Full text of G.16 Retail Furniture Report : April 4, 1956

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
G.16

April k, 1956
RETAIL FURNITURE REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 1956

Instalment accounts outstanding at f ur nitur e stores declined
f u r t h e r during February from the seasonal high reached in December.
Month-end balances were 2 per cent below January, but were 7 per cent
above February of l a s t year. Collections during the month amounted t o
an estimated 11 per cent of first-of-month balances, 1 point below a
month e a r l i e r and the same as a year ago.
Instalment sales volume in February was 2 per cent above
January. Charge-account sales were up 7 per cent, while cash sales were
about the same. All types of sales continued above a year ago. I n s t a l ment sales in the f i r s t two months of t h i s year were 9 per cent above the
corresponding period of 1955; charge-account sales were up 11 per cent;
and cash sales were up 5 per cent.
The r e t a i l value of f ur nitur e store inventories increased 3
per cent during February, and at the end of the month was 8 per cent above
a year e a r l i e r . Stocks on hand amounted t o about a 5 months' supply at
the February rate of sales.
Furniture Store S t a t i s t i c s f o r February 1956
Percentage change from:
Month Year Jan.,-Feb. 1 9 5 5
to
ago
ago
Jan.,-Feb. 1 9 5 6

Item
Net sales during month
Total
Cash
Instalment
Charge account

+

Accounts receivable, at end of month
Total
Instalment
Charge account

+
+

5

+

9

+

2

+

+

7

+lh

:: 1
+3
1
-

Inventories, end of month, at r e t a i l value j

3
0

3

Feb.

Collection r a t i o s on instalment accounts 1 /

+

9

+

7

1956

+11

XXX

+12

+

F X
j

j

9

3

r

9

,

! Jan.

Feb.

1

1956

1955

12

11

i
11

1
1

1/ Collections during month as percentage of accounts outstanding
at beginning of month.




G.16

— 2

—

RETAIL FURNITURE STORES - FEBRUARY 1956
Sales by Type of Transaction
(Percentage changes)
• Federal
Reserve
District
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco
U. S. Total

Charge-account
Instalment
Cash sales
sales
sales
1
Month
Year j: Month i' Year Month Year
ago
ago
ago
ago
ago
ago

Total net sales
Month
Year
ago
ago
+5
+8
+7
+ 8
+ 2
+7
- 2
>21
• 5
+h
+ 3
-12

+13
+12
+15
+11
+13
+h
+ 9
+5
+18
+ 8
*-h
+13

+

+10

3

+2U
+5
+13
+11
-13
- h
- 6
+5
- h
•+ 1
+ 3
-19

+3
+ 1
+ 8
- 8
+9
+ 7
+22
+10

+7
+ 8
+ 2
+7
+ 3
+ 8
- a
+21
+ 6
+1
0
-13

0

+10

+ 2

+20
+9
+22
+2)4

• +18
+13
+13
+11
+11
+U
+6
+ 8
+11
0
- 2
+1U
+ 9

-Ik
+12
+18
+17
+ 9
+U
+13
+29
+ 8
+13
+ 9
- 7
+ 7

- 7
+13
+15
- 2
+2U
- k

,+25

+ 6
+66
+27
+16
+12
+lh

Cumulative sales by Type of Transaction, Instalment
Accounts Receivable, and Inventories
Federal
. Reserve
District
Boston
Mew York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco
U. S. Total

Inventories
Instalment
receivables,
end of month,
end of month at r e t a i l value
i l n s t a l - Charge- Month :j Year Month Year
ago
ago
ago
ago
account

: Cumulative sales, Jan.-Feb.,
|
change from 1955 t o 1956
Total

Cash

+ 5

! + 6
+ 8
+12
- +h
+ 2
- 1
+ 3
- 9
1
+5
+ 1
+11
! +9

+10
+11
+h
+ 8
- 1
+1U
+ 6
I! + h
j +i1
:
1
| + 9




! +5

+12
+lh.
+13
+12
+11
+h
+7
+ 2
+ 8
+ h
0
+12
l *9
;

- 2
+12
+15
- 3
+18
+ 2
+16
- 2
+61
+12
+12
+10

+
-

2
2
3
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
1

+11

- 2

+ 2
- 7
+ 6
+10
+12
+16
+11
+11
+ 7 1
- 2 !

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

2
5
6
3
6
1
h
3
0
0

I1! -1
1
I1
+ 7 jl + 3

+5
+ 6
+ 8
+ h
+9
- 3
+10
+12
0
+3
+11
+22
+ 8