ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - APRIL 1998 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for April adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $222.0 billion, an increase of 0.5 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 5.2 percent (+/-0.9%) from April 1997. Total sales for the February through April period were up 3.8 percent (+/-0.7%) from the same period a year ago. The February to March percent change was unrevised from 0.0 percent reported last month. Durable goods increased 0.5 percent (+/-1.4%) from March and were 7.0 percent above last year. Automotive dealers were 6.4 percent above April 1997. Nondurable goods increased 0.6 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 3.9 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 8.9 percent from April a year ago while food sales were up 2.5 percent during 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 May is scheduled to be released June 11, 1998 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--APRIL 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code Apr. Mar. Feb. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 222,019 220,837 220,866 Total (excl. auto group).. 167,653 166,828 166,823 Durable goods, total........ 92,921 92,447 92,778 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,700 13,486 13,485 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 10,226 10,253 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,256 1,212 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 54,366 54,009 54,043 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 51,196 50,820 50,853 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,189 3,190 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,046 13,104 13,172 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,373 6,405 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,784 5,811 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 129,098 128,390 128,088 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,294 29,055 29,010 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,173 22,958 22,972 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,184 23,364 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 970 975 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,127 5,063 54 Food stores....................... 36,449 36,317 36,131 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,159 33,995 33,804 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,336 12,321 12,482 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,457 10,326 10,324 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 942 909 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,624 2,630 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,766 1,815 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,518 20,355 20,306 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,637 8,533 8,554 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,035 2,086 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,485 4,498 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 60,773 60,905 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code Apr.(r) Mar.(r) Retail trade, total........... 211,074 214,516 Total (excl. auto group).. 160,002 161,699 Durable goods, total........ 86,828 88,697 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,578 12,610 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,772 9,690 525 Hardware stores................. 1,208 1,184 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 51,072 52,817 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 47,925 49,632 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,147 3,185 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,050 11,953 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,879 5,834 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,278 5,210 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 124,246 125,819 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,897 27,619 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,071 21,779 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 21,721 22,083 533 Variety stores.................. 918 976 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,908 4,864 54 Food stores....................... 35,570 36,048 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,391 33,853 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,163 13,531 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,602 9,722 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 846 851 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,609 2,672 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,665 1,711 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,577 19,666 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,097 8,097 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,965 1,950 5961 Total mail order................... 4,121 4,040 53,56,57, GAF................................ 56,409 57,135 594 * 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--APRIL 1998 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code Apr. Mar. Feb. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 220,796 216,124 191,274 Total (excl. auto group).. 163,301 158,571 142,668 Durable goods, total........ 94,673 92,770 79,948 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 14,686 12,595 10,044 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 9,694 7,854 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,128 921 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 57,495 57,553 48,606 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 54,268 54,377 45,920 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 46,538 39,302 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,176 2,686 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,911 12,433 11,503 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,086 5,521 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,466 5,154 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 832 754 Nondurable goods, total..... 126,123 123,354 111,326 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,584 26,022 22,977 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,806 20,456 18,033 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 20,830 18,348 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 870 792 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,696 4,152 54 Food stores....................... 36,021 35,592 32,574 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,749 33,349 30,491 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,299 11,976 10,997 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,112 9,303 7,748 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 809 703 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,385 2,012 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,466 2,808 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,669 1,430 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,497 20,314 18,255 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,602 8,542 8,049 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 1,858 1,738 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,463 3,724 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 54,554 48,754 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code Apr. Mar. Retail trade, total........... 206,666 211,725 Total (excl. auto group).. 152,760 156,422 Durable goods, total........ 88,202 88,108 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,503 11,568 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 10,290 9,021 525 Hardware stores................. 1,258 1,073 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 53,906 55,303 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 50,705 52,163 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 43,055 44,851 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,201 3,140 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,045 11,380 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,550 5,606 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,724 4,918 5722 Household appliance stores.... 781 794 Nondurable goods, total..... 118,464 123,617 53 General merchandise group stores.. 24,328 25,545 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,048 20,102 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 19,419 20,480 533 Variety stores.................. 809 944 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,471 4,499 54 Food stores....................... 34,335 36,219 541 Grocery stores.................. 32,256 34,022 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,084 13,166 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 8,675 9,445 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 741 770 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,471 2,589 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,152 3,411 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,582 1,809 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,479 19,764 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,846 8,283 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,810 1,843 5961 Total mail order................... 3,812 3,886 53,56,57, GAF................................ 50,603 52,933 594 * 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--APRIL 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Apr. Mar. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Mar. Apr. Feb. Mar. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.5 +5.2 0.0 +2.9 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.5 +4.8 0.0 +3.2 Durable goods, total........ +0.5 +7.0 -0.4 +4.2 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +1.6 +8.9 0.0 +6.9 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +0.7 +6.4 -0.1 +2.3 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +0.7 +6.8 -0.1 +2.4 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -0.4 +8.3 -0.5 +9.6 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.6 +3.9 +0.2 +2.0 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.8 +8.9 +0.2 +5.2 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.9 +10.0 -0.1 +5.4 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -0.8 +5.0 54 Food stores....................... +0.4 +2.5 +0.5 +0.7 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.5 +2.3 +0.6 +0.4 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.1 -6.3 -1.3 -8.9 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +1.3 +8.9 0.0 +6.2 58 Eating and drinking places........ +0.8 +4.8 +0.2 +3.5 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +1.2 +6.7 -0.2 +5.4 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Apr. Mar. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Mar. Apr. Feb. Mar. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +2.2 +6.8 +13.0 +2.1 Total (excl. auto group).. +3.0 +6.9 +11.1 +1.4 Durable goods, total........ +2.1 +7.3 +16.0 +5.3 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +16.6 +8.8 +25.4 +8.9 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -0.1 +6.7 +18.4 +4.1 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -0.2 +7.0 +18.4 +4.2 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -4.2 +7.8 +8.1 +9.3 Nondurable goods, total..... +2.2 +6.5 +10.8 -0.2 53 General merchandise group stores.. +6.0 +13.4 +13.3 +1.9 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +6.6 +14.5 +13.4 +1.8 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +13.5 +1.7 54 Food stores....................... +1.2 +4.9 +9.3 -1.7 541 Grocery stores.................. +1.2 +4.6 +9.4 -2.0 554 Gasoline service stations......... +2.7 -6.0 +8.9 -9.0 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +8.7 +16.6 +20.1 -1.5 58 Eating and drinking places........ +0.9 +5.2 +11.3 +2.8 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.7 +9.6 +6.1 +3.1 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--APRIL 1998 (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.