Census Bureau: June Retail Sales Slip From May But Remain Ahead Of Last Year

The United States Census Bureau has announced that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for June, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day difference but not for price changes, were down 0.3% to $442 billion from May. However, sector sales grew 1.4% when compared with June 2014.

Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores, down 1.6% from May, Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores, down 1.5%, and Building Material & Garden Equipment and Suppliers Dealers, down 1.3%, led the slide. Furniture and clothing stores were up, by 4.1% and 1.9% respectively, versus June 2014. Building and garden store sales were down 1.4% versus the month last year.

The strongest retail channels were Electronics & Appliance Stores, up 1%, Gasoline Stations, up 0.8%, and General Merchandise Stores, up 0.7%. Within the General Merchandise category, department store sales fell 0.6% versus May. Year over year, electronics stores and gas station sales fell 0.4% and 17.1% respectively, while those for general merchandise retailers gained 1.2% in June versus the year-earlier month.

Food & Beverage Stores sales came in flat although the grocery store part saw a 0.2% slide compared to May. They gained 2.4% and 2.2% respectively versus June 2014.

Sales at Nonstore Retailers, including Internet operators, fell 0.4% in June compared with May although they are up 3% versus the month last year. Sales at Food Services & Drinking Places fell 0.2% in June from May but were up 7.7% from the month last year. Miscellaneous Store Retailers category sales fell the same proportion from the previous month but gained 2.9% from June 2014.

Among other advancers, sales at Health & Personal Care Stores gained 0.2% from May and 1.3% from last year while those at Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores advanced 0.1% from May and 6.6% from June 2014.