Wholesale Revenues Fall 0.4% in April

April 2009 wholesale revenues were $309.4 billion, down 0.4% from March and 19.5% from April 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
 
April sales of durable goods were down 1.9% from last month and were down 23.4% from a year ago. Sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies, were down 7.8% from last month and sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were down 6.5%. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.8% from last month, but were down 16.1% from last year.
 
Sales of farm product raw materials were up 10.5% from last month and sales of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages were up 2.6%.
 
Total inventories were $405.4 billion at the end of April, down 1.4% from the revised March level and were down 6.2% from a year ago. End-of-month inventories of durable goods were down 2.2% from last month and were down 5.9% from last April. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were down 6.8% from last month and inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 4.5%. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods were virtually unchanged from March, but were down 6.6% compared to last April.
 
Inventories of apparel, piece goods, and notions were down 2.6% from last month, while inventories of paper and paper products were up 2.8%.
 
The April inventories/sales ratio was 1.31. The April 2008 ratio was 1.12.