ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY - OCTOBER 1998 The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail sales for October adjusted for seasonal, holiday, and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $227.1 billion, an increase of 1.0 percent (+/-0.7%) from the previous month and up 5.7 percent (+/-0.9%) from October 1997. Total sales for the August through October period were up 4.5 percent (+/-0.7%) from the same period a year ago. The August to September percent change was unrevised from +0.3 percent (+/-0.3%) reported last month. Durable goods increased 1.8 percent (+/-1.4%) from September and were 8.3 percent above last year. Building materials were up 10.3 percent from October a year ago, while furniture sales were up 8.9 percent during the same period. Nondurable goods increased 0.5 percent (+/-0.6%) from last month and were 3.9 percent above last year. General merchandise sales were up 5.6 percent from October a year ago, while food sales were up 4.0 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 November is scheduled to be released December 11, 1998 at 8:30 a.m. TABLE 1A: ESTIMATED ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES--OCTOBER 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Aug. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 227,145 224,882 224,296 Total (excl. auto group).. 171,316 170,490 170,366 Durable goods, total........ 95,513 93,860 93,309 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 14,002 13,874 13,770 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 10,713 10,566 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,328 1,302 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 55,829 54,392 53,930 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 52,525 51,131 50,657 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,261 3,273 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,482 13,458 13,410 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,300 6,268 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 6,153 6,161 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 131,632 131,022 130,987 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,652 29,606 29,363 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,359 23,301 23,170 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 23,705 23,598 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 979 960 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 5,326 5,233 54 Food stores....................... 37,412 37,247 37,246 541 Grocery stores.................. 34,984 34,842 34,872 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,447 12,390 12,438 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,297 10,108 10,422 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 968 1,004 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,537 2,604 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,701 1,754 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,824 20,662 20,444 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 9,018 8,976 8,940 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,093 2,063 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,805 4,754 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 61,453 61,426 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code Oct.(r) Sep.(r) Retail trade, total........... 214,861 215,821 Total (excl. auto group).. 163,234 163,245 Durable goods, total........ 88,210 88,891 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 12,700 12,649 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 9,782 9,753 525 Hardware stores................. 1,254 1,246 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 51,627 52,576 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 48,506 49,427 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (NA) (NA) 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,121 3,149 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,376 12,352 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 6,042 6,018 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,384 5,404 5722 Household appliance stores.... (NA) (NA) Nondurable goods, total..... 126,651 126,930 53 General merchandise group stores.. 28,092 27,796 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 22,177 21,920 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 22,555 22,315 533 Variety stores.................. 977 1,013 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,938 4,863 54 Food stores....................... 35,971 36,062 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,688 33,764 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,243 13,377 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,853 9,930 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 916 914 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,562 2,609 565 Family clothing stores.......... (NA) (NA) 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,695 1,695 58 Eating and drinking places........ 19,789 19,880 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,298 8,344 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,060 2,001 5961 Total mail order................... 4,154 4,318 53,56,57, GAF................................ 58,173 57,906 594 * 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--OCTOBER 1998 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Millions of Dollars) 1998 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Aug. adv. prel. final Retail trade, total........... 230,311 217,913 227,611 Total (excl. auto group).. 173,289 163,718 172,133 Durable goods, total........ 96,520 92,903 95,441 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 15,010 14,658 14,412 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. (*) 11,399 11,137 525 Hardware stores................. (*) 1,301 1,329 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 57,022 54,195 55,478 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 53,470 50,875 52,025 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... (*) 43,789 44,225 553 Auto and home supply stores..... (*) 3,320 3,453 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 13,374 12,909 13,437 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. (*) 6,193 6,400 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ (*) 5,778 6,106 5722 Household appliance stores.... (*) 850 924 Nondurable goods, total..... 