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March 17, 2020US RETAIL SALES, FEBRUARY 2020 The US Census Bureau announced today the advance estimates of US retail and food service sales for February 2020. There was a seasonally adjusted 0.5 per cent decrease (-$2.8 billion) over January 2020 to $528.1 billion, and a 4.3 per cent increase over February 2019.
Excluding food services and drinking places, retail trade sales decreased 0.5 per cent over January 2020, and increased 4.2 per cent over February 2019. Food service and drinking place receipts decreased 0.5 per cent to $65.8 billion.
Year-To-Date
In Jan-Feb 2020, United States seasonally adjusted Retail Trade & Food Services increased 4.7 per cent over Jan-Feb 2019. Retail trade increased 4.5 per cent and food services and drinking places sales increased 6.0 per cent.
SECTOR ANALYSIS
Sales were up in 11 of 12 retail categories, the fastest gains (in percentage terms) being reported in Miscellaneous (+14.5%), Non-store Retailers (+7.7%), and Gas Stations (+6.5%). The decline was only seen in Electronics stores (-0.9%) for Jan-Feb 2020 compared to Jan-Feb 2019.
Sales were up in the food services category: Food Services and Drinking Places (+6.0%).
In Jan-Feb 2019 vs Jan-Feb 2020,
Retail Trade, 87.5% of total retail trade & food services, increased 4.5% (+$39.6 billion) to $927 billion.
- Motor vehicle sector, 20.1% of total retail trade & food services, increased 5.8% (+$11.7 billion).
- Furniture stores, 1.9% of total retail trade & food services, increased 4.7% (+$0.9 billion).
- Electronics stores, 1.5% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 0.9% (-$0.1 billion).
- Building materials, 6.2% of total retail trade & food services, increased 3.0% (+$1.9 billion).
- Food and beverage stores 12.4% of total retail trade & food services, increased 2.7% (+$3.4 billion).
- Heath, personal care stores 5.6% of total retail trade & food services, increased 0.8% (+$0.5 billion).
- Gasoline Stations, 8.2% of total retail trade & food services, increased 6.5% (+$5.3 billion).
- Clothing stores, 4.3% of total retail trade & food services, increased 1.6% (+$0.7 billion).
- Sports and hobby stores, 1.2% of total retail trade & food services, increased 2.2% (+$0.3 billion).
- General merchandise stores, 11.3% of total retail trade & food services, increased 2.1% (+$2.5 billion).
- Miscellaneous retail 2.3% of total retail trade & food services, increased 14.5% (+$3.1 billion).
- Non-store retailers,12.5% of total retail trade & food services, increased 7.7% (+$9.5 billion).
- Food services, drinking places 12.5% of total retail trade & food services, increased 6.0% (+$7.5 billion).
Source: US Census Bureau, Data Tables
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