Full text of G.16 Retail Furniture Report : May 5, 1955

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
G.16

May 5, 1 9 #
RETAIL FURNITURE, REPORT FOR MARCH 1955
Instalment accounts outstanding at furniture stores
continued to decline during March, when some decrease i s usual.
Balances outstanding at the end of the month were 1 per cent below
the preceding nonth, but were 1 per cent above a year e a r l i e r .
Instalment collections during the month amounted to 13 per cent of
first-of-month receivables, 2 points above the month-ago collection
r a t i o and the same as a year ago.
Sales of a l l types increased from February to March —
instalment sales by 16 per cent, charge-account sales by 8 per cent,
and cash sales by 9 per cent. Sales continued above a year e a r l i e r ,
the f i r s t three months of t h i s year showing an increase of 7 per
cent over the corresponding period of l a s t year. This r e f l e c t e d a
larger volM 3 of sales for each type of transaction.

The r e t a i l value of f ur nitur e store inventories increased
• 7-per cent during the month, but at the end of the month was 3 per
cent below a year ago. At the March r a t e of sales, stocks on hand
amounted to about a 5 monthsr supply.
Furniture Store S t a t i s t i c s for March 1955
Percentage change from:
u an .-Mar. i y ^
Month Year
to
• ago
ago
Jan.-Mar, 1955

• Item
Net sales during month
Total
Cash
Instalment
Charge account

+15
+ 9
+16
+ 8

+ o
+ 8
+10
+12

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

- 2
- 1
- u

+ h
+ 1
+12

XXX

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

+ 7

- 3

XXX

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

-

-

: r
+8
+11
XXX
XXX

Her.
1955

"Feb.
195?

Mar.
1951;

13

11

13

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




G»l6

— 2 —
RETAIL FTJRKLTURZ STCR2S. - MARCH 1 9 #
Sales by Type of Transaction
(Percentage changes)

Federal
„ Reserve
District

Total net sales
I'onth
Year
ago
ago

Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
S t . louis
j.anneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco
U . S . Total

I Instalment Charge-account
Cash isales S
sales
sales
Month Year Month Year ITonth Year
ago
ago
ago
a 20

:s
+17

+12
+ 1
+ 3
+11
+12
+ 5
+ U
+11
+6
+ 8
+13
+19

+10
+18
+20
- 3
- U
- 8
+13
+ 9
+20
- 6
+11
+13

+ 8
+17
0
- 1
+ 7
+ 5
+ 3
0
- 2
- 7
+ 7
+20

+15

+ 9

+9

+ e

+15
+35
+19
+12
+10
+ 1
+ 9
+20
+16

+18
+Ul
+11
+ 2
+11
+21*
+17
+ 7
+ 5
+21

+ 5
- 2
+ 5
+12
+11
+U
+ 2
+13
+ 7
+12
+22
+21-

+10
+25
32.
+12
- 1
- 6
+16
+ 1
+25
+ 8
+11

+32
+ 5
+ 3
+11
+17
+15
+16
+12
+ 3
+11
+10
+ 9

+16

+10

+ 8

+12

Cumulative Sales by Type of Transaction, Instalment
Accounts Receivable, and Inventories
(Percentage changes)
Federal
Reserve
District
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland
Richmond
Atlanta
Chicago
S t . Louis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Dallas
San Francisco
U . S . Total

Inventories
Instalment
Cumulative sales, Jan.--Mar.,
-Mar.,
receivables.
end of month,
change from 1954 to 19»
end of month a t r e t a i l value
I n s t a l - Charge- Month Year Month Year
ago
ment account ago
ago
ago
+ 7
- 6
- 1
+11
+11
+9
+11
+ 5
+ Ii
+20
+13

+11*
+ 1
- 7
+ 1
+21
+13
+ 7
+ h
- 2
- 5
+ 8
+11

- 1
- 8
+ 2
+ It
+10
+11
+ 8
+10
+ 7
+ 5
+2U
+17

+21
+ 5
- 2
+20
+ 9
+15
+lk
+17
- 9
+6
+18
+ 8

- 2
- 1
0
- 1
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
0
0

+ 7

+6

+ 8

+11

-1

+ 4

n.a.—Not available.




+ 2
+ 9
+ h
- 8
+20
+ 6

+U
+ 5
+ 8
+ 5
+ 7
+ 5
+ 7
+ h
+ 1
+11
+ 9
+ 6

- 5
- 6
- 7
0
-26
- 5
- 1
+ 9
- 6
+ 3
+ 3
- 2

+ 1

+ 7

- 3

+

2
8
3
5
2