ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - AUGUST 1996 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for August adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $205.0 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 4.3 percent (+/-0.5%) from August 1995. Total sales for the June through August period were 4.4 percent (+/-0.7%) above the same period a year ago. The June to July 1996 percent change was unrevised from +0.1 percent (+/-1.4%) published in the July Advance Monthly Retail Sales Report. Durable goods increased 0.3 percent (+/-1.2%) from July and were 5.5 percent above last year. Building materials sales were up 10.9 percent from last year. Nondurable goods increased 0.1 percent (+/-0.7%) from last month and were up 3.4 percent from last year. General merchandise sales were up 4.8 percent from August 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 September is scheduled to be released October 11, 1996 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--AUGUST 1996 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1996 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July June adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 204,998 204,662 204,366 Total (excl. auto group).. 155,329 155,067 154,757 Durable goods, total........ 83,776 83,550 83,472 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,388 11,463 11,441 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 8,822 8,716 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,190 1,202 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 49,669 49,595 49,609 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 46,632 46,524 46,546 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,071 3,063 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,325 11,352 11,352 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 5,650 5,603 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,793 4,825 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 121,222 121,112 120,894 53 General merchandise group stores.. 25,923 25,736 25,688 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,155 19,978 19,981 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 20,315 20,259 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 707 687 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,051 5,020 54 Food stores....................... 35,169 35,407 35,086 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,300 33,544 33,191 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,917 13,032 13,271 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,511 9,417 9,484 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 839 816 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,711 2,835 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,624 1,606 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,436 19,512 19,571 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,463 7,436 7,332 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 1,977 1,967 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,189 4,100 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 54,625 54,511 594 1995 SIC Kind of business code Aug.(r) July(r) Retail trade, total........... 196,637 195,615 Total (excl. auto group).. 148,522 148,613 Durable goods, total........ 79,408 78,281 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 10,266 10,352 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 7,793 7,943 525 Hardware stores................. 1,142 1,148 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 48,115 47,002 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 45,194 44,127 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 2,921 2,875 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,016 10,812 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,396 5,382 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,645 4,548 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 117,229 117,334 53 General merchandise group stores.. 24,729 25,025 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,220 19,487 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 19,592 19,838 533 Variety stores.................. 616 629 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,893 4,909 54 Food stores....................... 34,270 34,144 541 Grocery stores.................. 32,479 32,368 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,369 12,436 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,012 9,145 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 837 820 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,828 2,915 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,550 1,585 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,622 19,589 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,013 6,949 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,871 1,830 5961 Total mail order................... 3,950 3,912 53,56,57, GAF................................ 52,089 52,271 594 * 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--AUGUST 1996 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1996 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July June adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 215,060 206,304 206,292 Total (excl. auto group).. 161,735 153,287 153,228 Durable goods, total........ 89,049 87,093 87,092 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,413 12,589 12,715 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,810 9,535 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,263 1,346 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 53,325 53,017 53,064 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 50,036 49,688 49,851 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 43,164 43,001 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,329 3,213 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,393 10,882 10,752 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 5,661 5,452 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,424 4,468 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 718 718 Nondurable goods, total..... 126,011 119,211 119,200 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,168 23,430 24,576 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,417 18,020 18,962 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 18,343 19,308 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 637 644 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,773 4,970 54 Food stores....................... 36,834 36,402 35,382 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,965 34,550 33,523 554 Gasoline service stations......... 14,015 13,931 13,868 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,443 8,567 8,896 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 700 792 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,413 2,724 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,259 3,205 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,559 1,588 58 Eating and drinking places........ 21,185 20,390 20,354 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,373 7,250 7,039 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,080 1,979 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 3,477 3,284 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 50,179 51,388 594 1995 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July Retail trade, total........... 204,178 194,879 Total (excl. auto group).. 152,504 146,401 Durable goods, total........ 84,383 79,182 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,339 10,976 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,720 8,507 525 Hardware stores................. 1,172 1,219 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 51,674 48,478 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 48,493 45,451 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 42,080 39,069 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,181 3,027 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,009 10,240 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,596 5,317 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,524 4,143 5722 Household appliance stores.... 785 813 Nondurable goods, total..... 119,795 115,697 53 General merchandise group stores.. 24,526 23,054 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,066 17,831 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 19,417 18,128 533 Variety stores.................. 601 574 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,859 4,649 54 Food stores....................... 35,045 35,219 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,259 33,468 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,346 13,195 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,616 8,362 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 755 698 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,822 2,615 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,386 2,916 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,885 1,526 58 Eating and drinking places........ 21,015 20,666 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 6,894 6,664 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,903 1,929 5961 Total mail order................... 3,500 3,094 53,56,57, GAF................................ 52,417 48,092 594 * 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--AUGUST 1996 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Aug. July 1996 1996 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business July Aug. June July CODE 1996 1995 1996 1995 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.2 +4.3 +0.1 +4.6 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.2 +4.6 +0.2 +4.3 Durable goods, total........ +0.3 +5.5 +0.1 +6.7 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -0.7 +10.9 +0.2 +10.7 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +0.1 +3.2 0.0 +5.5 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +0.2 +3.2 0.0 +5.4 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -0.2 +2.8 0.0 +5.0 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.1 +3.4 +0.2 +3.2 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.7 +4.8 +0.2 +2.8 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.9 +4.9 0.0 +2.5 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.3 +2.4 54 Food stores....................... -0.7 +2.6 +0.9 +3.7 541 Grocery stores.................. -0.7 +2.5 +1.1 +3.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... -0.9 +4.4 -1.8 +4.8 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +1.0 +5.5 -0.7 +3.0 58 Eating and drinking places........ -0.4 -0.9 -0.3 -0.4 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.4 +6.4 +1.4 +7.0 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Aug. July 1996 1996 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business July Aug. June July CODE 1996 1995 1996 1995 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +4.2 +5.3 0.0 +5.9 Total (excl. auto group).. +5.5 +6.1 0.0 +4.7 Durable goods, total........ +2.2 +5.5 0.0 +10.0 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -1.4 +9.5 -1.0 +14.7 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +0.6 +3.2 -0.1 +9.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +0.7 +3.2 -0.3 +9.3 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +4.7 +3.5 +1.2 +6.3 Nondurable goods, total..... +5.7 +5.2 0.0 +3.0 53 General merchandise group stores.. +11.7 +6.7 -4.7 +1.6 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +13.3 +7.1 -5.0 +1.1 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -5.0 +1.2 54 Food stores....................... +1.2 +5.1 +2.9 +3.4 541 Grocery stores.................. +1.2 +5.1 +3.1 +3.2 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.6 +5.0 +0.5 +5.6 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +21.9 +8.6 -3.7 +2.5 58 Eating and drinking places........ +3.9 +0.8 +0.2 -1.3 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +1.7 +6.9 +3.0 +8.8 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--AUGUST 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.