HomeDashboardInventory to sales

Analysis 03 of 10Operations

How much stock do US retailers hold?

How many months of sales do US retailers hold as inventory, and where does today sit against the record since 1992?

The short answer In July 2026 US retailers held 1.27 months of sales as inventory (preliminary), against 1.28 a year earlier. That is lean for the series: the ratio was at or below 1.27 in only 46 of the 415 months since January 1992. The record low was 1.09 in June 2021 and the high 1.75 in April 1995, and every year since 2020 has averaged below the 2015 to 2019 level.

  • Public data, not my business
  • July 2026 preliminary
  • Census revision due Oct 15, 2026
Source
US Census Bureau, Manufacturing and Trade Inventories and Sales (MTIS), via FRED (RETAILIRSA, ISRATIO)
Period
Jan 1992 to Jul 2026 (415 months)
Licence
Public domain, citation requested (FRED)
Charts
5, each with its data table and CSV

Key figures

  • 1.27Retail inventories to salesJuly 2026, preliminary; 1.28 a year earlier
  • 1.30Total business ratioJuly 2026; 1.37 a year earlier
  • 1.75Series high, retailApril 1995
  • 1.09Series low, retailJune 2021
  • 1.472015 to 2019 average, retailBefore the pandemic

The charts

Chart 1Lead chart · long-run trend

Retailers hold less stock per dollar of sales than they did in the 1990s.

How many months of sales do US retailers keep on hand, and how has that moved?

The retail ratio drifted down from 1.75 in April 1995 to annual averages of 1.43 to 1.49 from 2014 to 2019, jumped to 1.68 in April 2020, hit a record low of 1.09 in June 2021 and has stayed below 1.35 since. July 2026 is preliminary.
Download CSV

