ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - SEPTEMBER 1997 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for September adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $215.5 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and 5.2 percent (+/-0.9%) above September 1996. Total sales for the third quarter were 5.4 percent (+/-0.5%) above the same quarter a year ago. The July to August 1997 percent change was revised from +0.4 percent (+/-0.7%) to +0.6 percent (+/-0.4%). Durable goods increased 0.2 percent (+/-1.4%) from August and were 6.4 percent above last year. Automotive dealers sales were up 6.9 percent from September 1996. Nondurable goods increased 0.3 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 4.4 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 5.0 percent from September 1996 while food sales were up 2.6 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 October is scheduled to be released November 14, 1997 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--SEPTEMBER 1997 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1997 SIC Kind of business code Sep. Aug. July adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 215,510 214,888 213,549 Total (excl. auto group).. 162,295 161,999 161,656 Durable goods, total........ 88,388 88,194 87,228 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,866 11,929 12,070 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,165 9,292 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,338 1,330 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 53,215 52,889 51,893 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 50,140 49,807 48,843 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,082 3,050 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,144 12,077 11,924 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,126 5,995 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,091 5,079 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 127,122 126,694 126,321 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,711 27,873 27,768 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,736 21,928 21,831 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 22,397 22,209 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 806 777 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,139 5,160 54 Food stores....................... 36,525 36,019 36,003 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,403 33,864 33,877 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,286 13,088 12,913 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,985 10,053 9,933 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 982 969 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,748 2,761 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,662 1,647 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,283 20,355 20,387 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,315 8,249 8,268 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,028 2,011 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,624 4,615 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 57,885 57,603 594 1996 SIC Kind of business code Sep.(r) Aug.(r) Retail trade, total........... 204,880 203,087 Total (excl. auto group).. 155,089 154,172 Durable goods, total........ 83,108 82,386 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,340 11,310 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,614 8,595 525 Hardware stores................. 1,245 1,248 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 49,791 48,915 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 46,803 45,927 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 2,988 2,988 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,234 11,167 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,560 5,549 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,806 4,730 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 121,772 120,701 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,396 26,175 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,656 20,395 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 20,923 20,777 533 Variety stores.................. 688 698 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,052 5,082 54 Food stores....................... 35,602 35,207 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,696 33,304 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,853 12,773 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,591 9,463 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 886 857 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,792 2,739 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,548 1,603 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,712 19,585 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,633 7,633 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,879 1,919 5961 Total mail order................... 3,978 3,986 53,56,57, GAF................................ 55,030 54,816 594 * 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--SEPTEMBER 1997 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1997 SIC Kind of business code Sep. Aug. July adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 208,408 220,625 216,161 Total (excl. auto group).. 155,272 165,609 160,679 Durable goods, total........ 87,838 91,054 91,355 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,578 12,553 13,518 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,733 10,509 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,355 1,424 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 53,136 55,016 55,482 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,990 51,749 52,164 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 44,938 45,150 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,267 3,318 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,865 12,107 11,445 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,285 5,995 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,979 4,698 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 867 943 Nondurable goods, total..... 120,570 129,571 124,806 53 General merchandise group stores.. 24,689 27,919 25,586 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,258 22,060 19,866 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 22,424 20,182 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 787 725 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,072 4,995 54 Food stores....................... 35,089 37,105 37,239 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,096 34,948 35,130 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,286 14,030 13,688 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,576 10,747 9,114 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 918 810 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,723 2,471 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 4,165 3,547 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 2,011 1,614 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,796 22,045 21,468 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,833 8,026 8,020 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,107 2,106 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 3,944 3,877 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 58,505 53,269 594 1996 SIC Kind of business code Sep. Aug. Retail trade, total........... 195,749 212,247 Total (excl. auto group).. 147,371 159,851 Durable goods, total........ 80,509 87,258 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,634 12,300 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,898 9,454 525 Hardware stores................. 1,188 1,298 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 48,378 52,396 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 45,399 49,142 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 40,270 42,970 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 2,979 3,254 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 10,721 11,326 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,443 5,793 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,474 4,669 5722 Household appliance stores.... 760 832 Nondurable goods, total..... 115,240 124,989 53 General merchandise group stores.. 23,819 26,416 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 18,611 20,640 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 18,938 21,016 533 Variety stores.................. 616 699 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,592 5,077 54 Food stores....................... 34,096 36,716 541 Grocery stores.................. 32,314 34,803 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,724 13,795 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,052 10,366 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 791 809 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,638 2,764 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,352 3,871 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,511 2,009 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,278 21,250 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,114 7,526 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,757 2,032 5961 Total mail order................... 3,731 3,508 53,56,57, GAF................................ 50,464 56,095 594 * 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--SEPTEMBER 1997 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Sep. Aug. 1997 1997 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Aug. Sep. July Aug. CODE 1997 1996 1997 1996 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.3 +5.2 +0.6 +5.8 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.2 +4.6 +0.2 +5.1 Durable goods, total........ +0.2 +6.4 +1.1 +7.0 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -0.5 +4.6 -1.2 +5.5 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +0.6 +6.9 +1.9 +8.1 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +0.7 +7.1 +2.0 +8.4 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +0.6 +8.1 +1.3 +8.1 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.3 +4.4 +0.3 +5.0 53 General merchandise group stores.. -0.6 +5.0 +0.4 +6.5 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). -0.9 +5.2 +0.4 +7.5 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.8 +7.8 54 Food stores....................... +1.4 +2.6 0.0 +2.3 541 Grocery stores.................. +1.6 +2.1 0.0 +1.7 554 Gasoline service stations......... +1.5 +3.4 +1.4 +2.5 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... -0.7 +4.1 +1.2 +6.2 58 Eating and drinking places........ -0.4 +2.9 -0.2 +3.9 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.8 +8.9 -0.2 +8.1 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Sep. Aug. 1997 1997 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Aug. Sep. July Aug. CODE 1997 1996 1997 1996 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... -5.5 +6.5 +2.1 +3.9 Total (excl. auto group).. -6.2 +5.4 +3.1 +3.6 Durable goods, total........ -3.5 +9.1 -0.3 +4.4 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +0.2 +8.1 -7.1 +2.1 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -3.4 +9.8 -0.8 +5.0 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -3.4 +10.1 -0.8 +5.3 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -2.0 +10.7 +5.8 +6.9 Nondurable goods, total..... -6.9 +4.6 +3.8 +3.7 53 General merchandise group stores.. -11.6 +3.7 +9.1 +5.7 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). -12.7 +3.5 +11.0 +6.9 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +11.1 +6.7 54 Food stores....................... -5.4 +2.9 -0.4 +1.1 541 Grocery stores.................. -5.3 +2.4 -0.5 +0.4 554 Gasoline service stations......... -5.3 +4.4 +2.5 +1.7 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... -10.9 +5.8 +17.9 +3.7 58 Eating and drinking places........ -10.2 +2.7 +2.7 +3.7 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... -2.4 +10.1 +0.1 +6.6 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--SEPTEMBER 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.