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BR/93-RV
Current Business Reports
Combined Annual
and Revised Monthly
Retail Ttade
January 1984 Through
December 1993
PENNSVLVANJ,
'« 5 ATE
UNIVERSITY f
MAY13
1994
U.S.DepartmentofCommerce
EconomicsandStatisticsAdministration
BureauoftheCensus
Acknowledgments
Mark Wallace, Assistant Division Chief for Business Division's Current Retail and
Wholesale programs, provided general direction in preparing this report. Irving True,
Chief, Monthly Retail Surveys Branch, supervised the planning, implementation, and
compilation of the retail sales estimates with assistance from Vicki Garrett, Judy
O'Neil, and Patricia Trefry. Gary Buffington, John Bywaters, James Erbacher,
Anthony Harley, Siretta Kelly, Marie Lally, Lisa Mitchell, Judy Ross, Amelia
Sharpe, Jean Swann, Sandra Wise, Gwenn Byrne, Eleanor Daniels, Ethel Harris,
Lucy Holley, Hester Makell, Lisa Muhr, Susan Peters, Phyllis Reid, and Juelithia
Zellars performed analysesand processing.
Ronald Piencykoski,Chief, CurrentRetail InventoryandSales Branch, supervised
thecompilationofannualsales, inventories, purchases,andaccountsreceivableswith
assistancefrom Dorothy Engleking, Lisa Houlihan, Michael Armah, Patricia Borg-
stede,JoanBrown,CarlaCara,SharonDreher,LouisGarner,EldridginaHouston,
James Millet, Anthony Rivetti, Russell Young, Kathleen Denton, Lillie Johnson,
and Carole Parker.
Shirin Ahmed, Chief, Survey Control Branch, coordinated the collection and
processing ofdatathroughthe Data Preparation Division andthe Economic Program-
ming Division with assistance from Carlene Bottorff, John Guest, Lucille Hall,
Elisabeth Murawski, and Angel Nawrot.
HowardHogan,AssistantDivisionChief,ResearchandMethodology,gavegeneral
direction to the statistical methodology. Pat Cantwell, Chief, Program Research and
DevelopmentBranch,supervisedthesampledesign,includingestimationandvariance
methodologywithassistancefromCarolCaldwell,WilliamDavieJr.,Susanlacaruso,
andWilliamKnowlton.CarlKonschnik,Chief,StatisticalMethodsBranch,supervised
the sample control, imputation, and quality control procedures with assistance from
ScotDahland Linda Moore.MichaelShimbergassisted intheseasonaladjustment
and benchmarking ofthe estimates inthis publication.
H. Ray Dennis,Assistant Division Chief, Economic Programming Division, directed
development of computer programs with assistance from Mark Peitzmeier, Denise
Gillis, Robert Janshego, Erwin Rivera, Barry Sessamen, Laura Earles, Tatiana
Gallagher, Clarence Hill, and Laura Osborn.
The staff of the Administrative and Publications Services Division, Walter Odom,
Chief, performed publication planning, design, composition, editorial review, and
printing planning and procurement. Gail Farren provided publication coordination and
editing.
Specialacknowledgmentisdueforthecontributionsmadebytheemployeesofthe
Data Preparation Division in Jeffersonville, Indiana and by the Business Division's
SurveyImprovementsStaff.Specialthanksarealsogiventothemanybusinesseswho
provided data to the survey. The survey would not have been possible without their
cooperation.
DirectallinquiriesconcerningthisreporttoIrvingTrue,BusinessDivision,Bureauof
theCensus, Washington, D.C. 20233, telephone (301) 763-7128/7129.
