Retail sales rebounded in February 2025
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
Modified 2025-03-30T05:34:10+00:00
Goran Soko / CSIMarket.com Contributer
U.S. retail sales increased a slim again after dipping in the last month, as decline in petroleum sales offset an increase in food sales.
The Commerce Department announced U.S. retail sales increased a slim 0.2 % in February 2025 on the seasonally adjusted basis. Rebound in retail sales is a good news, as the retail sales account for about half of total consumer spending and about a third of final sales in the U.S. economy.
Higher retail spending, in turn, has spurred companies to boost their inventories in anticipation of rising sales. Sales advanced by 2.6 % for the year, as the sales excluding motor vehicle and parts increased on the higher rate than total sales over the past 12 months.
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| Fuels & Transportation |
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Excluding the volatile auto sector sales grew sequentially by 0.3 % to $584.7 billion on the seasonally adjusted basis.
Investors and the Federal Reserve usually view the core sales as a better gauge of retail sales because it excludes car sales, which often fluctuate.
Excluding the volatile auto sector sales advanced by 2.7 % for the year.
Sales of essentials in a potentially worrisome sign, fell at virtually all the establishments that tend to rely on discretionary income — extra money consumers have left over after paying bills and for necessities, sales sunk by -0.7 % on the seasonally adjusted basis, food services and drinking places sales fell below averge, although sales in food and beverage stores, grew. Sale of essentials like food and gasoline advanced by 1.7 % for the year.
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Retail Sales
In February 2025, sales increased 0.2% at building materials dealers, health and personal care stores increased by 1.7%.
Meanwhile, sales decreased -0.3% at electronics and appliance stores, internet retailers -100%.
Americans may have also bought spring clothes early, as sales at clothing and clothing accessory stores climbed. However, the weather boost may end up taking away demand later this year, economists warn.
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Retail Sales by Category
(In millions $)
ADVANCE
MONTHLY SALES
( in millions $) |
Feb. 2025
adv. |
Jan. 2025
adv. |
Dec. 2024
adv. |
Nov. 2024
adv. |
Oct. 2024
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
|
722,708 |
721,300 |
730,300 |
725,925 |
719,676 |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
|
584,667 |
582,734 |
586,975 |
583,946 |
582,587 |
| Retail |
|
627,217 |
624,315 |
632,591 |
628,727 |
622,551 |
| GAFO |
|
531,822 |
529,357 |
534,268 |
532,358 |
531,115 |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers |
|
138,041 |
138,566 |
143,325 |
141,979 |
137,089 |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers |
|
126,385 |
127,091 |
131,646 |
130,327 |
125,690 |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
|
11,655 |
11,653 |
11,776 |
11,592 |
11,292 |
| Electronics & appliance stores |
|
7,544 |
7,569 |
7,692 |
7,711 |
7,599 |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Computer & software stores |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
|
40,106 |
40,009 |
40,679 |
41,284 |
42,077 |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
|
- |
34,643 |
35,283 |
36,060 |
36,774 |
| Food & beverage stores |
|
85,123 |
84,825 |
85,000 |
84,046 |
83,877 |
| Grocery stores |
|
76,383 |
76,071 |
76,036 |
75,169 |
75,063 |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
|
- |
6,080 |
6,234 |
6,207 |
6,190 |
| Health & personal care stores |
|
38,627 |
37,963 |
38,233 |
38,153 |
38,099 |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
|
- |
31,859 |
32,015 |
31,983 |
32,024 |
| Gasoline stations |
|
52,845 |
53,377 |
52,707 |
51,588 |
51,472 |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
|
26,368 |
26,531 |
26,663 |
26,341 |
26,380 |
| Men's clothing stores |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Women's clothing stores |
|
- |
3,021 |
3,025 |
3,049 |
2,951 |
| Shoe stores |
|
- |
3,035 |
3,213 |
3,149 |
3,082 |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
|
8,138 |
8,168 |
8,436 |
8,213 |
8,225 |
| General merchandise stores |
|
77,303 |
77,134 |
76,564 |
76,271 |
76,187 |
| Department stores ex. LD |
|
10,702 |
10,887 |
10,828 |
10,798 |
10,881 |
| Other general merchandise
stores |
|
- |
66,247 |
65,736 |
65,473 |
65,306 |
| Warehouse clubs & superstores |
|
- |
56,977 |
56,519 |
56,196 |
56,060 |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
|
- |
9,270 |
9,217 |
9,277 |
9,246 |
| Miscellaneous store retailers |
|
15,765 |
15,818 |
15,570 |
14,823 |
15,453 |
| Nonstore retailers |
|
- |
113,529 |
117,059 |
118,428 |
115,973 |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
|
- |
113,529 |
117,059 |
118,428 |
115,973 |
| Food services & drinking places |
|
95,491 |
96,985 |
97,709 |
97,198 |
97,125 |
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
( in % Y / Y) |
Feb. 2025
adv. |
Jan. 2025
adv. |
Dec. 2024
adv. |
Nov. 2024
adv. |
Oct. 2024
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
2.58 % |
3.53 % |
3.42 % |
2.83 % |
2.26 % |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
2.66 % |
3.16 % |
2.71 % |
2.27 % |
2.22 % |
| Retail |
2.63 % |
