ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - OCTOBER 1997 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 $213.7 billion, a decrease of 0.2 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and 3.4 percent (+/-0.9%) above October 1996. Total sales for the August through October period were 4.5 percent (+/-0.7%) above the same period a year ago. The August to September 1997 percent change was revised from +0.3 percent (+/-0.7%) to -0.1 percent (+/-0.5%). Durable goods decreased 0.9 percent (+/-1.4%) from September and were 2.8 percent above last year. Building materials and furniture sales were up 4.6 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively, from October 1996. Nondurable goods increased 0.2 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 3.7 percent above the previous year. General merchandise sales were up 5.5 percent from October 1996. 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 11, 1997 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--OCTOBER 1997 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1997 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Aug. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 213,694 214,136 214,372 Total (excl. auto group).. 162,698 162,122 161,619 Durable goods, total........ 86,556 87,306 88,014 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,912 11,928 11,912 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,177 9,143 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,350 1,345 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 50,996 52,014 52,753 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 48,038 49,052 49,709 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 2,962 3,044 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,876 11,879 11,976 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,030 6,096 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,959 5,011 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 127,138 126,830 126,358 53 General merchandise group stores.. 28,009 27,716 27,841 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 22,041 21,812 21,930 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 22,126 22,298 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 815 812 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,089 5,099 54 Food stores....................... 36,412 36,315 36,062 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,241 34,133 33,878 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,257 13,205 13,016 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,901 9,815 10,004 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 983 994 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,730 2,736 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,594 1,646 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,641 20,695 20,403 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,367 8,308 8,205 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,011 2,011 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,499 4,512 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 57,428 57,763 594 1996 SIC Kind of business code Oct.(r) Sep.(r) Retail trade, total........... 206,715 204,949 Total (excl. auto group).. 156,309 155,104 Durable goods, total........ 84,168 83,160 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 11,393 11,340 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 8,601 8,605 525 Hardware stores................. 1,277 1,247 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 50,406 49,845 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 47,313 46,851 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,093 2,994 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,212 11,267 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,631 5,571 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,712 4,832 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 122,547 121,789 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,545 26,403 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,764 20,656 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 21,080 21,010 533 Variety stores.................. 711 684 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,070 5,063 54 Food stores....................... 35,673 35,594 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,753 33,696 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,094 12,853 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,536 9,630 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 853 886 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,777 2,789 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,583 1,571 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,884 19,651 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,777 7,633 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,888 1,881 5961 Total mail order................... 4,006 3,990 53,56,57, GAF................................ 55,261 55,083 594 * 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 1997 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1997 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Aug. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 215,523 207,023 220,153 Total (excl. auto group).. 163,592 155,100 165,064 Durable goods, total........ 87,276 86,738 91,015 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,734 12,709 12,530 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,874 9,701 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,318 1,364 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 51,931 51,923 55,089 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 48,807 48,905 51,847 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 42,845 45,175 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,018 3,242 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,781 11,505 12,000 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,006 6,261 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 4,671 4,896 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 815 863 Nondurable goods, total..... 128,247 120,285 129,138 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,742 24,678 27,900 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,732 19,369 22,062 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 19,675 22,425 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 719 790 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,590 5,048 54 Food stores....................... 36,596 34,898 37,114 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,412 32,836 34,928 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,443 13,205 13,927 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,010 9,286 10,728 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 879 933 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,610 2,711 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,483 4,150 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,546 2,003 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,992 20,302 22,035 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,375 7,834 7,959 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 1,912 2,087 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,342 3,835 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 52,677 58,419 594 1996 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Retail trade, total........... 207,531 195,749 Total (excl. auto group).. 156,473 147,371 Durable goods, total........ 84,794 80,509 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,316 11,634 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,478 8,898 525 Hardware stores................. 1,306 1,188 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 51,058 48,378 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 47,786 45,399 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 42,423 40,270 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,272 2,979 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,211 10,721 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,822 5,443 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,604 4,474 5722 Household appliance stores.... 797 760 Nondurable goods, total..... 122,737 115,240 53 General merchandise group stores.. 25,978 23,819 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,183 18,611 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 20,539 18,938 533 Variety stores.................. 710 616 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,085 4,592 54 Food stores....................... 35,498 34,096 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,584 32,314 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,264 12,724 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,569 9,052 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 843 791 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,805 2,638 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,683 3,352 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,494 1,511 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,083 19,278 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,715 7,114 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,837 1,757 5961 Total mail order................... 4,491 3,731 53,56,57, GAF................................ 53,897 50,464 594 * 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 1997 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Oct. Sep. 1997 1997 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Sep. Oct. Aug. Sep. CODE 1997 1996 1997 1996 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... -0.2 +3.4 -0.1 +4.5 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.4 +4.1 +0.3 +4.5 Durable goods, total........ -0.9 +2.8 -0.8 +5.0 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -0.1 +4.6 +0.1 +5.2 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -2.0 +1.2 -1.4 +4.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -2.1 +1.5 -1.3 +4.7 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 0.0 +5.9 -0.8 +5.4 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.2 +3.7 +0.4 +4.1 53 General merchandise group stores.. +1.1 +5.5 -0.4 +5.0 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +1.0 +6.2 -0.5 +5.6 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -0.8 +5.3 54 Food stores....................... +0.3 +2.1 +0.7 +2.0 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.3 +1.4 +0.8 +1.3 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.4 +1.2 +1.5 +2.7 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +0.9 +3.8 -1.9 +1.9 58 Eating and drinking places........ -0.3 +3.8 +1.4 +5.3 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.7 +7.6 +1.3 +8.8 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Oct. Sep. 1997 1997 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Sep. Oct. Aug. Sep. CODE 1997 1996 1997 1996 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +4.1 +3.9 -6.0 +5.8 Total (excl. auto group).. +5.5 +4.5 -6.0 +5.2 Durable goods, total........ +0.6 +2.9 -4.7 +7.7 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +0.2 +3.4 +1.4 +9.2 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 0.0 +1.7 -5.7 +7.3 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -0.2 +2.1 -5.7 +7.7 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +2.4 +5.1 -4.1 +7.3 Nondurable goods, total..... +6.6 +4.5 -6.9 +4.4 53 General merchandise group stores.. +12.4 +6.8 -11.5 +3.6 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +12.2 +7.7 -12.2 +4.1 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -12.3 +3.9 54 Food stores....................... +4.9 +3.1 -6.0 +2.4 541 Grocery stores.................. +4.8 +2.5 -6.0 +1.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... +1.8 +1.3 -5.2 +3.8 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +7.8 +4.6 -13.4 +2.6 58 Eating and drinking places........ +3.4 +4.5 -7.9 +5.3 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +6.9 +8.6 -1.6 +10.1 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--OCTOBER 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.