BR/93-RV
Current Business Reports
Combined Annual
and Revised Monthly
Retail TVade
January 1984 Through
December 1993
IssuedApril1994
U.S.DepartmentofCommerce
RonaldH.Brown,Secretary
EconomicsandStatisticsAdministration
PaulA.London,ActingUnderSecretary
forEconomicAffairs
BUREAUOFTHECENSUS
HarryA.Scarr,ActingDirector
Economicsand Statistics BUREAU OFTHECENSUS
Administration HarryA.Scarr,Acting Director
Jeffrey Mayer,Acting UnderSecretary
forEconomicAffairs
CharlesA.Watte,Associate Director
forEconomic Programs
BUSINESSDIVISION
HowardN.Hamilton,Chief
SUGGESTEDCITATION
U.S. Bureau oftheCensus, Current Business Reports, Series BR/93-RV,
CombinedAnnualandRevisedRetailTrade, January 1983 ThroughDecember 1993,
Washington, DC 1994
ForsalebyDataUserServicesDivision,CustomerServices(Publications),BureauoftheCensus,
Washington,DC20233,oranyU.S.DepartmentofCommercedistrictoffice.
..
Contents
Page
TEXT
Revisions v
DefinitionofTerms vii
TABLES
1 Estimated MonthlyRetail Sales, byKind ofBusiness, UnadjustedandAdjusted:
January 1984to December 1993 2
2. Estimated End-of-Month Retail Inventoriesand Inventories/Sales Ratios, by Kind of
Business: January 1984Through December 1993 22
3. Estimated Purchases, by Kindof Business: 1984Through 1992 32
4. Estimated Gross Margin, by KindofBusiness: 1984Through 1992 33
5. Estimated Gross MarginasPercentofSales, by KindofBusiness: 1984Through
1992 34
6. EstimatedAccounts ReceivableofRetail Stores, byTypeofAccountand Kindof
Business: End ofYear 1992and 1991 35
7. Estimated PerCapitaSales, bySelected Kindof Business: 1984to 1993 35
8. Estimated Monthly Retail SalesofGroup II Companies, by Kindof Business:
January 1984to December 1993 36
9. Estimated Monthly Retail Sales, bySelected Kindsof BusinessforRegions:
January 1984to December 1993 46
10. Estimated Monthly Retail Sales, bySelected Kindsof BusinessforGeographic
Divisions: January 1984to December 1993 56
11 Estimated Monthly Retail Sales, bySelected Kindsof BusinessforSpecified Large
States: January 1984to December 1993 76
12. Estimated Monthly Retail Sales, bySelected KindsofBusinessforSpecifiedAreas
andCities:January 1984to December 1993 96
APPENDIX
A. Explanatory Material A-1
B. Kind-of-BusinessClassifications B-1
C. Metropolitan Areas Included inThis Report C-1
D. Geographic Regionsand Divisions D-1
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http://archive.org/details/currentbuOOunit
Combined Annual and Revised Monthly Retail Trade,
January 1984 Through December 1993
Thispublication containsthefollowing retailtradeesti- The1993monthlysalesandinventoriesestimateswere
mates: revisedtobecompatiblewiththenew1992estimates.We
multiplied the revised 1992 sales estimates by the origi-
» annualandmonthlysalesbyretailstoresattheNational nally published 1992-1993 percentage changes to derive
level, for selected geographic levels, and by Group II the new 1993 sales levels. We revised the 1993 monthly
stores, salessothatthesumofthemonthsareequaltothenew
1993 annual totals. We also minimized the differences
• end-of-yearandend-of-month inventoriesvalues, betweenthemonth-to-monthtrendsoftheoriginallytabu-
• inventories/salesratios, latWede19re9v3iseesdtitmhaeteDsecanedmbtehre r1e9v9i3sedinv1e9n9t3oreisetsimeastteism.ates
• annual purchaseslevels, bymultiplyingthenewDecember1992estimatesofinven-
toriesbythe 1992-to-1993percentagechanges,originally
• grossmargin, asapercentofsales, tabulated for December 1993. We linked the revised
• accountsreceivablesowedtoretail stores, and eDsetciemmatbeesra1n9d93meisntiimmiazteedsttohethedirfefveirseendceDsecbeemtbweeern19t9h2e
• percapitasales. mbnth-to-month trends of the originally tabulated 1993
estimatesandtherevised 1993 estimates.