Census MTIS via FRED · public data, not my business

Ratio since 1992: 415 rows. RETAILIRSA and ISRATIO from FRED, seasonally adjusted, as stored in inventory_sales_ratio.json. A ratio of 1.27 means about 1.27 months of sales held as inventory.
MonthRetailersTotal business
1992-011.651.56
1992-021.661.56
1992-031.671.53
1992-041.681.53
1992-051.681.52
1992-061.681.52
1992-071.691.51
1992-081.691.53
1992-091.671.51
1992-101.661.51
1992-111.671.51
1992-121.681.51
1993-011.671.5
1993-021.71.5
1993-031.731.52
1993-041.691.51
1993-051.681.49
1993-061.691.5
1993-071.671.5
1993-081.671.5
1993-091.671.49
1993-101.671.48
1993-111.661.49
1993-121.661.49
1994-011.661.48
1994-021.651.47
1994-031.621.46
1994-041.631.46
1994-051.671.47
1994-061.671.47
1994-071.671.47
1994-081.671.45
1994-091.671.46
1994-101.671.45
1994-111.671.45
1994-121.681.44
1995-011.691.45
1995-021.731.46
1995-031.731.48
1995-041.751.48
1995-051.731.49
1995-061.711.48
1995-071.721.49
1995-081.711.48
1995-091.711.47
1995-101.731.49
1995-111.721.48
1995-121.71.45
1996-011.71.5
1996-021.681.5
1996-031.671.46
1996-041.651.46
1996-051.651.45
1996-061.671.44
1996-071.681.45
1996-081.691.45
1996-091.671.44
1996-101.661.44
1996-111.661.43
1996-121.661.43
1997-011.641.43
1997-021.641.41
1997-031.621.4
1997-041.661.41
1997-051.661.42
1997-061.651.42
1997-071.641.41
1997-081.641.41
1997-091.641.41
1997-101.641.42
1997-111.651.41
1997-121.641.42
1998-011.641.43
1998-021.651.42
1998-031.651.43
1998-041.631.43
1998-051.611.43
1998-061.61.44
1998-071.621.45
1998-081.631.44
1998-091.631.44
1998-101.611.43
1998-111.611.43
1998-121.61.42
1999-011.611.42
1999-021.61.41
1999-031.61.42
1999-041.61.42
1999-051.61.4
1999-061.61.4
1999-071.591.4
1999-081.581.39
1999-091.581.39
1999-101.591.39
1999-111.581.39
1999-121.561.39
2000-011.581.38
2000-021.561.4
2000-031.541.38
2000-041.591.39
2000-051.591.4
2000-061.591.4
2000-071.611.41
2000-081.611.42
2000-091.591.4
2000-101.611.42
2000-111.621.43
2000-121.631.42
2001-011.611.43
2001-021.61.42
2001-031.611.44
2001-041.581.45
2001-051.581.43
2001-061.581.44
2001-071.591.43
2001-081.591.42
2001-091.641.44
2001-101.471.39
2001-111.511.39
2001-121.541.39
2002-011.541.39
2002-021.541.37
2002-031.541.37
2002-041.521.35
2002-051.551.35
2002-061.551.35
2002-071.541.35
2002-081.531.34
2002-091.581.36
2002-101.571.36
2002-111.581.35
2002-121.561.37
2003-011.561.35
2003-021.591.36
2003-031.591.35
2003-041.581.37
2003-051.581.37
2003-061.561.34
2003-071.541.33
2003-081.521.32
2003-091.541.31
2003-101.551.31
2003-111.561.31
2003-121.551.31
2004-011.551.31
2004-021.551.3
2004-031.541.28
2004-041.571.29
2004-051.551.29
2004-061.581.3
2004-071.581.31
2004-081.591.31
2004-091.551.3
2004-101.551.29
2004-111.551.29
2004-121.531.28
2005-011.561.29
2005-021.541.29
2005-031.541.29
2005-041.531.28
2005-051.541.29
2005-061.481.27
2005-071.441.26
2005-081.471.26
2005-091.481.25
2005-101.491.25
2005-111.491.25
2005-121.51.25
2006-011.471.25
2006-021.481.25
2006-031.491.26
2006-041.481.27
2006-051.51.27
2006-061.51.27
2006-071.51.29
2006-081.491.28
2006-091.51.31
2006-101.51.32
2006-111.491.31
2006-121.491.28
2007-011.491.3
2007-021.491.29
2007-031.471.28
2007-041.491.28
2007-051.471.27
2007-061.51.28
2007-071.51.29
2007-081.491.28
2007-091.491.28
2007-101.481.27
2007-111.461.26
2007-121.491.28
2008-011.481.27
2008-021.51.28
2008-031.481.28
2008-041.491.26
2008-051.471.26
2008-061.471.25
