ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - AUGUST 1997 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 $213.7 billion, an increase of 0.4 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and 5.3 percent (+/-0.9%) from August 1996. Total sales for the June through August period were 4.7 percent (+/-0.7%) above the same period a year ago. The June to July 1997 percent change was revised from +0.6 percent (+/-0.7%) to +0.9 percent (+/-0.2%). Durable goods increased 0.7 percent (+/-1.4%) from July and were 6.2 percent above August 1996. Automotive dealers sales were up 6.4 percent from last year. Nondurable goods increased 0.2 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 4.6 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 6.9 percent from August 1996 while food sales were up 1.6 percent in the same period. 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 15, 1997 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--AUGUST 1997 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1997 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July June adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 213,679 212,825 210,940 Total (excl. auto group).. 161,617 161,154 160,192 Durable goods, total........ 87,518 86,868 85,762 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,160 12,069 12,037 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,314 9,241 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,349 1,304 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 52,062 51,671 50,748 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,021 48,673 47,774 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 2,998 2,974 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,935 11,842 11,695 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 5,990 5,971 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,005 4,882 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 126,161 125,957 125,178 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,990 27,810 27,576 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 22,055 21,897 21,718 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 22,179 22,005 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 755 733 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,158 5,125 54 Food stores....................... 35,703 35,776 35,642 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,567 33,673 33,531 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,977 12,917 12,821 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,916 9,855 9,773 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 946 920 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,746 2,733 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,637 1,641 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,339 20,290 20,276 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,299 8,292 8,198 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,037 2,029 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,668 4,613 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 57,450 57,099 594 1996 SIC Kind of business code Aug.(r) July(r) Retail trade, total........... 202,970 203,090 Total (excl. auto group).. 154,058 154,338 Durable goods, total........ 82,384 82,383 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,283 11,457 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,563 8,697 525 Hardware stores................. 1,249 1,256 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 48,912 48,752 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 45,927 45,735 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 2,985 3,017 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,216 11,115 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,570 5,568 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,750 4,650 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 120,586 120,707 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,174 26,011 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,395 20,272 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 20,806 20,631 533 Variety stores.................. 707 709 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,072 5,030 54 Food stores....................... 35,146 35,373 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,241 33,474 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,761 12,761 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,470 9,435 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 860 845 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,734 2,741 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,605 1,614 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,585 19,607 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,625 7,578 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,930 1,905 5961 Total mail order................... 3,964 4,140 53,56,57, GAF................................ 54,847 54,457 594 * 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 1997 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1997 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July June adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 219,527 215,509 212,251 Total (excl. auto group).. 165,318 160,130 157,726 Durable goods, total........ 90,473 91,092 90,015 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,902 13,482 13,587 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 10,497 10,258 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,451 1,453 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 54,209 55,379 54,525 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 50,982 52,129 51,405 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 45,168 44,245 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,250 3,120 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,899 11,419 10,971 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,014 5,756 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,650 4,462 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 923 891 Nondurable goods, total..... 129,054 124,417 122,236 53 General merchandise group stores.. 28,064 25,566 26,131 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 22,165 19,861 20,415 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 20,177 20,748 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 707 688 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,998 5,028 54 Food stores....................... 36,842 37,035 35,338 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,708 34,953 33,263 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,924 13,718 13,436 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,531 9,063 9,041 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 791 868 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,458 2,607 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,537 3,370 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,609 1,611 58 Eating and drinking places........ 22,007 21,345 20,803 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,083 8,043 7,927 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,153 2,009 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 3,837 3,893 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 53,117 53,336 594 1996 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July Retail trade, total........... 212,247 204,817 Total (excl. auto group).. 159,851 152,803 Durable goods, total........ 87,258 86,024 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,300 12,718 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,454 9,758 525 Hardware stores................. 1,298 1,353 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 52,396 52,014 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,142 48,753 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 42,970 42,789 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,254 3,261 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,326 10,686 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,793 5,590 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,669 4,306 5722 Household appliance stores.... 832 790 Nondurable goods, total..... 124,989 118,793 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,416 23,695 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,640 18,265 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 21,016 18,582 533 Variety stores.................. 699 646 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,077 4,784 54 Food stores....................... 36,716 36,289 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,803 34,411 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,795 13,629 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,366 8,616 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 809 701 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,764 2,453 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,871 3,206 566 Shoe stores..................... 2,009 1,566 58 Eating and drinking places........ 21,250 20,470 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,526 7,381 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,032 2,002 5961 Total mail order................... 3,508 3,440 53,56,57, GAF................................ 56,095 50,048 594 * 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 1997 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Aug. July 1997 1997 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business July Aug. June July CODE 1997 1996 1997 1996 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.4 +5.3 +0.9 +4.8 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.3 +4.9 +0.6 +4.4 Durable goods, total........ +0.7 +6.2 +1.3 +5.4 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +0.8 +7.8 +0.3 +5.3 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +0.8 +6.4 +1.8 +6.0 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +0.7 +6.7 +1.9 +6.4 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +0.8 +6.4 +1.3 +6.5 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.2 +4.6 +0.6 +4.3 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.6 +6.9 +0.8 +6.9 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.7 +8.1 +0.8 +8.0 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.8 +7.5 54 Food stores....................... -0.2 +1.6 +0.4 +1.1 541 Grocery stores.................. -0.3 +1.0 +0.4 +0.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.5 +1.7 +0.7 +1.2 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +0.6 +4.7 +0.8 +4.5 58 Eating and drinking places........ +0.2 +3.8 +0.1 +3.5 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.1 +8.8 +1.1 +9.4 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Aug. July 1997 1997 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business July Aug. June July CODE 1997 1996 1997 1996 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +1.9 +3.4 +1.5 +5.2 Total (excl. auto group).. +3.2 +3.4 +1.5 +4.8 Durable goods, total........ -0.7 +3.7 +1.2 +5.9 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -4.3 +4.9 -0.8 +6.0 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -2.1 +3.5 +1.6 +6.5 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -2.2 +3.7 +1.4 +6.9 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +4.2 +5.1 +4.1 +6.9 Nondurable goods, total..... +3.7 +3.3 +1.8 +4.7 53 General merchandise group stores.. +9.8 +6.2 -2.2 +7.9 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +11.6 +7.4 -2.7 +8.7 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -2.8 +8.6 54 Food stores....................... -0.5 +0.3 +4.8 +2.1 541 Grocery stores.................. -0.7 -0.3 +5.1 +1.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... +1.5 +0.9 +2.1 +0.7 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +16.2 +1.6 +0.2 +5.2 58 Eating and drinking places........ +3.1 +3.6 +2.6 +4.3 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.5 +7.4 +1.5 +9.0 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--AUGUST 1997 (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.