ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - MAY 1998 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for May adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $224.6 billion, an increase of 0.9 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 6.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from May 1997. Total sales for the March through May period were up 5.0 percent (+/-0.7%) from the same period a year ago. The March to April percent change was revised from +0.5 percent (+/-0.7%) to 0.7 percent (+/-0.3%). Durable goods increased 1.7 percent (+/-1.4%) from April and were 10.4 percent above last year. Automotive dealers increased 2.4 percent from April and were 11.2 percent above May 1997. Nondurable goods increased 0.4 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 4.0 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 8.1 percent from May a year ago while food sales were up 3.0 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 June is scheduled to be released July 14, 1998 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--MAY 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code May Apr. Mar. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 224,623 222,580 221,105 Total (excl. auto group).. 168,501 167,755 166,953 Durable goods, total........ 94,872 93,293 92,607 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,814 13,827 13,568 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 10,525 10,254 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,283 1,263 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 56,122 54,825 54,152 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 52,888 51,623 50,968 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,202 3,184 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,073 12,882 13,067 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,344 6,331 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,576 5,789 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 129,751 129,287 128,498 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,530 29,342 29,085 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,338 23,213 22,962 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,604 23,305 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 956 968 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,173 5,155 54 Food stores....................... 36,704 36,618 36,395 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,302 34,224 34,039 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,548 12,460 12,417 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,486 10,490 10,360 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 1,006 947 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,701 2,638 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,731 1,751 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,229 20,251 20,273 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,648 8,674 8,548 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,059 2,038 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,505 4,465 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 60,902 60,743 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code May (r) Apr.(r) Retail trade, total........... 210,657 211,018 Total (excl. auto group).. 160,187 159,952 Durable goods, total........ 85,925 86,788 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,485 12,550 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,746 9,735 525 Hardware stores................. 1,196 1,203 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 50,470 51,066 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 47,319 47,925 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,151 3,141 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,098 12,044 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,926 5,885 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,266 5,266 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 124,732 124,230 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,306 26,895 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,481 21,094 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 21,963 21,430 533 Variety stores.................. 922 925 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,903 4,876 54 Food stores....................... 35,645 35,557 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,443 33,391 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,903 13,190 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,711 9,597 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 863 839 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,591 2,604 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,680 1,672 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,608 19,577 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,083 8,089 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,977 1,963 5961 Total mail order................... 4,116 4,117 53,56,57, GAF................................ 56,822 56,396 594 * 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--MAY 1998 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code May Apr. Mar. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 231,493 221,169 216,181 Total (excl. auto group).. 171,373 163,286 158,636 Durable goods, total........ 99,796 95,113 92,819 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 15,969 14,883 12,676 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 11,072 9,700 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,346 1,128 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 60,120 57,883 57,545 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 56,802 54,617 54,383 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 46,343 46,522 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,266 3,162 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,354 11,811 12,421 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 5,951 6,052 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,018 5,488 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 815 834 Nondurable goods, total..... 131,697 126,056 123,362 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,340 27,581 26,027 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,105 21,797 20,459 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 22,216 20,832 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 921 872 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,863 4,696 54 Food stores....................... 37,840 36,183 35,583 541 Grocery stores.................. 35,400 33,779 33,324 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,301 12,373 12,007 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,213 10,132 9,327 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 937 807 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,693 2,385 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,722 3,477 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,819 1,669 58 Eating and drinking places........ 21,443 20,210 20,293 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,674 8,665 8,548 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 1,931 1,859 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,118 4,434 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 56,476 54,533 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code May Apr. Retail trade, total........... 220,869 206,666 Total (excl. auto group).. 165,219 152,760 Durable goods, total........ 92,679 88,202 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 14,852 13,503 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 11,286 10,290 525 Hardware stores................. 1,401 1,258 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 55,650 53,906 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 52,335 50,705 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 44,607 43,055 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,315 3,201 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,620 11,045 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,932 5,550 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 4,866 4,724 5722 Household appliance stores.... 832 781 Nondurable goods, total..... 128,190 118,464 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,349 24,328 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,417 19,048 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 21,826 19,419 533 Variety stores.................. 931 809 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,001 4,471 54 Food stores....................... 37,263 34,335 541 Grocery stores.................. 35,015 32,256 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,767 13,084 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,696 8,675 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 841 741 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,744 2,471 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,545 3,152 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,799 1,582 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,883 19,479 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,261 7,846 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,054 1,810 5961 Total mail order................... 3,704 3,812 53,56,57, GAF................................ 55,771 50,603 594 * 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--MAY 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) May Apr. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Apr. May Mar. Apr. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.9 +6.6 +0.7 +5.5 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.4 +5.2 +0.5 +4.9 Durable goods, total........ +1.7 +10.4 +0.7 +7.5 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -0.1 +10.6 +1.9 +10.2 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +2.4 +11.2 +1.2 +7.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +2.5 +11.8 +1.3 +7.7 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +1.5 +8.1 -1.4 +7.0 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.4 +4.0 +0.6 +4.1 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.6 +8.1 +0.9 +9.1 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.5 +8.6 +1.1 +10.0 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +1.3 +10.1 54 Food stores....................... +0.2 +3.0 +0.6 +3.0 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.2 +2.6 +0.5 +2.5 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.7 -2.8 +0.3 -5.5 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 0.0 +8.0 +1.3 +9.3 58 Eating and drinking places........ -0.1 +3.2 -0.1 +3.4 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... -0.3 +7.0 +1.5 +7.2 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) May Apr. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Apr. May Mar. Apr. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +4.7 +4.8 +2.3 +7.0 Total (excl. auto group).. +5.0 +3.7 +2.9 +6.9 Durable goods, total........ +4.9 +7.7 +2.5 +7.8 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +7.3 +7.5 +17.4 +10.2 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +3.9 +8.0 +0.6 +7.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +4.0 +8.5 +0.4 +7.7 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +4.6 +6.3 -4.9 +6.9 Nondurable goods, total..... +4.5 +2.7 +2.2 +6.4 53 General merchandise group stores.. +6.4 +7.3 +6.0 +13.4 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +6.0 +7.9 +6.5 +14.4 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +6.6 +14.4 54 Food stores....................... +4.6 +1.5 +1.7 +5.4 541 Grocery stores.................. +4.8 +1.1 +1.4 +4.7 554 Gasoline service stations......... +7.5 -3.4 +3.0 -5.4 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +0.8 +5.3 +8.6 +16.8 58 Eating and drinking places........ +6.1 +2.7 -0.4 +3.8 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.1 +5.0 +1.4 +10.4 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--MAY 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.