2008-071.481.26
2008-081.491.29
2008-091.511.31
2008-101.561.36
2008-111.611.44
2008-121.621.47
2009-011.571.48
2009-021.551.45
2009-031.571.47
2009-041.541.45
2009-051.51.43
2009-061.451.38
2009-071.421.36
2009-081.371.32
2009-091.411.31
2009-101.41.31
2009-111.41.29
2009-121.391.28
2010-011.391.27
2010-021.41.28
2010-031.371.26
2010-041.361.25
2010-051.381.26
2010-061.391.27
2010-071.41.27
2010-081.411.27
2010-091.411.28
2010-101.391.27
2010-111.381.27
2010-121.371.27
2011-011.371.25
2011-021.351.26
2011-031.351.24
2011-041.351.25
2011-051.361.27
2011-061.351.27
2011-071.351.26
2011-081.361.26
2011-091.341.26
2011-101.341.26
2011-111.341.26
2011-121.341.26
2012-011.341.25
2012-021.331.25
2012-031.341.25
2012-041.361.26
2012-051.371.27
2012-061.41.29
2012-071.41.3
2012-081.391.29
2012-091.381.29
2012-101.391.29
2012-111.381.28
2012-121.391.29
2013-011.391.29
2013-021.381.27
2013-031.391.29
2013-041.41.3
2013-051.41.28
2013-061.41.29
2013-071.41.29
2013-081.411.29
2013-091.421.3
2013-101.431.3
2013-111.451.29
2013-121.451.3
2014-011.461.31
2014-021.441.31
2014-031.431.3
2014-041.411.3
2014-051.421.3
2014-061.421.31
2014-071.431.3
2014-081.421.31
2014-091.431.31
2014-101.431.32
2014-111.431.34
2014-121.451.35
2015-011.451.38
2015-021.461.39
2015-031.441.38
2015-041.451.38
2015-051.441.38
2015-061.451.38
2015-071.441.38
2015-081.451.4
2015-091.471.4
2015-101.481.41
2015-111.481.41
2015-121.481.43
2016-011.51.43
2016-021.491.43
2016-031.511.43
2016-041.51.43
2016-051.51.43
2016-061.491.41
2016-071.491.42
2016-081.491.42
2016-091.491.41
2016-101.491.41
2016-111.51.42
2016-121.481.39
2017-011.471.39
2017-021.471.39
2017-031.481.39
2017-041.481.39
2017-051.491.4
2017-061.491.4
2017-071.491.4
2017-081.51.4
2017-091.451.38
2017-101.451.37
2017-111.441.36
2017-121.441.35
2018-011.451.37
2018-021.451.37
2018-031.451.36
2018-041.451.36
2018-051.441.34
2018-061.451.35
2018-071.441.35
2018-081.451.35
2018-091.461.36
2018-101.461.36
2018-111.441.37
2018-121.491.4
2019-011.51.41
2019-021.51.41
2019-031.471.4
2019-041.481.41
2019-051.461.41
2019-061.461.42
2019-071.461.42
2019-081.451.42
2019-091.461.43
2019-101.461.44
2019-111.441.43
2019-121.431.43
2020-011.441.43
2020-021.431.43
2020-031.541.51
2020-041.681.74
2020-051.331.56
2020-061.211.42
2020-071.211.37
2020-081.221.36
2020-091.221.36
2020-101.241.36
2020-111.261.36
2020-121.261.34
2021-011.221.31
2021-021.251.34
2021-031.121.28
2021-041.11.26
2021-051.11.27
2021-061.091.26
2021-071.131.27
2021-081.131.28
2021-091.121.29
2021-101.111.28
2021-111.121.28
2021-121.181.31
2022-011.191.3
2022-021.21.31
2022-031.211.31
2022-041.21.32
2022-051.221.34
2022-061.221.34
2022-071.251.37
2022-081.251.38
2022-091.251.39
2022-101.241.39
2022-111.261.41
2022-121.281.43
2023-011.241.4
2023-021.251.41
2023-031.281.43
2023-041.271.42
2023-051.271.42
2023-061.271.42
2023-071.261.41
2023-081.261.4
2023-091.261.38
2023-101.271.4
2023-111.271.4
2023-121.281.4
2024-011.31.41
2024-021.31.4
2024-031.291.4
2024-041.31.4
2024-051.31.41
2024-061.321.41
2024-071.311.4
2024-081.331.41
2024-091.331.4
2024-101.321.41
2024-111.311.4
2024-121.31.39
2025-011.311.4
2025-021.311.39
2025-031.291.38
2025-041.291.38
2025-051.311.39
2025-061.31.39
2025-071.281.37
2025-081.281.37
2025-091.281.37
2025-101.291.38
2025-111.281.37
2025-121.281.36
2026-011.281.35
2026-021.271.33
2026-031.261.32
2026-041.261.3
2026-051.261.28
2026-061.251.3
2026-071.271.3

