail ....................................... 2,221,942 4.6 297,233 293,731 285,022 288,562 277,084 GAFO............................................. (*) (*) (*) 76,569 75,753 79,999 72,133 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... 614,745 5.3 83,082 84,502 80,136 82,958 79,518 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................. 562,613 5.5 76,124 77,358 73,353 76,061 72,737 44111 New car dealers................................ (*) (*) (*) 65,097 61,389 66,132 62,833 4413 Auto parts, acc. & tire stores.................. (*) (*) (*) 7,144 6,783 6,897 6,781 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. 63,373 3.8 8,736 8,408 8,064 8,270 7,724 4421 Furniture stores................................ (*) (*) (*) 4,464 4,315 4,498 4,264 4422 Home furnishings stores......................... (*) (*) (*) 3,944 3,749 3,772 3,460 443 Electronics & appliance stores.................... 57,485 3.0 8,194 7,502 7,284 7,489 6,963 44311,13 Appl., T.V. & camera........................... (*) (*) (*) 5,412 5,211 5,338 5,049 44312 Computer & software stores...................... (*) (*) (*) 2,090 2,073 2,151 1,914 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers 213,552 4.7 27,623 30,009 30,601 26,412 27,416 4441 Building mat. & supplies dealers................ (*) (*) (*) 26,271 25,501 23,881 24,158 445 Food & beverage stores........................... 334,540 3.2 43,622 44,103 41,664 42,196 42,015 4451 Grocery stores.................................. 302,843 3.1 39,279 39,756 37,556 38,064 37,897 4453 Beer, wine & liquor stores...................... (*) (*) (*) 2,797 2,598 2,726 2,694 446 Health & personal care stores.................... 124,557 5.2 15,785 15,912 15,423 15,111 14,925 44611 Pharmacies & drug stores........................ (*) (*) (*) 13,533 13,117 12,723 12,587 447 Gasoline stations................................ 176,034 10.6 23,684 23,017 21,973 22,111 21,966 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... 106,849 2.3 15,228 13,765 13,476 15,002 12,803 44811 Men's clothing stores........................... (*) (*) (*) 754 806 851 725 44812 Women's clothing stores......................... (*) (*) (*) 2,643 2,762 2,806 2,496 44814 Family clothing stores.......................... (*) (*) (*) 5,040 4,738 5,387 4,644 4482 Shoe stores..................................... (*) (*) (*) 1,802 1,707 2,285 1,751 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores....... 48,853 -1.1 7,256 6,047 6,126 7,243 6,089 452 General merchandise stores....................... 294,107 4.1 40,792 37,746 37,830 38,308 35,499 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... 132,107 -4.5 18,447 16,637 16,909 18,759 16,845 4521 Department stores (incl. L.D.).................. (*) (*) (*) 16,908 17,194 19,065 17,125 4529 Other general merchandise stores................ (*) (*) (*) 21,109 20,921 19,549 18,654 45291 Warehouse clubs & superstores.................. (*) (*) (*) 17,913 17,757 16,572 15,822 45299 All other gen. merchandise stores.............. (*) (*) (*) 3,196 3,164 2,977 2,832 453 Miscellaneous store retailers.................... 67,344 -0.6 8,945 8,570 8,457 9,259 8,530 454 Nonstore retailers............................... 120,503 5.9 14,286 14,150 13,988 14,203 13,636 4541 Electronic shopping & mail-order houses......... (*) (*) (*) 9,548 9,308 9,454 9,052 722 Food services & drinking places.................. 236,989 6.1 32,526 31,396 30,480 29,964 29,045 (*) Advance estimates are not available from the subsample panel for these business classifications. (r) Revised. TABLE 2. PERCENT CHANGE IN ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, BY KIND OF BUSINESS--August 2003 Data adjusted for seasonal variatons, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. (Percent Change) Aug Jul 2003 2003 adv. prel. from-- from-- NAICS Kind of Business Jul Aug Jun Jul Code 2003 2002 2003 2002 Prel. Final Final Final Retail & food Services, total.................... +0.6 +5.4 +1.3 +5.4 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts ).......... +0.7 +6.0 +1.0 +5.5 Retail .................................. +0.5 +5.1 +1.4 +5.2 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... +0.5 +3.9 +2.4 +5.4 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers............... +0.5 +3.8 +2.6 +5.6 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. +0.7 +7.4 +0.5 +8.8 443 Electronics & appliance stores................... +1.4 +10.0 +1.6 +7.4 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers -0.2 +7.7 +1.6 +8.9 445 Food & beverage stores........................... +0.4 +4.5 +0.8 +4.0 4451 Grocery stores.................................. +0.3 +4.3 +0.7 +3.9 446 Health & personal care stores.................... +0.3 +6.4 +1.1 +6.6 447 Gasoline stations................................ +2.7 +8.5 +1.8 +4.7 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... -1.4 +4.0 +1.2 +6.1 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores........ +1.5 +0.4 -0.6 -0.5 452 General merchandise stores....................... +1.1 +6.1 +1.3 +5.2 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... +0.4 -1.6 +1.2 -2.2 453 Miscellaneous stores retailers................... +0.2 -1.5 -0.1 0.0 454 Nonstore retailers............................... -0.5 +3.1 0.0 +3.3 722 Food services & drinking places.................. +1.4 +9.2 +0.5 +7.5 Data not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday, trading-day differences, and price changes. (Percent Change) Aug Jul 2003 2003 adv. prel. from-- from-- NAICS Kind of Business Jul Aug Jun Jul Code 2003 2002 2003 2002 Prel. Final Final Final Retail & food Services, total.................... +1.4 +3.5 +3.1 +6.2 Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts ).......... +2.5 +4.7 +2.2 +6.2 Retail .................................. +1.2 +3.0 +3.1 +6.0 441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers.................... -1.7 +0.1 +5.4 +6.3 4411,4412 Auto & other motor veh. dealers................ -1.6 +0.1 +5.5 +6.4 442 Furniture & home furnishings stores.............. +3.9 +5.6 +4.3 +8.9 443 Electronics & appliance stores................... +9.2 +9.4 +3.0 +7.7 444 Building material & garden eq. & supplies dealers -8.0 +4.6 -1.9 +9.5 445 Food & beverage stores........................... -1.1 +3.4 +5.9 +5.0 4451 Grocery stores.................................. -1.2 +3.2 +5.9 +4.9 446 Health & personal care stores.................... -0.8 +4.5 +3.2 +6.6 447 Gasoline stations................................ +2.9 +7.1 +4.8 +4.8 448 Clothing & clothing accessories stores........... +10.6 +1.5 +2.1 +7.5 451 Sporting goods, hobby, book & music stores........ +20.0 +0.2 -1.3 -0.7 452 General merchandise stores....................... +8.1 +6.5 -0.2 +6.3 4521 Department stores (ex. L.D.).................... +10.9 -1.7 -1.6 -1.2 453 Miscellaneous stores retailers................... +4.4 -3.4 +1.3 +0.5 454 Nonstore retailers............................... +1.0 +0.6 +1.2 +3.8 722 Food services & drinking places.................. +3.6 +8.6 +3.0 +8.1 (NA) Not Available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Sales for Retail Trade and Food Services--AUGUST 2003 (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. Scott Scheleur (301) 763-2713.