ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - AUGUST 1999 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for August adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $252.4 billion, an increase of 1.2 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 10.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from August 1998. Total sales for June through August period were up 9.1 percent (+/-0.7%) from the same period a year ago. The June to July 1999 percent change was revised from +0.7 percent (+/-0.7%) to +1.0 percent (+/-0.3%). Durable goods increased 1.8 percent (+/-1.4%) from July and were 14.1 percent above last year. Automotive sales were up 19.3 percent from August a year ago, while building materials sales were up 10.8 percent during the same period. Nondurable goods increased 0.7 percent (+/-0.6%) from July and were up 8.1 percent from August 1998. Gasoline sales were up 14.2 percent from August a year ago. 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 September is scheduled to be released October 14, 1999 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--AUGUST 1999 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1999 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July June adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 252,390 249,498 247,028 Total (excl. auto group).. 187,588 186,307 185,617 Durable goods, total........ 106,784 104,870 103,109 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 15,168 15,005 14,976 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 11,340 11,341 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,275 1,277 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 64,802 63,191 61,411 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 61,649 60,050 58,244 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,141 3,167 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,631 13,537 13,572 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,205 6,276 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 6,295 6,272 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 145,606 144,628 143,919 53 General merchandise group stores.. 31,857 31,755 31,591 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 24,882 24,857 24,729 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 25,290 25,162 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 1,132 1,155 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,766 5,707 54 Food stores....................... 38,416 38,305 38,152 541 Grocery stores.................. 36,417 36,294 36,134 554 Gasoline service stations......... 15,339 15,018 14,435 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 11,417 11,274 11,374 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 967 988 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 3,041 3,064 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,773 1,795 58 Eating and drinking places........ 23,826 23,803 23,663 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 9,975 9,883 9,965 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,247 2,241 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 7,155 7,279 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 65,221 65,161 594 1998 SIC Kind of business code Aug.(r) July(r) Retail trade, total........... 228,277 228,067 Total (excl. auto group).. 173,975 173,609 Durable goods, total........ 93,559 93,616 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,684 13,778 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 10,368 10,401 525 Hardware stores................. 1,240 1,214 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 54,302 54,458 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 51,200 51,356 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,102 3,102 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,783 12,713 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,892 5,960 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,867 5,742 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 134,718 134,451 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,354 29,183 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,131 22,986 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 23,536 23,491 533 Variety stores.................. 937 941 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,286 5,256 54 Food stores....................... 36,875 36,626 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,907 34,637 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,429 13,689 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,627 10,710 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 938 928 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,834 2,913 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,788 1,789 58 Eating and drinking places........ 22,153 22,078 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 9,006 8,931 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,080 2,062 5961 Total mail order................... 6,243 6,220 53,56,57, GAF................................ 60,943 60,824 594 * 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--AUGUST 1999 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1999 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July June adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 256,098 254,770 252,188 Total (excl. auto group).. 188,359 187,851 184,583 Durable goods, total........ 110,493 109,621 110,911 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 16,017 16,789 17,538 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 12,848 12,997 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,387 1,447 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 67,739 66,919 67,605 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 64,362 63,473 64,185 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 54,257 54,569 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,446 3,420 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,686 13,262 12,934 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,242 6,194 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 6,106 5,827 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 1,148 1,056 Nondurable goods, total..... 145,605 145,149 141,277 53 General merchandise group stores.. 30,862 29,620 30,182 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 24,061 22,893 23,344 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,334 23,829 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 1,082 1,085 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,645 5,753 54 Food stores....................... 38,465 40,303 38,001 541 Grocery stores.................. 36,490 38,290 35,989 554 Gasoline service stations......... 16,367 16,189 15,171 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 12,011 10,772 10,568 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 858 931 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,819 2,941 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 4,314 4,042 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,805 1,788 58 Eating and drinking places........ 25,089 25,445 24,231 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 9,646 9,656 9,766 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,416 2,230 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 6,311 6,507 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 61,400 61,584 594 1998 SIC Kind of business code Aug. July Retail trade, total........... 231,685 232,611 Total (excl. auto group).. 175,613 174,451 Durable goods, total........ 95,851 98,245 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 14,329 15,448 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 10,918 11,784 525 Hardware stores................. 1,273 1,316 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 56,072 58,160 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 52,787 54,745 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 45,304 46,590 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,285 3,415 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,813 12,413 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 5,992 5,978 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,844 5,547 5722 Household appliance stores.... 946 1,030 Nondurable goods, total..... 135,834 134,366 53 General merchandise group stores.. 28,903 27,217 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 22,830 21,193 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 23,311 21,633 533 Variety stores.................. 893 899 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 5,180 5,125 54 Food stores....................... 37,336 38,293 541 Grocery stores.................. 35,396 36,300 554 Gasoline service stations......... 14,288 14,716 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 11,423 10,119 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 907 812 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,783 2,668 565 Family clothing stores.......... 4,452 3,986 566 Shoe stores..................... 2,164 1,793 58 Eating and drinking places........ 23,460 23,314 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,718 8,743 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,092 2,177 5961 Total mail order................... 5,438 5,517 53,56,57, GAF................................ 61,032 57,088 594 * 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--AUGUST 1999 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Aug. July 1999 1999 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business July Aug. June July CODE 1999 1998 1999 1998 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +1.2 +10.6 +1.0 +9.4 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.7 +7.8 +0.4 +7.3 Durable goods, total........ +1.8 +14.1 +1.7 +12.0 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +1.1 +10.8 +0.2 +8.9 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +2.5 +19.3 +2.9 +16.0 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +2.7 +20.4 +3.1 +16.9 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +0.7 +6.6 -0.3 +6.5 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.7 +8.1 +0.5 +7.6 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.3 +8.5 +0.5 +8.8 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.1 +7.6 +0.5 +8.1 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.5 +7.7 54 Food stores....................... +0.3 +4.2 +0.4 +4.6 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.3 +4.3 +0.4 +4.8 554 Gasoline service stations......... +2.1 +14.2 +4.0 +9.7 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +1.3 +7.4 -0.9 +5.3 58 Eating and drinking places........ +0.1 +7.6 +0.6 +7.8 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.9 +10.8 -0.8 +10.7 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Aug. July 1999 1999 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business July Aug. June July CODE 1999 1998 1999 1998 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +0.5 +10.5 +1.0 +9.5 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.3 +7.3 +1.8 +7.7 Durable goods, total........ +0.8 +15.3 -1.2 +11.6 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. -4.6 +11.8 -4.3 +8.7 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +1.2 +20.8 -1.0 +15.1 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +1.4 +21.9 -1.1 +15.9 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +3.2 +6.8 +2.5 +6.8 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.3 +7.2 +2.7 +8.0 53 General merchandise group stores.. +4.2 +6.8 -1.9 +8.8 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +5.1 +5.4 -1.9 +8.0 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -2.1 +7.9 54 Food stores....................... -4.6 +3.0 +6.1 +5.2 541 Grocery stores.................. -4.7 +3.1 +6.4 +5.5 554 Gasoline service stations......... +1.1 +14.6 +6.7 +10.0 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +11.5 +5.1 +1.9 +6.5 58 Eating and drinking places........ -1.4 +6.9 +5.0 +9.1 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... -0.1 +10.6 -1.1 +10.4 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--AUGUST 1999 (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.