Chart 2Year-over-year change

The sharpest moves came in April 2020 and April 2021.

How quickly does the ratio change from one year to the next?

Each bar is a month's retail ratio minus the same month a year earlier. The largest rise was +0.2 in April 2020 and the largest fall -0.58 in April 2021.
Download CSV

Census MTIS via FRED · public data, not my business

Year over year: 403 rows. Computed on this page from the retail column: each month minus the same month one year earlier (the ratio is published to 0.01).
MonthChange from a year earlier
1993-010.02
1993-020.04
1993-030.06
1993-040.01
1993-050
1993-060.01
1993-07-0.02
1993-08-0.02
1993-090
1993-100.01
1993-11-0.01
1993-12-0.02
1994-01-0.01
1994-02-0.05
1994-03-0.11
1994-04-0.06
1994-05-0.01
1994-06-0.02
1994-070
1994-080
1994-090
1994-100
1994-110.01
1994-120.02
1995-010.03
1995-020.08
1995-030.11
1995-040.12
1995-050.06
1995-060.04
1995-070.05
1995-080.04
1995-090.04
1995-100.06
1995-110.05
1995-120.02
1996-010.01
1996-02-0.05
1996-03-0.06
1996-04-0.1
1996-05-0.08
1996-06-0.04
1996-07-0.04
1996-08-0.02
1996-09-0.04
1996-10-0.07
1996-11-0.06
1996-12-0.04
1997-01-0.06
1997-02-0.04
1997-03-0.05
1997-040.01
1997-050.01
1997-06-0.02
1997-07-0.04
1997-08-0.05
1997-09-0.03
1997-10-0.02
1997-11-0.01
1997-12-0.02
1998-010
1998-020.01
1998-030.03
1998-04-0.03
1998-05-0.05
1998-06-0.05
1998-07-0.02
1998-08-0.01
1998-09-0.01
1998-10-0.03
1998-11-0.04
1998-12-0.04
1999-01-0.03
1999-02-0.05
1999-03-0.05
1999-04-0.03
1999-05-0.01
1999-060
1999-07-0.03
1999-08-0.05
1999-09-0.05
1999-10-0.02
1999-11-0.03
1999-12-0.04
2000-01-0.03
2000-02-0.04
2000-03-0.06
2000-04-0.01
2000-05-0.01
2000-06-0.01
2000-070.02
2000-080.03
2000-090.01
2000-100.02
2000-110.04
2000-120.07
2001-010.03
2001-020.04
2001-030.07
2001-04-0.01
2001-05-0.01
2001-06-0.01
2001-07-0.02
2001-08-0.02
2001-090.05
2001-10-0.14
2001-11-0.11
2001-12-0.09
2002-01-0.07
2002-02-0.06
2002-03-0.07
2002-04-0.06
2002-05-0.03
2002-06-0.03
2002-07-0.05
2002-08-0.06
2002-09-0.06
2002-100.1
2002-110.07
2002-120.02
2003-010.02
2003-020.05
2003-030.05
2003-040.06
2003-050.03
2003-060.01
2003-070
2003-08-0.01
2003-09-0.04
2003-10-0.02
2003-11-0.02
2003-12-0.01
2004-01-0.01
2004-02-0.04
2004-03-0.05
2004-04-0.01
2004-05-0.03
2004-060.02
2004-070.04
2004-080.07
2004-090.01
2004-100
2004-11-0.01
2004-12-0.02
2005-010.01
2005-02-0.01
2005-030
2005-04-0.04
2005-05-0.01
2005-06-0.1
2005-07-0.14
2005-08-0.12
2005-09-0.07
2005-10-0.06
2005-11-0.06
2005-12-0.03
2006-01-0.09
2006-02-0.06
2006-03-0.05
2006-04-0.05
2006-05-0.04
2006-060.02
2006-070.06
2006-080.02
2006-090.02
2006-100.01
2006-110
2006-12-0.01
2007-010.02
2007-020.01
2007-03-0.02
2007-040.01
2007-05-0.03
2007-060
2007-070
2007-080
2007-09-0.01
2007-10-0.02
2007-11-0.03
2007-120
2008-01-0.01
2008-020.01
2008-030.01
2008-040
2008-050
2008-06-0.03
2008-07-0.02
2008-080
2008-090.02
2008-100.08
2008-110.15
2008-120.13
2009-010.09
2009-020.05
2009-030.09
2009-040.05
2009-050.03
2009-06-0.02
2009-07-0.06
2009-08-0.12
2009-09-0.1
2009-10-0.16
2009-11-0.21
2009-12-0.23
2010-01-0.18
2010-02-0.15
2010-03-0.2
2010-04-0.18
2010-05-0.12
2010-06-0.06
2010-07-0.02
2010-080.04
2010-090
2010-10-0.01
2010-11-0.02
2010-12-0.02
2011-01-0.02
2011-02-0.05
2011-03-0.02
2011-04-0.01
2011-05-0.02
2011-06-0.04
2011-07-0.05
2011-08-0.05
2011-09-0.07
2011-10-0.05
2011-11-0.04
2011-12-0.03
2012-01-0.03
2012-02-0.02
2012-03-0.01
2012-040.01
2012-050.01
2012-060.05
2012-070.05
2012-080.03
2012-090.04
2012-100.05
2012-110.04
2012-120.05
2013-010.05
2013-020.05
2013-030.05
2013-040.04
2013-050.03
2013-060
2013-070
2013-080.02
2013-090.04
2013-100.04
2013-110.07
2013-120.06
2014-010.07
2014-020.06
2014-030.04
2014-040.01
2014-050.02
2014-060.02
2014-070.03
2014-080.01
2014-090.01
2014-100
2014-11-0.02
2014-120
2015-01-0.01
2015-020.02
2015-030.01
2015-040.04
2015-050.02
2015-060.03
2015-070.01
2015-080.03
2015-090.04
2015-100.05
2015-110.05
2015-120.03
2016-010.05
2016-020.03
2016-030.07
2016-040.05
2016-050.06
2016-060.04
2016-070.05
2016-080.04
2016-090.02
2016-100.01
2016-110.02
2016-120
2017-01-0.03
2017-02-0.02
2017-03-0.03
2017-04-0.02
2017-05-0.01
2017-060
2017-070
2017-080.01
2017-09-0.04
2017-10-0.04
2017-11-0.06
2017-12-0.04
2018-01-0.02
2018-02-0.02
2018-03-0.03
2018-04-0.03
2018-05-0.05
2018-06-0.04
2018-07-0.05
2018-08-0.05
2018-090.01
2018-100.01
2018-110
2018-120.05
2019-010.05
2019-020.05
2019-030.02
2019-040.03
2019-050.02
2019-060.01
2019-070.02
2019-080
2019-090
2019-100
2019-110
2019-12-0.06
2020-01-0.06
2020-02-0.07
2020-030.07
2020-040.2
2020-05-0.13
2020-06-0.25
2020-07-0.25
2020-08-0.23
2020-09-0.24
2020-10-0.22
2020-11-0.18
2020-12-0.17
2021-01-0.22
2021-02-0.18
2021-03-0.42
2021-04-0.58
2021-05-0.23
2021-06-0.12
2021-07-0.08
2021-08-0.09
2021-09-0.1
2021-10-0.13
2021-11-0.14
2021-12-0.08
2022-01-0.03
2022-02-0.05
2022-030.09
2022-040.1
2022-050.12
2022-060.13
2022-070.12
2022-080.12
2022-090.13
2022-100.13
2022-110.14
2022-120.1
2023-010.05
2023-020.05
2023-030.07
2023-040.07
2023-050.05
2023-060.05
2023-070.01
2023-080.01
2023-090.01
2023-100.03
2023-110.01
2023-120
2024-010.06
2024-020.05
2024-030.01
2024-040.03
2024-050.03
2024-060.05
2024-070.05
2024-080.07
2024-090.07
2024-100.05
2024-110.04
2024-120.02
2025-010.01
2025-020.01
2025-030
2025-04-0.01
2025-050.01
2025-06-0.02
2025-07-0.03
2025-08-0.05
2025-09-0.05
2025-10-0.03
2025-11-0.03
2025-12-0.02
2026-01-0.03
2026-02-0.04
2026-03-0.03
2026-04-0.03
2026-05-0.05
2026-06-0.05
2026-07-0.01

