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BOARD C? GCTERIICRS CF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SISTEL!

G.16

December 8, 1955
RETAIL FTHMirURE REPORT FOR GCTCBER 1955
Instalment accounts outstanding at furniture
stores continued to increase slightly during October,
Balances at the end of the month were 1 per cent above
September and 7 per cent^above a year ago. The instalment collection ratio, estimated at 12 per cent, Iras
unchanged from both a month-ago and a year ago.
Sales of all types increased from September to
October, and continued above a year earlier. Compared
•Kith October of last year, instalment sales were up 11
per cent, charge-account sales 15 per cent, and cash
sales 12 per cent.
The retail value of furniture store inventories,
rose 5 per cent during October, and at the end of the
month was U per cent above a year earlier. At the October
rate of sales, stocks on hand amounted to an estimated U
months-1 supply.

Furniture Store Statistics for October 1955

Item

Percentage <change from:
Jen.-Oct. 19>k
Year
to
ago
Jan.-Oct. 1955

Month
ago

Net sales during month
Total
Cash
Instalment
Charge account

+13
+16
+1U
+ 8

+11
+12
+11
+15

+10
+ 7
+11
+12

Accounts receivable, at end of month
Total
Instalment
Charge account

+ 2
+ 1
+ 3

+10
+ 7
+16,

XXX
XXX
XXX

Inventories, end of month, at retail value

+ 5

+ h

XXX

Oct.
1955

Sept.
1955

Collection ratios on instalment accounts 1/

12

12

Oct.
195U
12

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




G.16
RETAIL F M I T T E 3 STORES - OCTOBER IS 55
dries by Type of Transaction
(Percentage changes)
Federal
Reserve
District

Total net sales
Month

Foston
irarr fork
Ihiladelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
1 Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco

+

Month
c.?o

Year
ago

Instalment
sales
Year
Month
ago
+

8

- 5
+12

-11

0

+3U

+16

+26

+

R

+

3

+

+13

+20

-

+

e

+16

+12

+15

+26
+

6

.I

1

6

-

Charge-account
sales
Month
Year
ago
aeo
-

8

0

+

8

8

+

5

+11;

7

+20

6

-

. +10
+

3

+12

+15

+20

-

+23

+16

+

7

+15

+25
+55
+Zi0

+15

+

9

+25

+25

+1U

+

5

+31

+20

+20

+2li

+27

+16

+1U

4i0

+

+

+

U. S. Total

Faderal
Reserve
District

ii

Year
ago

Cash sales

3

1

u

+

0

8

+

-

- h

3

2

+12

+12

+21

+

3

+10

+10

+13

+37

+11

- u

+15

-18

+12

+

+

+

G

+

9

+13

-17

+

7

+1U

+

7

+

+

5

+15

0

•IS

•11

+2U

-

5

- 1

+13

+11

+16

+12 1! +iu

+11

+

8

+15

3
,

6

7
6

Cumulative Sales by Type of Transaction, Instalment
Accounts Receivable, and Inventories
(Fercentage changes)
Inventories
Instalment
Cumulative sales, Jan.-Oct.,
receivables,
end of month,
change from 195U to 1955
end of month at retail value
Year
instal- Charge- Month
Month
Year
Total
Cash
ago
lment
aro
ago
account

Boston
Hew York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
-St. Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco

+ k
+ 1
+ 7
+10
+13
+12
+13
+ 1
+ 7
+ 3
+17
+15

+ 5
+ 2
0
+ 1
+22
+13
+12
+ 3
- 3
- 6
+ 7
+15

+ 2
0
+ 9
+11
+12
+12
+12,
+ 7
+ 7
+ 5
+21
+20

+11
+13
+ 6
+17
+13
+18
+21
+13
+20
+ 3
+11
+ 7

U. S. Total

+10

+ 7

+ 11

+12




2
1
1
2
0
1
2
1
3
1
1
2

- 1
-10
+ 6
+ 5
+ 1
+14
+ 0
+12
+12
- 1
+29
. +17

+ 1

+ 7

+
+
• +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

1
8
2
2
5
5
5
2
u
3
2
9

+ 5

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

2
1
1
2
7
3
2
5
5
8
6
9

+ h