REVISIONS Wedeveloped carry-forwardfactorsto modifytheesti-
mates of sales and inventories for each month in 1994.
Statistics in this publication reflect a benchmarking Thesecarry-forwardfactorsaretheratiosoftheDecember
epsrtoicmeastses.thWaterreevviisseeddtalhleofprtehveioSuIsCl'ysfprubolmis1h9e9d1 mtoon1t9h9l3y m1a9t9e3s.(reBveicseadu)s-teo oDfectehmesbeerfa1ct9o9r3s,(btehfeore19r9e4viseisotni)maestteis-
forsalesand 1992to 1993 forend-of-month inventories. should be compatible with the revised 1992 and 1993
For some SIC's we also revised the sales from 1987 estimates.
through 1990and inventoriesfrom 1988through 1991. Webenchmarkedspecificdetailedkind-of-businessesti-
Werevisedthemonthlysalesinamannerthatequated mates for sales and inventories and added appropriate
thesumofthe12monthlyestimatesfor1991 and1992to estimates to derive the summary totals. This process
levelsderived from the Annual Retail Trade Survey. This assuredadditivity.
process, called benchmarking, also linked the revised For certain SIC's, we applied corrections to the origi-
estimates to the previously published December 1990 nally tabulated sales or end-of-month inventories esti-
estimates and minimized the differences between the mates before the benchmarking operation began. These
month-to-month trends of the originally tabulated esti- corrections could have changed some of the previously
mates and the revised estimates. For certain SIC's, we published month-to-monthtrends.
alsorevisedthemonthlysalesestimatesin 1987to 1990 TableAshowsacomparisonofthepreviouslypublished
toreflectcorrectionstoprioryearssalesestimatesdevel- sales and inventories estimates to the revised estimates
opedduringtheanalysisofthe 1992annualsurvey. for 1993.
Wealsorevisedtheinventoryestimatesfromthemonthly
survey so that the end-of-December inventory estimates
for 1991 and 1992 were equal to the end-of-year levels Revision Causes
derived from the Annual Retail Trade Survey. We linked
therevisedestimatestothepreviouslypublished Decem- Timing.Therespondentshavemoretimetopreparetheir
ber1991 estimatesandminimizedthedifferencesbetween annualreportsthantheydofortheirmonthlyreports.The
themonth-to-monthtrendsoftheoriginallytabulatedand annual responses are requested at a time when many
revised estimates. As with sales, we also revised the companies have had a chance to compile audited book
end-of-monthestimatesofinventoriesforcertain SIC'sin figures for their own purposes. The timing of the annual
1988to1991 toreflectcorrectionstoprioryearsinventory surveyissuchthatwearealsoabletoobtainindependent
estimates developed during the analysis of the 1992 verification of the reported data from such sources as a
annual survey. company'sannualreporttoitsstockholders.Ontheother
TableA. Revision ofSalesand Inventories: 1993 the area sample. The area sample land segments were
divided into 12 groups, with a different group canvassed
each month.Theannualsampleincludestheretailstores
Kindofbusiness reBveifsoiroen reviAsfitoenr difPfeerrceenncte identified in 3 ofthe 12 groups.
Sales(millionsofdollars) Note. We discontinued the area sample component
Totalretailstores 2,086,290 2,081,611 -0.2 effectivewiththeAugust1993estimates. Wemadeadjust-
Durablegoods 783,292 784,590 0.2 ments to the "carry-forward" factors to account, on a
Buildingmaterials 113,555 115,855 2.0 monthlybasis, forthe salesandinventories forthe new
AFuurtnoimtoutreivgerogurpoup 414187,,048488 415143,,461713 -31..24 employersandnon-employers. Thisadjustmentwasapproxi-
Nondurablegoods 1,302,998 1,297,021 -0.5 mately4percentofthetotalretailsalesestimate,although
Generalmerchandise 265,530 266,991 0.6 itvariedbykindofbusiness.
