The U.S. Census Bureau announced the following new wholesale trade statistics for September 2026:
Sales
September 2026 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading day differences, but not for price changes, were $840.1 billion, up 2.8 percent (±0.4 percent) from the revised August level and were up 19.8 percent (±0.7 percent) from the revised September 2025 level. The July 2026 to August 2026 percent change was revised from the Monthly Wholesale Annual Revision Report of up 1.8 percent (±0.2 percent) to up 2.0 percent (±0.2 percent).
Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading day differences, but not for price changes, were $1,013.1 billion at the end of September, up 0.7 percent (±0.2 percent) from the revised August level. Total inventories were up 7.6 percent (±1.1 percent) from the revised September 2025 level. The August 2026 to September 2026 percent change was revised from the advance estimate of up 0.6 percent (±0.2 percent) to up 0.7 percent (±0.2 percent).
Inventories/Sales Ratio
The September inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.21. The September 2025 ratio was 1.34.