Need To Know News

Business inventories rose 0.7% in June, larger than the 0.5% increase expected and following an upwardly revised 0.4% in May. Sales were up 1.7% after a downwardly revised 1.1% increase in May.

The inventory-to-sales ratio fell to 1.23 from 1.24 in May. June’s ratio was the lowest on record since the US Census Bureau began collecting comparable data in 1992.

Retail inventories fell 0.1% in June compared to a 0.3% decline in May, but were up 0.9% y-o-y. Department store inventories dropped 0.8% after a 0.1% fall prior. Motor vehicle and parts dealer inventories dipped 0.5% compared to a 0.6% drop in May.

Meanwhile, motor vehicle and parts sales fell 2.1% in June while furniture sales dropped 1%. Food and beverage store sales showed a 1% rise.

June Business Inventories are expected to rise 0.5% after an upwardly revised 0.4% increase in May. Factory Inventories grew 1% in June following a 0.6% increase in May and Wholesale Inventories grew 1.1% after a 0.9% increase prior.

Shipments are expected to increase 1.6% in June following a 1.1% May increase. Factory Shipments grew 1.6% after a 0.3% increase in May and Wholesale Shipments grew 2.8% following a 2.2% rise prior. Retail shipments were up 0.1% in June following a 0.8% increase in May. The inventory-to-sales ratio is expected to fall 1 tick to an all-time low of 1.23.

Retail Inventories will be the only new information provided in the report, save for some revisions to already-reported data, and are expected to increase 0.1% following a 0.2% decline in May.

June Business Inventories are expected to rise 0.5% after an upwardly revised 0.4% increase in May. Factory Inventories grew 1% in June following a 0.6% increase in May and Wholesale Inventories grew 1.1% after a 0.9% increase prior.

Shipments are expected to increase 1.6% in June following a 1.1% May increase. Factory Shipments grew 1.6% after a 0.3% increase in May and Wholesale Shipments grew 2.8% following a 2.2% rise prior. Retail shipments were up 0.1% in June following a 0.8% increase in May. The inventory-to-sales ratio is expected to fall 1 tick to an all-time low of 1.23.

Retail Inventories will be the only new information provided in the report, save for some revisions to already-reported data, and are expected to increase 0.1% following a 0.2% decline in May.

Business inventories rose 0.3% in May, from an unrevised reading of 0.5% in April, and were lower than the 0.5% increase expected. Sales increased 0.8% in May following a 1.5% increase in April. Sales in May were up 4% on an unadjusted basis and are up 6.6% year-over-year on an adjusted basis.

The inventory-to-sales ratio in May was 1.24, down from 1.25 in April.

Retail inventories fell 0.2% in May, following a 0.2% increase in April, and are up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Furniture, home furnishings, electronic and appliance store inventories fell 0.7% in May following a 1.2% increase in April. Motor vehicle and parts dealer inventories fell 0.6% in May following a 0.5% decrease in April.

Building materials, garden equipment and supplies sales rose 2.3% in May following a 2.2% increase in April. General merchandise store sales grew 1.3% in May after a 0.7% increase in April.

May business inventories are expected to gain 0.5% following a 0.5% increase in April. Shipments are also expected to increase 0.5% following a 1.6% increase the month prior. The inventory-to-sales ratio is expected to fall to 1.24 in May from 1.25 in April. Y-o-Y inventories are expected at 5.6% in May while y-o-y shipments are expected at 6.7%.

Retail inventories, expected to increase 0.2%, will be the only new data provided in the release. Retail shipment grew 1% in May thanks to the boost in disposable income as a result of government stimulus checks.

The May factory goods report revealed a0.1% increase in shipments and a 0.5% increase in factory inventories. The May wholesale trade report revealed a 1.6% increase in shipments and a 0.8% increase in wholesale inventories.

The May ISM Manufacturing report showed a marginal decline in business inventories from 48.1 to 48 and the shipments index grew to 51.2 from 48. The May Empire state index revealed a considerable deterioration in shipments from 17.49 to 4.55. The May Chicago PMI inventories index declined from 51.9 to 42.2 and the shipments index fell to 51.5 from 53.

May business inventories are expected to gain 0.5% following a 0.5% increase in April. Shipments are also expected to increase 0.5% following a 1.6% increase the month prior. The inventory-to-sales ratio is expected to fall to 1.24 in May from 1.25 in April. Y-o-Y inventories are expected at 5.6% in May while y-o-y shipments are expected at 6.7%.