Foodgroup 394,070 392,400 -0.4
Gasolinestations 134,146 133,479 -0.5 The sample used for the end-of-month inventories
AEaptpianrgel&gdrroiunpking 211027,,600387 211016,,013286 --00..78 estimates is a sub-sample of the monthly sales sample.
Drugstores 79,872 80,858 1.2 Themonthlyinventoriessampleisaboutonethirdthesize
Inventories1 (millionsofdollars) of the monthly sales sample. This, combined with the
Totalretailstores 274,788 267,315 -2.7 differences between the annual and monthly surveys
Durablegoods 145,947 136,702 -6.3 mentioned above, often results in greaterrevision forthe
Buildingmaterials 20,459 19,803 -3.2 inventoriesestimatesthanforthesalesestimates.
Automotivegroup 73,303 70,579 -3.7
Furnituregroup 24,852 22,175 -10.8 Response. The annual estimates are based on more
GNeonnedruarlabmleercghoaonddsise 12488,,814610 14380,,964153 11..46 reporteddatathanarethemonthlyestimates.Theresponse
Foodgroup 27,879 27,500 -1.4 totheAnnual RetailTradeSurveyisrequiredbylaw.This
Apparelgroup 20,834 20,933 0.5 requirement results in a response rate above 90 percent.
'EndofDecember.Notadjustedforseasonalvariations. Theresponsetoourmonthlysurveyisnotmandatory.The
responseratesforthemonthlysurveysareusuallyaround
80 percent for sales and 70 percent for inventories. The
hand, respondentstothe monthlysurvey havejustafew sales and inventories for the non-reported retailers are
weeksto provide reportsoftheirsalesand end-of-month accounted for by an imputation process. This process
inventories.Sometimesthesereportsarebasedonincom- assumesthatthe missing businesses have trends similar
plete or unaudited records and include estimates by the tothebusinessesthatdidreportintheirkinds-of-business.
respondents to represent their understanding of their
business. Adjustment Factors
Sampling. Theannualsamplesarelargerthanthesamples In addition to the benchmarking operations, we devel-
used to develop the estimates for any given month. As oped new factors to adjust the 1991 (or 1987) through
dseasmcprliebsedusiendmotoreprdoedtuaicleitnhaepspaelnedsiexstAimoafttehsisearecphormt,ontthhe w1e9l9l3asmotnrtahdliyngsdaalyesaensdtihmoaltiedsayfodrifsfeeraesnocneasl. Wvaeriautsieodnstahse
cidoennstiisfticaotfioncenrtuamibnteyrsco(Emlp'as)n,iaesn,d anroena-cseartmapilnetysteomrepsl.oyer u1n9a6d7jutshtreodughsaJlaensuaersytiomratFeesbrfuoarryth1e99m4oansthisnpuotf.WJaenuaalrsyo
developed new factors to adjust the 1992 (or 1988)
Certaintycompaniesaxe those companiesthat had large through 1993 inventories estimates using the months of
sales in relation to other companies in their kind of retail December 1980throughJanuary 1994asinput.
trade group. The monthly and annual samples are the Theseasonaladjustmentprogramwhichdevelopedthe
samefcr<"°rtaintycompanies. fdaecvteolrospiendtbhyisStpautbilsitciacstiCoannwadaas.tWheeXd-e1v1elAopReIdMtAheveardsjiuosnt,-
Non-certaintyEl'saxebasedonprobability,proportionalto mentfactorsforthesalesofdepartmentstores(SIC5311),
size, oftheannual salesforthose El'snotbelongingtoa variety stores (SIC 5331), and miscellaneous general
certaintycompany. The non-certaintyemployeridentifica- merchandisestores (SIC 5399) bytheversion using fore-
tion (El) numbers selected in the monthly sample were casting.Weusedtheversionwithoutforecastingtocalcu-
divided into three groups, with one group reporting on a lateall otherfactors.
rotatingbasiseachmonth.Theannualsampleconsistsof
twoofthethreegroupsof El numbers. Revision Of Group II Sales
Areasamplestoresrepresentretailerswithan El number, We revised the Group II (see "Definition of Terms"
not subjected to sampling, or with no El number. Such below) estimates of sales in proportion to the revision
stores are either new businesses or non-employers. Per- occurring at the all-store level. Ratios ofdifferencewere
sonalenumerationincertainlandsegments,selectedona derived for each month being revised at each kind-of-
probability basis, was used to identify storesthatwere in business level of sales.
