US wholesale inventories tick up in May

8th Jul 2026 15:11

(Sharecast News) - US wholesale inventories edged higher in May, according to revised Census Bureau data, offering a fresh read on stock levels across the sector.

Total merchant‑wholesaler inventories rose 0.1% on the month to $941.8bn, after seasonal adjustment, following a revised 0.1% gain in April.

On an annualised basis, inventories were 4% higher than a year earlier.

The April‑to‑May change was revised down from the advance estimate of a 0.3% increase.

Sales were stronger, rising 3.4% in May to $817.4bn, and up 18.1% from May 2025, while April's monthly sales growth was revised to 2.2% from the earlier 2% estimate.

The inventories‑to‑sales ratio fell to 1.15 in May, down from 1.31 a year earlier.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com