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r - 7^3
BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDEIiAL RESERVE SYSTEM
0.7.4.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April^^l959.
DEPARTMENT STORE MERCHANDISING DATA
UNITED STATES - MARCH 1959

z,„.
4PR

y
3

°195q
%

(Selected s e r i e s , based on r e t a i l d o l l a r amount C/^^Avr.
Amount
Per cM%gphange"
(In millions of d o l l a r s )
March from
Year
Month
1959
^
19W
Mar#
Feb.
Mar. TebT
ago
ago
Sales 1/

P

342 r 415

309

+27

+ 5

Stocks 1/

pl,359 1,278 rl,321

1,261

+ 6

+ 3

Outstanding orders

P

423

449 r 358

398

- 6

+18

Receipts 2/

P 515

403 r 475

371

+28

+ 8

New Orders 2f

P

489

440 r 435

391

+11

+12

434

Merchandising Ratios 3 /

Stocks t o Sales

1959
'
1958
Mar.
Feb.
Mar.
Feb?
4.1
P 3.1
3.7 r 3.2

Outstanding Orders
t o Sales

P

1.0

1.3 r

0.9

1.3

0.9

1.3

Stocks plus Outstanding
Orders to Sales

P

4.1

5.0

4.0

5.4

4.1

5.1

Receipts t o Sales 2/

P

1.2

1.2

1.1

1.2

1.2

1.2

1954-50 Average
Mar.
Feb,
3.2
3.7

p — P r e l i m i n a r y . r — R e v i s e d .
1/ Figures are based on the sample described i n the note below and are presented
here solely t o permit comparisons with changes i n orders and r e c e i p t s . For monthly
movements of t o t a l department store sales and stocks, r e f e r t o the regular monthly
sales report G.7.2 and stocks report G.7.4.2 or the Federal Reserve B u l l e t i n .
2/ Receipts of goods are derived from the reported f i g u r e s on s a l e s and stocks.
New Orders are derived from r e c e i p t s and reported f i g u r e s on outstanding orders.
3/ The f i r s t three r a t i o s are of stocks and/or orders at the end of the month t o
sales during the month. The f i n a l r a t i o i s based on t o t a l s of s a l e s and r e c e i p t s
f o r the month.
Note:—These f i g u r e s are not estimates for a l l department s t o r e s in t h e United
S t a t e s . They are the a c t u a l d o l l a r amounts reported by a group of department
stores located in various c i t i e s throughout the country. In 1958, s a l e s by these
)stores accounted f o r about 45 per cent of the estimated t o t a l department store sales.
Figures f o r t h e most recent thirteen-month period are shown r e g u l a r l y i n the
Bulletin. For description and back data, January 1939 to August 1952, see Federal
Reserve Bulletin f o r October 1952, pp. 1098-1102. Back data may be obtained from
the Board's Division of Research and S t a t i s t i c s .