ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - JULY 1998 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for July adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $224.7 billion, an decrease of 0.4 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 4.4 percent (+/-0.9%) from July 1997. Total sales for the May through July period were up 5.9 percent (+/-0.7%) from the same period a year ago. The May to June percent change was unrevised from the +0.1 percent (+/-0.2%) reported last month. Durable goods decreased 1.4 percent (+/-1.4%) from June but were 6.2 percent above last year. Automotive dealers were up 4.6 percent from July 1997. Nondurable goods increased 0.4 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 3.1 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 6.3 percent from July a year ago while food sales were up 3.1 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 August is scheduled to be released September 15, 1998 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--JULY 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code July June May adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 224,739 225,611 225,370 Total (excl. auto group).. 169,848 169,005 169,109 Durable goods, total........ 94,164 95,510 95,187 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,776 13,627 13,849 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 10,393 10,419 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,273 1,264 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 54,891 56,606 56,261 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 51,667 53,352 53,011 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,254 3,250 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,300 13,140 13,063 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,273 6,276 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,877 5,812 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 130,575 130,101 130,183 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,530 29,479 29,484 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,319 23,258 23,333 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,635 23,740 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 984 974 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,237 5,177 54 Food stores....................... 36,898 36,796 36,779 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,446 34,393 34,397 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,532 12,481 12,520 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,366 10,299 10,412 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 969 959 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,583 2,651 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,717 1,747 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,404 20,487 20,414 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,807 8,755 8,730 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,010 2,056 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,536 4,702 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 61,447 61,453 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code July(r) June(r) Retail trade, total........... 215,363 212,343 Total (excl. auto group).. 162,869 161,092 Durable goods, total........ 88,655 86,968 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,634 12,539 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,746 9,624 525 Hardware stores................. 1,249 1,224 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 52,494 51,251 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,272 48,084 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,222 3,167 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,379 12,106 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,958 5,931 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,524 5,293 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 126,708 125,375 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,777 27,535 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,859 21,694 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 22,254 22,148 533 Variety stores.................. 978 949 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,940 4,892 54 Food stores....................... 35,795 35,541 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,556 33,313 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,159 13,027 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,986 9,862 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 927 877 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,647 2,629 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,720 1,710 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,773 19,640 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,237 8,208 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,999 2,019 5961 Total mail order................... 4,198 4,211 53,56,57, GAF................................ 57,889 57,323 594 * 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--JULY 1998 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code July June May adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 229,214 230,696 232,369 Total (excl. auto group).. 170,191 167,970 172,197 Durable goods, total........ 99,106 103,262 100,113 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 15,402 16,094 16,158 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 12,066 11,700 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,449 1,445 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 59,023 62,726 60,172 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 55,490 59,221 56,828 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 50,399 48,222 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,505 3,344 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,874 12,572 12,298 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,185 6,157 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,507 5,260 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 965 895 Nondurable goods, total..... 130,108 127,434 132,256 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,604 27,789 29,373 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,523 21,653 23,193 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 22,040 23,617 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 899 956 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,237 5,224 54 Food stores....................... 38,529 36,521 37,981 541 Grocery stores.................. 36,065 34,152 35,566 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,296 13,217 13,171 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,692 9,587 10,152 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 903 927 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,500 2,752 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,670 3,791 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,722 1,822 58 Eating and drinking places........ 21,567 21,020 21,700 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,622 8,571 8,765 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,020 2,097 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,010 4,185 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 57,667 59,544 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code July June Retail trade, total........... 218,017 213,929 Total (excl. auto group).. 161,859 158,721 Durable goods, total........ 92,904 91,512 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 14,175 14,211 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 11,032 10,711 525 Hardware stores................. 1,336 1,363 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 56,158 55,208 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 52,623 51,883 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 45,069 44,166 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,535 3,325 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,869 11,386 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,958 5,729 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,126 4,870 5722 Household appliance stores.... 964 911 Nondurable goods, total..... 125,113 122,417 53 General merchandise group stores.. 25,691 26,220 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,935 20,479 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 20,313 20,874 533 Variety stores.................. 925 878 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,831 4,863 54 Food stores....................... 37,054 35,170 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,831 32,980 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,896 13,639 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,208 9,111 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 772 827 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,374 2,505 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,582 3,404 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,689 1,686 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,801 20,111 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,023 7,929 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,093 1,997 5961 Total mail order................... 3,581 3,579 53,56,57, GAF................................ 53,663 53,669 594 * 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--JULY 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) July June 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business June July May June CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... -0.4 +4.4 +0.1 +6.2 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.5 +4.3 -0.1 +4.9 Durable goods, total........ -1.4 +6.2 +0.3 +9.8 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +1.1 +9.0 -1.6 +8.7 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -3.0 +4.6 +0.6 +10.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -3.2 +4.9 +0.6 +11.0 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +1.2 +7.4 +0.6 +8.5 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.4 +3.1 -0.1 +3.8 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.2 +6.3 0.0 +7.1 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.3 +6.7 -0.3 +7.2 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -0.4 +6.7 54 Food stores....................... +0.3 +3.1 0.0 +3.5 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.2 +2.7 0.0 +3.2 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.4 -4.8 -0.3 -4.2 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +0.7 +3.8 -1.1 +4.4 58 Eating and drinking places........ -0.4 +3.2 +0.4 +4.3 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.6 +6.9 +0.3 +6.7 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) July June 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business June July May June CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... -0.6 +5.1 -0.7 +7.8 Total (excl. auto group).. +1.3 +5.1 -2.5 +5.8 Durable goods, total........ -4.0 +6.7 +3.1 +12.8 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -4.3 +8.7 -0.4 +13.3 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -5.9 +5.1 +4.2 +13.6 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -6.3 +5.4 +4.2 +14.1 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +2.4 +8.5 +2.2 +10.4 Nondurable goods, total..... +2.1 +4.0 -3.6 +4.1 53 General merchandise group stores.. -0.7 +7.4 -5.4 +6.0 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). -0.6 +8.0 -6.6 +5.7 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -6.7 +5.6 54 Food stores....................... +5.5 +4.0 -3.8 +3.8 541 Grocery stores.................. +5.6 +3.5 -4.0 +3.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.6 -4.3 +0.3 -3.1 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +1.1 +5.3 -5.6 +5.2 58 Eating and drinking places........ +2.6 +3.7 -3.1 +4.5 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.6 +7.5 -2.2 +8.1 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--JULY 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.