US Wholesale Inventories Experience a Slight Decline

According to the latest report from the US Census Bureau, wholesale inventories in the United States saw a decrease of 0.5% in December 2024, compared to the revised figures from November of the same year. This brought the total to $898.5 billion, a figure that closely aligns with market expectations. On an annual basis, total inventories experienced a minor decline of 0.1%.

Sales Figures Show Positive Growth

The report also highlighted an uptick in the sales of merchant wholesalers. After adjustments for seasonal variations and trading-day differences, but not accounting for price changes, sales reached $686.5 billion. This represents a 1% increase from November's revised figures and a 2.8% rise compared to December 2023.

Inventory-to-Sales Ratio Drops

Furthermore, the inventory-to-sales ratio, based on seasonally adjusted data, was recorded at 1.31. This marks a decrease from the 1.35 ratio reported in December of the previous year, indicating a more efficient inventory management and sales process.