Sales. November 2007 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, were $380.4 billion, up 2.2 percent from the revised October level and were up 14 percent from November 2006. Sales of durable goods were up 0.9 percent from last month and up 6.1 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 3.9 percent and sales of electrical and electronic goods, up 3.1 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 3.3 percent from last month and up 21.7 percent from last year. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 9.7 percent from last month and sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 8.9 percent.
 
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $406.2 billion at the end of November, up 0.6 percent from the revised October level and up 4.3 percent from a year ago. End-of-month inventories of durable goods were up 0.5 percent from last month and up 0.5 percent from last November. Inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 2.3 percent from last month, and inventories of professional and commercial equipment and supplies were up 1.4 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.8 percent from October and were up 11 percent from last November. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were up 2.6 percent from last month and inventories of chemicals and allied products were up 1.7 percent.

Inventories/Sales Ratio. The November inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.07. The November 2006 ratio was 1.17.

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