133,791 125,010 132,170 53 General merchandise group stores.. 29,392 26,649 29,062 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 23,055 20,808 22,985 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) (*) 21,153 23,392 533 Variety stores.................. (*) 893 928 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... (*) 4,948 5,149 54 Food stores....................... 37,949 36,390 37,741 541 Grocery stores.................. 35,509 34,110 35,395 554 Gasoline service stations......... 12,833 12,328 13,197 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 10,596 9,572 11,179 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... (*) 855 953 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ (*) 2,415 2,562 565 Family clothing stores.......... (*) 3,664 4,397 566 Shoe stores..................... (*) 1,616 2,128 58 Eating and drinking places........ 21,428 20,311 21,732 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,964 8,473 8,636 592 Liquor stores..................... (*) 2,003 2,084 5961 Total mail order................... (*) 4,550 4,084 53,56,57, GAF................................ (*) 56,525 61,646 594 1997 SIC Kind of business code Oct. Sep. Retail trade, total........... 217,578 208,727 Total (excl. auto group).. 164,550 156,289 Durable goods, total........ 89,509 88,159 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. 13,642 13,449 521,3 Building mat. and supply stores. 10,692 10,455 525 Hardware stores................. 1,300 1,225 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ 53,028 52,438 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. 49,670 49,229 551 Motor vehicle (franchised).... 43,247 42,724 553 Auto and home supply stores..... 3,358 3,209 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. 12,299 11,908 571 Furniture and home furnishings.. 6,217 5,946 5722,31,4 Household appliance, radio, TV, and computer stores............ 5,206 5,101 5722 Household appliance stores.... 853 823 Nondurable goods, total..... 128,069 120,568 53 General merchandise group stores.. 27,762 24,753 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased depts.) 21,822 19,399 531 Dept. stores (in. leased depts.) 22,225 19,763 533 Variety stores.................. 987 914 539 Misc. general mdse. stores...... 4,953 4,440 54 Food stores....................... 36,228 34,792 541 Grocery stores.................. 33,924 32,616 554 Gasoline service stations......... 13,640 13,390 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... 9,986 9,375 561 Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings stores......... 921 803 562,3 Women's clothing, specialty stores........................ 2,600 2,476 565 Family clothing stores.......... 3,942 3,540 566 Shoe stores..................... 1,607 1,620 58 Eating and drinking places........ 20,125 19,522 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... 8,248 7,885 592 Liquor stores..................... 2,041 1,885 5961 Total mail order................... 4,640 4,188 53,56,57, GAF................................ 57,098 52,995 594 * 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--OCTOBER 1998 Adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Oct. Sep. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Sep. Oct. Aug. Sep. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +1.0 +5.7 +0.3 +4.2 Total (excl. auto group).. +0.5 +5.0 +0.1 +4.4 Durable goods, total........ +1.8 +8.3 +0.6 +5.6 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +0.9 +10.3 +0.8 +9.7 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +2.6 +8.1 +0.9 +3.5 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +2.7 +8.3 +0.9 +3.4 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +0.2 +8.9 +0.4 +9.0 Nondurable goods, total..... +0.5 +3.9 0.0 +3.2 53 General merchandise group stores.. +0.2 +5.6 +0.8 +6.5 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +0.2 +5.3 +0.6 +6.3 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) +0.5 +6.2 54 Food stores....................... +0.4 +4.0 0.0 +3.3 541 Grocery stores.................. +0.4 +3.8 -0.1 +3.2 554 Gasoline service stations......... +0.5 -6.0 -0.4 -7.4 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +1.9 +4.5 -3.0 +1.8 58 Eating and drinking places........ +0.8 +5.2 +1.1 +3.9 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +0.5 +8.7 +0.4 +7.6 Not adjusted for Seasonal, Holiday and Trading-day Differences (Percent Change) Oct. Sep. 1998 1998 adv. prel. from-- from-- SIC Kind of business Sep. Oct. Aug. Sep. CODE 1998 1997 1998 1997 Prel. Final Final Final Retail trade, total........... +5.7 +5.9 -4.3 +4.4 Total (excl. auto group).. +5.8 +5.3 -4.9 +4.8 Durable goods, total........ +3.9 +7.8 -2.7 +5.4 52 Building mat., hardware, garden supply, and mobile home dealers.. +2.4 +10.0 +1.7 +9.0 55 ex. 554 Automotive dealers................ +5.2 +7.5 -2.3 +3.4 551,2,5, Motor vehicle and miscellaneous 6,7,9 automotive dealers............. +5.1 +7.7 -2.2 +3.3 57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores................. +3.6 +8.7 -3.9 +8.4 Nondurable goods, total..... +7.0 +4.5 -5.4 +3.7 53 General merchandise group stores.. +10.3 +5.9 -8.3 +7.7 531 Dept. stores (ex. leased dept.). +10.8 +5.7 -9.5 +7.3 531 Dept. stores (in. leased dept.). (NA) (NA) -9.6 +7.0 54 Food stores....................... +4.3 +4.8 -3.6 +4.6 541 Grocery stores.................. +4.1 +4.7 -3.6 +4.6 554 Gasoline service stations......... +4.1 -5.9 -6.6 -7.9 56 Apparel and accessory stores...... +10.7 +6.1 -14.4 +2.1 58 Eating and drinking places........ +5.5 +6.5 -6.5 +4.0 591 Drug and proprietary stores....... +5.8 +8.7 -1.9 +7.5 NA Not available. SOURCE: Advance Monthly Retail Sales--OCTOBER 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.