ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - SEPTEMBER 1998 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 $224.9 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 4.3 percent (+/-0.9%) from September 1997. Total sales for the third quarter were up 4.1 percent (+/-0.7%) from the same quarter a year ago. The July to August percent change was revised from +0.2 percent (+/-0.7%) to unchanged (+/-0.3%). Durable goods increased 0.6 percent (+/-1.4%) from August and were 5.7 percent above last year. Building materials were up 9.3 percent from September a year ago, while furniture sales were up 8.7 percent during the same period. Nondurable goods increased 0.1 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 3.4 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 6.1 percent from September a year ago while food sales were up 3.8 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 October is scheduled to be released November 13, 1998 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--SEPTEMBER 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code Sep. Aug. July adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 224,935 224,247 224,153 Total (excl. auto group).. 170,571 170,377 170,239 Durable goods, total........ 93,774 93,214 93,235 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,829 13,772 13,810 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 10,563 10,606 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,296 1,270 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 54,364 53,870 53,914 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 51,155 50,623 50,657 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,247 3,257 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,378 13,402 13,399 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,267 6,364 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 6,158 6,070 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 131,161 131,033 130,918 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,557 29,365 29,332 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,294 23,194 23,152 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,628 23,568 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 951 970 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,220 5,210 54 Food stores....................... 37,400 37,288 37,027 541 Grocery stores.................. 35,009 34,918 34,633 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,343 12,448 12,694 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,348 10,480 10,520 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 1,015 994 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,614 2,686 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,772 1,761 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,581 20,420 20,419 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,913 8,923 8,838 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,057 2,039 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,686 4,748 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 61,458 61,558 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code Sep.(r) Aug.(r) Retail trade, total........... 215,599 216,391 Total (excl. auto group).. 163,166 162,883 Durable goods, total........ 88,711 89,612 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,657 12,498 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,771 9,623 525 Hardware stores................. 1,254 1,248 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 52,433 53,508 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,278 50,276 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,155 3,232 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,307 12,424 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 6,006 6,077 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,364 5,430 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 126,888 126,779 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,869 27,987 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,945 22,055 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 22,248 22,490 533 Variety stores.................. 1,018 1,021 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,906 4,911 54 Food stores....................... 36,024 35,924 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,729 33,622 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,390 13,250 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,867 10,057 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 903 931 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,595 2,643 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,677 1,712 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,880 19,813 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,353 8,206 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,001 1,993 5961 Total mail order................... 4,322 4,135 53,56,57, GAF................................ 57,853 58,210 594 * 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 1998 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code Sep. Aug. July adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 218,305 227,551 228,618 Total (excl. auto group).. 163,893 172,050 170,877 Durable goods, total........ 93,101 95,424 97,946 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 14,631 14,429 15,495 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 11,154 12,027 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,328 1,373 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 54,412 55,501 57,741 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 51,155 52,040 54,152 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 44,215 45,481 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,461 3,589 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,843 13,434 13,022 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,399 6,396 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 6,103 5,779 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 924 1,006 Nondurable goods, total..... 125,204 132,127 130,672 53 General merchandise group stores.. 26,513 29,070 27,374 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 20,732 22,985 21,346 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,392 21,717 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 928 933 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,157 5,095 54 Food stores....................... 36,578 37,753 38,694 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,309 35,407 36,295 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,269 13,207 13,583 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,934 11,199 9,887 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 957 852 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,562 2,452 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 4,395 3,935 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 2,144 1,763 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,252 21,706 21,603 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,396 8,629 8,661 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,084 2,169 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,025 4,140 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 61,643 57,693 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code Sep. Aug. Retail trade, total........... 208,727 221,896 Total (excl. auto group).. 156,289 166,154 Durable goods, total........ 88,159 92,552 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,449 13,141 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 10,455 10,191 525 Hardware stores................. 1,225 1,280 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 52,438 55,742 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,229 52,287 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 42,724 45,094 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,209 3,455 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 11,908 12,453 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,946 6,223 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,101 5,349 5722 Household appliance stores.... 823 882 Nondurable goods, total..... 120,568 129,344 53 General merchandise group stores.. 24,753 27,989 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 19,399 22,099 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 19,763 22,531 533 Variety stores.................. 914 1,008 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,440 4,882 54 Food stores....................... 34,792 36,940 541 Grocery stores.................. 32,616 34,631 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,390 14,138 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,375 10,874 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 803 889 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,476 2,603 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,540 4,188 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,620 2,096 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,522 21,339 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 7,885 7,960 592 Liquor stores..................... 1,885 2,075 5961 Total mail order................... 4,188 3,527 53,56,57, GAF................................ 52,995 58,895 594 * 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 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Sep. Aug. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Aug. Sep. July Aug. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.3 +4.3 0.0 +3.6 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.1 +4.5 +0.1 +4.6 Durable goods, total........ +0.6 +5.7 0.0 +4.0 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +0.4 +9.3 -0.3 +10.2 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +0.9 +3.7 -0.1 +0.7 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +1.1 +3.8 -0.1 +0.7 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -0.2 +8.7 0.0 +7.9 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.1 +3.4 +0.1 +3.4 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.7 +6.1 +0.1 +4.9 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.4 +6.1 +0.2 +5.2 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.3 +5.1 54 Food stores....................... +0.3 +3.8 +0.7 +3.8 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.3 +3.8 +0.8 +3.9 554 Gasoline service stations......... -0.8 -7.8 -1.9 -6.1 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... -1.3 +4.9 -0.4 +4.2 58 Eating and drinking places........ +0.8 +3.5 0.0 +3.1 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... -0.1 +6.7 +1.0 +8.7 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Sep. Aug. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Aug. Sep. July Aug. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... -4.1 +4.6 -0.5 +2.5 Total (excl. auto group).. -4.7 +4.9 +0.7 +3.5 Durable goods, total........ -2.4 +5.6 -2.6 +3.1 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +1.4 +8.8 -6.9 +9.8 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ -2.0 +3.8 -3.9 -0.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. -1.7 +3.9 -3.9 -0.5 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. -4.4 +7.9 +3.2 +7.9 Nondurable goods, total..... -5.2 +3.8 +1.1 +2.2 53 General merchandise group stores.. -8.8 +7.1 +6.2 +3.9 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). -9.8 +6.9 +7.7 +4.0 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +7.7 +3.8 54 Food stores....................... -3.1 +5.1 -2.4 +2.2 541 Grocery stores.................. -3.1 +5.2 -2.4 +2.2 554 Gasoline service stations......... -7.1 -8.4 -2.8 -6.6 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... -11.3 +6.0 +13.3 +3.0 58 Eating and drinking places........ -6.7 +3.7 +0.5 +1.7 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... -2.7 +6.5 -0.4 +8.4 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--SEPTEMBER 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.