3.39 % |
3.41 % |
2.82 % |
1.96 % |
| GAFO |
3.07 % |
3.33 % |
3.11 % |
2.95 % |
3.36 % |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers
|
2.24 % |
5.11 % |
6.39 % |
5.16 % |
2.46 % |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers
|
2.25 % |
5.51 % |
6.84 % |
5.56 % |
2.76 % |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
8.8 % |
8.76 % |
7.96 % |
6.38 % |
6.11 % |
| Electronics & appliance stores
|
-2.39 % |
-1.19 % |
4.41 % |
0.12 % |
-3.61 % |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
|
|
|
|
| Computer & software stores
|
|
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| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
-1.24 % |
1.2 % |
-1.58 % |
-0.51 % |
1.52 % |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
- % |
2.15 % |
-0.69 % |
1.46 % |
3.57 % |
| Food & beverage stores |
2.99 % |
2.84 % |
2.21 % |
1.35 % |
1.41 % |
| Grocery stores |
3.05 % |
2.62 % |
1.96 % |
1.01 % |
1.1 % |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
- % |
2.44 % |
1.75 % |
2.66 % |
2.48 % |
| Health & personal care stores |
7.04 % |
5.11 % |
3.7 % |
2.26 % |
1.65 % |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
- % |
5.43 % |
4.37 % |
2.38 % |
1.87 % |
| Gasoline stations |
-1.26 % |
1.54 % |
-1.12 % |
-4.22 % |
-8.2 % |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
-0.36 % |
0.45 % |
0.22 % |
0.47 % |
1.58 % |
| Men's clothing stores |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Women's clothing stores |
- % |
-9.12 % |
-11.83 % |
-9.58 % |
-10.93 % |
| Shoe stores |
- % |
-5.86 % |
-2.28 % |
-2.27 % |
-4.46 % |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
-4.25 % |
-3.44 % |
-0.74 % |
-5.17 % |
-3.45 % |
| General merchandise stores
|
3.92 % |
4.93 % |
3.6 % |
4.39 % |
4.34 % |
| Department stores ex. LD |
-3.1 %
|
-1.75 %
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-1.02 %
|
1.76 %
|
0.72 %
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| Other general merchandise
stores |
- % |
6.11 % |
4.4 % |
4.84 % |
4.96 % |
| Warehouse clubs & superstores |
- % |
6.97 % |
4.85 % |
5.01 % |
5.08 % |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
- % |
1.09 % |
1.73 % |
3.79 % |
4.25 % |
| Miscellaneous store retailers
|
-0.25 % |
0.82 % |
-0.61 % |
-5.33 % |
-1.46 % |
| Nonstore retailers |
- % |
4 % |
6.57 % |
8.72 % |
8.01 % |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
- % |
4 % |
6.57 % |
8.72 % |
8.01 % |
| Food services & drinking places
|
2.29 % |
4.41 % |
3.45 % |
2.83 % |
4.23 % |
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
( in % M / M) |
Feb. 2025
adv. |
Jan. 2025
adv. |
Dec. 2024
adv. |
Nov. 2024
adv. |
Oct. 2024
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
0.2 % |
-1.23 % |
0.6 % |
0.87 % |
0.46 % |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
0.33 % |
-0.72 % |
0.52 % |
0.23 % |
0.15 % |
| Retail |
0.46 % |
-1.31 % |
0.61 % |
0.99 % |
0.39 % |
| GAFO |
0.47 % |
-0.92 % |
0.36 % |
0.23 % |
0.16 % |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers
|
-0.38 % |
-3.32 % |
0.95 % |
3.57 % |
1.77 % |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers
|
-0.56 % |
-3.46 % |
1.01 % |
3.69 % |
2.04 % |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
0.02 % |
-1.04 % |
1.59 % |
2.66 % |
-0.74 % |
| Electronics & appliance stores
|
-0.33 % |
-1.6 % |
-0.25 % |
1.47 % |
2.4 % |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
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| Computer & software stores
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| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
0.24 % |
-1.65 % |
-1.47 % |
-1.88 % |
0.8 % |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
- % |
-1.81 % |
-2.15 % |
-1.94 % |
0.79 % |
| Food & beverage stores |
0.35 % |
-0.21 % |
1.14 % |
0.2 % |
-0.1 % |
| Grocery stores |
0.41 % |
0.05 % |
1.15 % |
0.14 % |
-0.1 % |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
- % |
-2.47 % |
0.43 % |
0.27 % |
0.13 % |
| Health & personal care stores |
1.75 % |
-0.71 % |
0.21 % |
0.14 % |
-1.15 % |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
- % |
-0.49 % |
0.1 % |
-0.13 % |
-1.32 % |
| Gasoline stations |
-1 % |
1.27 % |
2.17 % |
0.23 % |
0.12 % |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
-0.61 % |
-0.5 % |
1.22 % |
-0.15 % |
0.44 % |
| Men's clothing stores |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Women's clothing stores |
- % |
-0.13 % |
-0.79 % |
3.32 % |
0.17 % |
| Shoe stores |
- % |
-5.54 % |
2.03 % |
2.17 % |
0.16 % |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
-0.37 % |
-3.18 % |
2.72 % |
-0.15 % |
-0.59 % |
| General merchandise stores
|
0.22 % |
0.74 % |
0.38 % |
0.11 % |
-0 % |
| Department stores ex. LD |
-1.7 % |
0.54 % |
0.28 % |
-0.76 % |
-0.06 % |
| Other general merchandise
stores |
- % |
0.78 % |
0.4 % |
0.26 % |
0 % |
| Warehouse clubs &
superstores |
- % |
0.81 % |
0.57 % |
0.24 % |
-0.03 % |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
- % |
0.58 % |
-0.65 % |
0.34 % |
0.24 % |
| Miscellaneous store retailers
|
-0.34 % |
1.59 % |
5.04 % |
-4.08 % |
-0.83 % |
| Nonstore retailers |
- % |
-3.02 % |
-1.16 % |
2.12 % |
0.03 % |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
- % |
-3.02 % |
-1.16 % |
2.12 % |
0.03 % |
| Food services & drinking places
|
-1.54 % |
-0.74 % |
0.53 % |
0.08 % |
0.87 % |
Source: Department of Commerce
• Census.gov
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