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2.13.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

G.16

July 10, 1951
RETAIL PTJRNITURE REPORT FOR IIAI-1951

Furniture store sales showed an increase of 9 per cent in I'ay, about the
usual change for that time of year. Since.the seasonal low-of-the beginning of the
yea*, however, the overall gain in sales had been less rapid than in other postnar
years. Cash sales during I lay were 11 per cent above, the April figure, instalment
sales increased 10 per cent, and charge account- sales were up h per cent. Despite
the sales gain during Ilay, total sales during the month were 5 per cent below those
of l:ay 1950• The year-to-year decrease was due to the 12 per cent drop in instalment sales, which was more than enough to offset the gains in cash sales and chargeaccount sales#
Instalment accounts receivable declined 2 per cent in Ilay, in contrast
to increases for the corresponding month of previous postwar years. The decline
from the level of I lay 31, 1950 was also 2 per cent. Collections on instalment
accounts during Lay were the same as in April, but were L per cent above those of
l ay a year ago.
The retail value of inventories at furniture stores decreased 3 per cent
during Ilay, but at the month-end was still 33 per cent above the level of a year
ago. At the prevailing rate of sales, inventories on hand at the end of lay were
equal to somewhat less than 6 months1 supply. Yihile this was a decline from the
previous month, it compares with a U months* supply on hand a year ago.

Furniture Store Statistics for May 1951
Percentage.change from:
Apr. 1951
Kay 1950
to
to
May 1951
Ilay 1951

Item

+ 9
+11
+10
+ h

Instalment
Charge account

-5
+ 3
-12
+ 8

•

Accounts receivable, at end of month
Total
Instalment

i i

Net Sales
Total
Cash sales
Credit sales:

Collections during month
Total
Instalment

+ 1
0

+11
+>

- 3

+33

Inventories, end of month, at retail value
XW1M#1 •

rn miwar o VIA




M..L J. L

.

0
- 2

RETAIL FURNITURE STORES - MAY 1 # 1 *
Sales and Inventories
Percentage change
Inventories
end of month ja
3prH5r m
Apr.'51 May '56 Apr,'51 Uay '50
m Apr.'51 W W
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
^
'51 Wor.'Sl May '51 Ha? '51
May 'ft.ifey '51 Hay '51

Federal
Reserve
"District

Total net sales

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

+6
+ k

+llt
+11
+10
+23
:i
+ 2
+ 3
+13
+11

-lU
- 2
- 6
- a
-10
-17
- 5
-10

Gash .sales

:\ 9
+15
+18
+20
+38
+ 5

+18

+ U
+11
- 1
+13

:l
- U
+ 1

- 3
+12
-16
0
-12
- 1
+ 9
+ 5
+ 3
- 3
- 1
+ 8

Credit .sales

+ h
+ 5
+15
+12
+ 9
+19
+ 3
+ 7
+ 1
+ 2
+lii
+10

U. S. Total

+ 9

- 5

+11

+ 3

+ 9

Number of stores

777

777

62k

62lt

62h

y

-16
- 9
- 5
- 3
- 8
-21
-10
-10
-10
- 7
- 2
0

:u
- 6
- 3
- 2
- 3
- 3
- 2
0
- 3
- 3
- 1
- 3

+33

6214

561

561

+32
+27
+31
+31
+2U
+27
+29
+21*
+36
+1*1
+51
+39

At retail value.
Accounts Receivable and Collections

Federal
Reserve
District
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
St, Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco

Percentalge cha nge
Accounts receivable, end of month
Collections during month
Total
Instalment
Total
Instalment
Apr,'51 Hay '50 Apr.'51 Itey '50 Apr,'51 ray '50 Apr.'51 llay '50
to
to
to
to
to* '
to
to
to
May '51 Kay '51 May '51 Hay '51 May '51 Kay '51 Hay '51 May '51
- 3
- 2
0
0
- 1
+ 1
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1*
- 2

- 6
+ h
+ li
+ 1
- 3
. -18
- 1
- 6
0
+ 8
- 3
+11

•• U + S . Total

- 1

0

number of stores

• 710

710

» FRASER
'
'1 of t' -fDigitized for


1

- 2
- 2
- 1
0
- 3
- 1
- 1
- h
- 1
- 1
0
- 2

0
+ 2
+ 3
-15
-12
- 8
-10
-Hi
+ 2
+ h
0
-12

+ 6
+ 2
+ 3
+ 1
+ li .
+ 5
+ l
- 3
- 1
- 1
+ 2
- 1

+ 7
+ 6
+ 7
+16
+ 8
- 7
+15
0
+10
+12
+12
+25

+10 ! +10
+ 2
0
+ 9
o
+10
+1
+ 1
+ k
0
0
+
8
+ 3
- 1 , + 3
- 3 « +15
- 1 , +25
+ 1 i - 6
-h
I + 5

- 2

-2

+ 1

+11

o

! + U

262

262

710

710

262

| 262