We derived ratiosofdifference at the all-store, United also included. Sales are net after deductions for refunds
Stateslevelbydividingtherevisedestimatesofsalesby and allowances for merchandise returned by customers.
the previously published monthly estimates. Separate Salesexcludesalestaxescollecteddirectlyfromcustom-
ratios were developed for each month and each kind- ersandpaiddirectlytoalocal,State,orfederaltaxagency.
of-businessgroup. Theestimatesofsalesmeasuretheoperationsreceipts
We multiplied the previously published Group II sales rendered by stores that primarily sell at retail. The sales
estimates by the ratios ofdifference to derive revised estimates representtotal sales and receipts of all estab-
Group II estimatesfortherespectivekindsofbusiness. lishments primarily engaged in retail trade. They do not
include sales at retail by manufacturers, wholesalers,
Sinceallcompaniesclassifiedundermail-orderhouses serviceestablishments, andotherswhoseprimaryactivity
(departmentstoremerchandise)areclassifiedasGroupII isotherthan retail trade. Sincethe retail establishmentis
companies, the Group II sales estimates for this kind of thebasicunitofmeasure,thepublishedestimatesofsales
businessareequaltothetotalestimatesforall stores. bytypeofretailstorearenotintendedtomeasurethetotal
salesforagivencommodityormerchandise line.
Revision ofGeographic Area Sales Estimates
We revised each geographic area level of sales in Inventories
proportion to the revision at the United States level. We
multiplied the United States ratios of difference (see Merchandise inventories are the value of stocks of
sectionabove) bytheoriginallytabulatedsalesestimates goods held forsalethrough retail stores. The inventories
foreachpublishedgeographicarea. estimatesrepresentthevalue,atcost,ofthemerchandise
available for sale as of the last day of the report period.
DEFINITION OFTERMS Methodsofvaluationmayvaryaccordingtotheaccounting
practices of each firm. The estimates provided in this
report are valued on a non-LIFO (last in, first out) basis.
Retail Trade LIFO is a method of valuing inventory where the latest
itemsof merchandiseaddedtothe inventoryarethefirst
Retailtrade,asdefinedinmajorgroups52through59of onestakenout.Non-LIFOwouldmeanthatanothermethod,
\heStandardIndustrialClassificationManual:1987,includes suchasFIFO(firstin,firstout), wasusedtoestablishthe
establishments thatare engaged inthe sale of merchan- value of the inventory available for sale. Merchandise
dise for personal or household consumption and in the inventoriesareshownforstoresandwarehousesservicing
renderingofservicesthatareincidentaltothesaleofthe retailestablishments. Includedareonlythosewarehouses
merchandise.Additionalcharacteristicsofretailestablish- thatmaintainedsuppliesofmerchandiseprimarilyintended
mentsare fordistributionto retail storeswithintheorganization.
:
• theyusuallyoperateatfixed placesofbusiness, asMoofstthebucslionseessoefstrheepocratleedndtahrevyaealru.eoSfotmheeirbiunsviennetsosreise,s
• they are engaged in activities to attract the general usingafiscalyearratherthanacalendaryearforaccount-
publictobuy, ingpurposes,valuedtheirinventoryasofsomedateother
• theybuyorreceiveand sell merchandise, tthheanrtethaeillaisntvdeantyoroifetshetoctaallernedpaorryteeadr.toAbtohuetA2n6nupaelrceRnettaiolf
• theymayprocesstheirproducts,butsuchprocessingis Trade Survey were for an end-of-fiscal year other than
incidental orsubordinatetoselling, December 31. In the annual survey, inventories reported
foradateinamonthotherthan Decemberwereadjusted
• theyareconsidered asretail inthetrade. toa December31 equivalent, based on ratiosdeveloped
fromthe MonthlyRetail InventorySurvey.
