Full text of G.16 Retail Furniture Report : February 4, 1949

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERV i

HESfRVEBANK
HI-HMONO
r

February 4, 1949
RETAIL FURNITURE REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1948
Furniture store sales n x e 27 per cent in December, but were
10 percent below the year-ago volume. Cash sales showed about the
customary substantial gain for this month, but sales activity in instalment credit was somewhat greater than seasonal. Charge-account sales
were 17 per cent larger than in the preceding month. In comparison
with a year-ago, cash sales were down 17 per cent. The declines in
instalment and charge-account sales were less pronounced—7 per cent
and 6 per cent, respectively.
Instalment accounts receivable increased 11 per cent, and
continued well above the level of a year earlier. Collections oh instalment accounts were slightly higher than in November, but the ratio
of collections to accounts outstanding on December 1 was 17 per cent,
one point less than in the preceding month. At this rate of repayment,
accounts would be collected in approximately ten and one-half months. .
Inventories declined 11 per cent in December, but at the end
of the year exceeded the December 1947 level by 5 per cent. At the
end of 1948 furniture store stocks amounted to about three months'
supply at the prevailing rate of sale.

Furniture Store Statistics for December 1948

Item

Percentage change from:
Nov. 1948 . Dec. 1947
'to
to
Dec. 1948
Dec. 1948

Net sales *
Total
Cash sales
Credit sales* Instalment
Charge account

+27.
+34.
+29.
+17.

-10.
-17.
- 7.
- 6.

Accounts receivable, at end of month
Total
Instalment

> 6.
+11.

+20.
+21. ;

Collections during month
Total
Instalment

+ 3.
+ 2.

• 5.
+ 4.

Inventories, end of month, at retail value

-11 *

+ 5.

Note.—These figures are preliminary and subject to revision.




G.16
RETAIL FURNITURE•STORES - DECS:3ZR 19U8*
Sales and Inventories
Percentage change.
Federal Reserve
District

Boston
Ne-.7 York 2/
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Ctllas
San Francisco •
>U. S. Total
Number of stores

_

Total net sales* Cash sales
I Credit sales ! Inventories ,
i«
—
.
—- • - - • ,i —
•...find,of- JUDnth*?..
;Nov.»U8 Dec,'U7;ifov.*U8:Dec.*U7i Nov.»^8;Dec.«U7; Nov.'1*8. Dec.'1*7
i to
. to
j
to j to
!
to : to
I to
to
1
k8j te^lxS^Dgc ^!l*&.Dec^'LC .
+1U
. !' 423
i *h0
'•+30
+21
: +1*6
; +28
I • +25
1
+28
r
+17
' +35
: +23

i -12" -•1*3| - 2 • •+ 7
+72
- 3j
+7U
9
: "- 7 ' |
i
+22
; -23 •
+50
! -12
•28
I -io | +51
I -16 i +55
- 8 ! +18
i
-15 ! +33
j -12 •] + U 2

i
!
:
;
j
1
'
;
:
•1
j
:

-Hi 1 +io ; -11 :
+ 2 i
-Hi
+35
^+3k J
-2 ;
- 7
f
--8 ( +27
• - 8 !
: - 5 : :
-15 | * 2 0
-30
+17 i -22 :
-18 ! +lh'
- 6 :
-20 * +18 : - 8 !•
' -16 *
-19 ; + 2 1 *
-17 ; +16 • • - 5 :
-20 : +37 i
*11* :
+2i; - e
:
-19

+27 !

-io

!

+31

:

-17

: +27

61*2

612

'

508

'

508

' 508

'

- 8
'

508

0
- 7
+ 8
-17
; + 1
-lb j
-16 j + 1
-15 : •15
-lit
- l
-16 • - U
-10 J +16
- 9 ' -12
- 7 ! + 9
- 6
+11*
+ 9
"5
1
; -li
+ 5
W:9

hh9

1/ At retail value
2 ] Data reflect effect of special November sales events.
Accounts Receivable and Collections
~

™~ Percentage change
"
CoUeetionrffitoii'mnth .. „
-4~ - Total
ZosUtaezA
Federal Reserve ; l o t a l
iNoy.!U8 Dec.'1*7 Nov,'1*8 Dec.11*7 Mov.'1*8 Dec. '1*7 Nov.'1*8 Dec.'1*7
• District
.to
j to
. to
to
to
to
to
to
-pec.1 liB jDecu.' l*8jDec».'j*8 .iDec^' 1*8
'1*8 Dec »'J*8 J)ec . *JU8
Boston
Heir York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago '
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco

+ 3
+17
+ 9
+ h
+ h
+ 6
+ h
+ 5
+ h
+ U
+ 5
0

U. 3. Total
Number of stores

+17
+20
+21
+21

+29
+26
+15
+20
+16
+11*
+30
+12
+20

582 '

582

1


* December 19U8 figures are preliminary


+ h
+18
+11
+ o
+ h
+ 7
+ 1
+ 7
+ 6
+ 7
+ 6
+ o

+23
+16
+28
+18
+17
+22
+22
+31
+12
+22
+2L

+11 .

+21

202

202

+
+
+
-

1*
2
7
1
U

+ 2

+
+
+
+
+

1*
6
2
9
1*
li

582

and subject to revision

k
7
6
8
7
3
8
h
6
6
9
7

- 3
+ 1
+ 8
+11
0
+ h
- h
- 1
0
+ 9
+ 1
-11

+ 5 .

+ 2

582 '

202

-

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
.+

+ U
+ 9
+ 2
- 3
+12
-11
0
+21
+ 7
+ U

202