Full text of G.16 Retail Furniture Report : May 3, 1944

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

May 3, 1944
R&S rft - 25

RETAIL FURNITURE REPORT FOP. i-lARCE 1944

Retail furniture store sales in March shewed about the customary
seasonal increase from the relatively low level of a month ago, and were
slightly below those for the corresponding ir.onth last year. Sales of all
types showed substantial increases from the preceding month, the largest
being for instalment sales which, nevertheless, continued below the year-ago
level. Cash sales were in somewhat larger volume than a year ago while
charge-account sales were about the same as in March 1943.
Inventories decreased slightly from the February level and were
about three-fourths the volume of those of a year.ago. At the end of March
_they amounted to approximately four and one-half months' supply ut the current
rate of sale as compared with nearly six months* supply at the end of
March 1943.
Instalment accounts receivable continued to show about the usual
seasonal decline from the preceding month and were in considerably less volume
than at the end of the corresponding month a year ago. The ratio of collections during March to instalment accounts outstanding on the first of the
month was 23 per cent, 4 points above that for March 1943. These accounts
are now collected in. slightly less than eight months, compared with an average
collection period of almost nine and one-half months a year ago.

Furniture Store Statistics for >'areh 1944

Percentage change from:
Feb. 1944 to
Mar. 1943 to
Mar. 1944
Mar. 1944
Net sales
Total
Cash sales
Credit sales:

Instalment
Charge account
Accounts receivable, at end of month
Total
Instalment
Collections during month
Total
Instalment
Inventories, end of month, at retail value




•

- 1
+12
- 6
0
-27
-27 .
-14
• -17
-24 .

. +20
+17
+22
+13
- '2
- 5
> 4
+ 4
- 1
,

.

RETAIL FURNITURE STORES - MARCH 1944
Sales and Inventories
1 Total net sales
Federal Reserve
District

Boston
Mew York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richnond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Lcuis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco

sales

| Credit sales

Percentage j
Percentage
cham?e from: ! change from:
Feb.
Mar.
alar.
Feb.
1943
1944
1943
1944

> 3
- 8
- 2
-10
- 6
+ 2
+ 1
+ 1
- 4
I
+ 4
+ 4

+23
+26
+26
+19
+12
+17
+24
+24
+13
<11
+20
+ 16

+17
+ 6
-13
+ 5
+ 2
+25
+10
+ 6
+13
+32
+22
+2b-

915

915

U. S. Total

+ 20

Number of stores

Cash

Percentage
chana
Mar.
Feb.
1945
1944

1

+25
+21
+15
+23
+ 4
+ 17
+ 21
+ 18
+ 9
+12
+16
+17

Inventories
end of E:0nth 1/
Percentage
change from:
I,lor.
Feb.
1943
194-4

+ 1
-11
+ 1
-12
- 7
+ 1
- 4
- 1
— 8
-11
-1
- 7

+23
•28
+30
+18
+ 12
+18
+ 23
+23
+14
+11
+18
+16

-17
-24
-28
-38
-24
-42
-13
-24
-24
-20
-19
-13

3
1
5
4
1
3
2
1
1
1
0
- 1

+
+
+
+
+
-

+12

+17

- e

+>:o.

-24

- 1

737

737

737

737

623

| " 623

I
Accounts Receivable and Collections
Accosts receive ble, end of month
To tal
instalmcnt
Percentage
Percentage
change from:
change from:
Mar.
Feb.
Mar.
Feb.
1943
1944
1943
1944

Federal Reserve
District

Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlr.n^'i
Chicago
ot. l-.-uis
Minneapolis
Kn-nas City
Dallas
n Francisco

-15
-25
-23
-23
-24
-24
-25
-24,
-29
-23
-26
-32

"'"U. r>. Total
Kmber

zf stores

J

- 2
- 1
- 1
+
-

2
1
.1
1
1
1
3

^19
-27
-28
-26
-24
-22
-28
' -27
-23
-45
-35
-35

-27

- 2

-27

840

'840

536




-

3
4
2
3
7
2

Colle ctions :
during m onth
Total
Instalment
Percentage
Percentage
change from:
from:
Mar.
Feb.
%er.
Feb..
1343
1944
1343
1944
+
+
+
+

0
5
5'
2

+ 3
+ 6
+ 4
0
+ 1
+ 4
+ 8
+ 8
+ 6
-15
+ 4
+ 5

0
- ?

- 7
-15
-11
-21
-13
-12
-14
-12
-18
-18
-12
- 8
-li

+ 4

-17

+ 4

338

840

840

338

338

0

•

; 4" 3
+ 5
+ 10
+ 5

-15
-19
-17
-20
-24
-10
-26
-io
-12

+ 4
7

-16
-17

"Retail Furniture Report", April 1944 is missing. Not available for
filming.