Not all of these characteristics need be present; trade
practicecan modifysome issues. Seeappendix Bforthe
definitionsoftheretail SIC's. Inventories/Sales Ratios
The inventories/sales ratios show the relationship of
theend-of-monthvaluesofinventorytothemonthlysales.
Sales include merchandise sold (for cash or credit at Theseratioscanbelookedatasindicationsofthenumber
retailorwholesale)byestablishmentsprimarilyengagedin ofmonthsof inventorythatareon hand in relationtothe
retail trade. Services that are incidental to the sale of sales for a month. For example, a ratio of 2.5 would
merchandise,andexcisetaxesthatarepaidbythemanu- indicatethattheretailstoreshaveenoughmerchandiseon
facturerorwholesalerandpassedalongtotheretailerare handtocovertwoandahalfmonthsofsales.
Purchases Charge accounts are credit accounts for which full
payment is scheduled to be made at the end of the
Purchasesrepresentthetotalcostofmerchandisethat customary billing period. Installment accounts are classi-
werepurchasedforresaleduringtheyear,whetherornot fiedasopen-end orclosed-end.
payment forthe merchandise was made during the year. • Open-endinstallmentaccountsareprimarilyrevolvingor
madPuercahtasceenstradlatoaffiicnecsluadnedccaoshmpaanndy wcarerdeihtoupsuersc.haTshees tophtriooungahlaacclionuentosf.cAreddietf,erarneddtphaeymceunsttopmrievrilhegaesistheextoepntdieodn
Wopruerwcaahrsaeskheesod,utshheooswseetvoecrroe,tmapeilaxcnslituoedrseesedenolgwiavngeeredidesbiyfnrobotomhtehcrenmctaornmaulpfaaonfciftieucsre.-s oirfnesqtpuaialryleimdnegnptatsy.hmeeTnbhatelwaipntachyeameifnnitnfauslnlcaeorrechpsaaurybgijenegcutsiunatlotlwyaoamsosirensimsmoeurdme.
ingand retailingto includepurchasesatthecostvalueof
inter-companytransfersfromtheirplantorwarehousesto • Closed-end installment accounts are those generally
their retail stores. Also, we asked these companies to requiring a new contract to cover each extension of
includethecostofoutside purchases. credit. A pre-computed finance charge is assessed at
thetimecreditisextended.Specifiedfixedschedulesof
installment payments are established with the number,
Cost of Goods Available forSale and Cost of theamountofpayments,andtheduedatesspecifiedin
Goods Sold
thecontract.
To calculate the cost of goods available for sale, we GAF
addedthepurchasesmadeduringtheyeartothepreced-
ingyear'send-of-yearinventories.Tocalculatethecostof GAF represents sales at stores that sell merchandise
goods sold, we deducted the end of the current year's normally sold in department stores. GAF includes the
value of inventories from the cost of goods available for following kindsofretail businesses:
sale.
• General merchandisegroupstores (SIC53),
Gross Margin • Apparel and accessory stores(SIC 56),
• Furniture, homefurnishings, andequipmentstores(SIC
Themeasureofgrossmarginrepresentstotalsalesless 57), and
costofgoodssold.
• Miscellaneousshopping goodsstores (SIC594).
Accounts Receivable Balances Group
II
Retailaccountsreceivablesareamountsowedtoretail Group II consists of companies that operated 11 or
stores by their customers for purchases made on credit. moreretailestablishmentsasofthelatestsamplerevision
Thedatainthisreportrefertoreceivablesoutstandingas and hadannualsaleslargeenoughtoqualifyforcertainty
of December 31, including receivables againstwhich the selection.
firm has borrowed. However, credit paper discounted or
sold to others and amounts actually charged off as bad Price Changes
debts are excluded. Also excluded are amounts charged
oncreditcardsissuedbyoilcompanies, banks,andother The estimates presented in this report have not been
organizationsthatissuecreditcards. adjustedforpricechanges.