Retail inventories, expected to increase 0.2%, will be the only new data provided in the release. Retail shipment grew 1% in May thanks to the boost in disposable income as a result of government stimulus checks.

The May factory goods report revealed a0.1% increase in shipments and a 0.5% increase in factory inventories. The May wholesale trade report revealed a 1.6% increase in shipments and a 0.8% increase in wholesale inventories.

The May ISM Manufacturing report showed a marginal decline in business inventories from 48.1 to 48 and the shipments index grew to 51.2 from 48. The May Empire state index revealed a considerable deterioration in shipments from 17.49 to 4.55. The May Chicago PMI inventories index declined from 51.9 to 42.2 and the shipments index fell to 51.5 from 53.

April Business Inventories rose 0.5%, more than the 0.3% expected and against an upwardly revised 0.2% increase in March. Sales rose 1.4% in April, the most since November and following a revised 1.2% gain the prior month.

The inventory-to-sales ratio fell to 1.25 from a downwardly revised 1.26 in March, previously reported as 1.27.

Retail inventories increased 0.4%, reversing the 0.6% decline posted in March and boosted by a 1.5% rise in furniture stocks, as well as food and beverage (up 0.8%), general merchandise (0.9%) and building materials and garden supplies (up 0.7%). Overall, retail inventories were up 2.5% from Apr-07.

Retailers saw sales edge up 0.3% — following a 0.5% rise prior – driven by a 2.7% increase in building and garden supplies, which outweighed a 2.1% drop in motor vehicle and parts sales.

Manufacturers’ sales jumped 2.2% in April after a 1.1% increase the prior month. Manufacturers’ inventories were flat following a 0.9% gain in March. On a y-o-y basis, manufacturers’ inventories were 6% higher.

April business inventories are forecast to rise 0.4% after a 0.1% increase the prior month. Sales are seen unchanged, versus a 1% rise in March, putting the Inventory-to-Sales ratio at 1.27, up from 1.26.

The range of forecasts for inventories is down 0.2% to up 0.6%, though the vast majority of analysts predict a positive change.

The only new data provided in the April Business Inventories report will be an expected 0.1% decline in retail sales inventories, as a result of the auto-parts strikes that have hit several GM factories. Retail inventories fell 0.5% in March.

Other data recently published, which may impact the Business Inventories data:

* April Factory Orders shipments were up 1.1% and inventories were unchanged
* April Wholesale Sales rose 1.4% and inventories were up 1.3%
* April Retail Sales fell 0.2%

Mar. Business Inventories were up 0.1% vs. an expected gain of 0.4% and against and downwardly revised 0.5% increase in Feb. Sales in Mar. were up 1% from an upwardly revised 1% decrease in Feb. The Mar. Inventor-To-Sales ratio was 1.27 from 1.28 in Feb.

Retailers saw a 0.2% increase in sales after a 0.5% decrease in Feb. Retail sales year-over-year in Mar. were up 1.9%. Mar. Retail inventories fell 0.5% from a downwardly revised 0.1% Feb. decrease. Retail inventories were up 2.4% year-over-year from up 3% year-over-year in Feb. The Inventory-To-Sales ration for retail stood at 1.47 in Mar. from 1.48 in Feb.

Mar. Manufacturer sales increased 1.1% from an upwardly revised 1.9% Feb. decrease. Mar. Manufacturer inventories increased 0.9% from an upwardly revised 0.7% increase in Feb.

Mar. Motor vehicle and part’s dealer’s sales fell 0.5% while inventories fell 0.9%. Sales for building materials, garden equipment and supplies fell 1.5% in Mar. Department store sales fell 0.4% in Mar. while clothing sales increased 0.7% after declining 0.9% in Feb.

Mar. Business Inventories are expected to increase 0.4% following a 0.6% rise in Feb. Shipments are expected to increase 1% after a 1% decline the prior month. The Mar. Inventory-to-Sales ratio is expected at 1.27 from 1.28 in Feb.

The only new data provided in the Mar. Business Inventories report will be an expected 0.5% decline in retail sales inventories as result of the American Axel work stoppage.
Retail inventories increased 0.2% in Feb.

Previously reported data include:

* A 1.1% increase in Mar. Factory Orders shipments and a 0.9% increase in inventories
* A 1.6% increase in Mar. Wholesale sales and a 0.1% decrease in inventories
* A 0.2% increase in Mar. Retail Sales