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BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
G.16

April 5, 1957
RETAIL FURNITURE REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 1957

Instalment accounts outstanding at furniture stores decreased further in February. Month-end balances were 2 per cent
below the level of the preceding month-end, and continued below
the year-ago level. The ratio of instalment collections to firstof-month balances was 12 per cent, the same as a month ago and 1
point above a year ago.
Total sales at reporting stores were up 2 per cent from
January to February, reflecting a gain in credit sales offset in
part by a decline in cash sales. Compared with a year ago, however,
total sales were down U per cent. Combined sales for January and
February this year also declined U per cent from the corresponding
period of last year.
Furniture Store Statistics for February 1957

Item

1
1

Percentage change fromT
Jan.-Feb. 1956
Year
to
ago
Jan.-Feb. 1957

Month
ago

Net sales during month
Total
Cash
Instalment
Charge account

+ 2
•10

-2
-u
0

Accounts receivable, at end of month
Total
• Instalment
Charge account

- 1
-2
- 1

-3
-U
0

XXX
XXX
XXX

Feb.
1957

Jan.
1957

Feb.
1956

12

12

11

Collection ratios on instalment accounts 1/
~ 1

• 2

-h

-h

-k

-1
-i;
-1

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




G.16
RETAIL FURNITURE STORES - FEBRUARY 1957
Sales by Type of Transaction
(Percentage changes)
Total net sales

Federal
Reserve
District

Month
ago

Boston
York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco
U. S. Total

0
+ 8
+ 3
+ 6
+ 3
+ U
+ 5
+25
+17
+ 1
- 8
-15
I

Year
ago

Month
ago
+

-I

- a
- 6
- 2
+ 1
+ 1
+ 3
+ 1
-10
-U
- 8
-

h

InstaLnent
sales
Year
Month
Year
ago | ~ ago
ago
H

Cash sales

f

-30

- 2
- 2
- 7
-18
- U
+1U
+ 7
+ 2
+ I
t
+ 3
-12
-10

- 2
+ 9
+ 2
+ h
+ 7
+ 5
+ 6
+12
+19
-10
- 8
-12

6
8
2
7
1
1
2
2
0
-16
- 3
- 6

-u

- 2

+ 2

-

lU
+ 8
-•-10
-12
-16
rlO
- 3
+12
+ 10

+
-

h

Cumulative Sales by Type of Transaction, and
Instalment Accounts Receivable
(Percentage changes)
Federal
Reserve
District

Cumul ative sales, Jan.-Feb.,
change from 1956 to lj>57
Total" Cash Instal- Charge-,
ment
account

Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
-Chicago
St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Franciscc .
U. S. Total

Instalment
receivables,
end of month
Month
Year
ago
ago

—

-5
-8
+U
-7

+ a
- 7
- 5
- 9
- 3
+11
+ 5
0
0
+ 3
- h
- 3

7
8
2
8
2
- 3
- 6
- 1
- 6
-11
+ 6
- 8

- 5
+ 6
0
+ 5
- 7
- 1
+ a
+ a
-1
- 9
+ 2
- 8

-1
-2
-3
-2
-3
-2
-2
-2
-1
-3
-1
-1

-5
-13
; - 1
+ 5
0
0
+ 2
0
- 1
r 20
•11
+ 3

-a

- 1

-It

- 1

-2

- a

-5
-7

"2

-7
0
-1
-2
+2




Charge-account
sales
Month
Year
ago
ago
+ 1
+ 3
- 7
+15.
-12
+12
+ 3
+1U
+ l
- 7
- 5
-11

0
- 1
+ 3

>16

+ a
+18
+11
+ 6>
+13
+ 22

+ 10

1
j

0