Wholesale trade, May 2012

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Wholesale sales rose 0.9% in May to $49.8 billion. The increase was largely the result of higher sales in the computer and communications equipment and supplies industry, the motor vehicle industry and the food industry.

In volume terms, wholesale sales were up 0.4% in May.

Chart description: Wholesale sales increase in May

CSV version of the chart

Computer and communications equipment and supplies sales post the largest gain

In May, four of the seven subsectors, accounting for about 70% of wholesale sales, reported increases.

The largest advance in dollar terms was in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector, which grew 2.6%. This result was primarily attributable to higher sales in the computer and communications equipment and supplies industry (+7.3%), which had the largest increase since April 2008.

The second-largest gain was in the food, beverage and tobacco subsector (+1.4%) as a result of higher sales in the food industry (+1.5%), which makes up nearly 90% of the subsector.

Wholesale sales in the motor vehicle and parts subsector grew 1.6% in May. The entire increase was attributable to higher sales in the motor vehicle industry (+2.9%).

Since the beginning of 2012, motor vehicle wholesalers have seen a return to growth following a year of relatively flat sales in 2011.

The largest decline in dollar terms was in the miscellaneous subsector. Sales fell 0.9%, following a 9.4% increase in April.

Sales up in most provinces

In May, eight provinces posted higher wholesale sales.

Chart description: Wholesale sales up in most of the provinces in May

CSV version of the chart

Wholesalers in Quebec contributed the most to the national increase, followed by wholesalers in Alberta.

In Quebec, sales were up 2.3% in May, a fourth straight increase.

Sales rose 1.5% in Alberta, mainly as a result of growth in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector, which accounts for almost a third of the province's wholesale sales.

Ontario posted a 0.2% increase in wholesale sales in May.

Inventories up slightly

Inventories edged up 0.1% to $59.7 billion in May. Inventories rose in 15 of the 25 industries.

Wholesalers in the lumber, millwork, hardware and other building supplies industry (+3.4%) and in the motor vehicle industry (+3.6%) had the largest inventory increases in dollar terms.

The inventory-to-sales ratio declined from 1.21 in April to 1.20 in May.

The inventory-to-sales ratio is a measure of the time in months required to exhaust inventories if sales were to remain at their current level.