Chart 3Distribution

Only 46 of 415 months were as lean as July 2026.

Is 1.27 high or low for US retail?

Each bar counts the months whose retail ratio fell in that range. The ratio was at or below 1.27 in 46 of the 415 months since January 1992; the highlighted bar holds July 2026.
Download CSV

Census MTIS via FRED · public data, not my business

Where today sits: 15 rows. Computed on this page: the 415 monthly retail values counted into bins of 0.05 (lower bound included).
Retail ratio rangeMonths
1.05 to 1.091
1.10 to 1.148
1.15 to 1.192
1.20 to 1.2413
1.25 to 1.2935
1.30 to 1.3423
1.35 to 1.3928
1.40 to 1.4440
1.45 to 1.4977
1.50 to 1.5439
1.55 to 1.5947
1.60 to 1.6437
1.65 to 1.6951
1.70 to 1.7413
1.75 to 1.791

Chart 4Ranking by year

Every year since 2020 averaged below the 2015 to 2019 level of 1.47.

Has the lean stock since 2021 become the norm?

Annual average of the monthly retail ratio, against the 2015 to 2019 average of 1.47 stored in the file. 2021 was the leanest year; 2026 covers January to July only.
Download CSV

Census MTIS via FRED · public data, not my business

Annual average: 35 rows. Computed on this page: mean of the monthly retail values in each calendar year, rounded to 0.01. The 2015 to 2019 average is the file's retail_avg_2015_to_2019.
YearAverage retail ratioMonths
19921.6712
19931.6812
19941.6612
19951.7212
19961.6712
19971.6412
19981.6212
19991.5912
20001.5912
20011.5812
20021.5512
20031.5612
20041.5612
20051.5012
20061.4912
20071.4912
20081.5112
20091.4612
20101.3912
20111.3512
20121.3712
20131.4112
20141.4312
20151.4612
20161.4912
20171.4712
20181.4512
20191.4612
20201.3412
20211.1412
20221.2312
20231.2612
20241.3112
20251.2912
20261.267

Chart 5Recent detail

Retail has held between 1.25 and 1.33 for three years.

What has happened most recently?

The latest reading is 1.27 for retailers (July 2026, preliminary) and 1.3 for total business, against 1.28 and 1.37 a year earlier. Census revises retail on Oct 15, 2026.
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Census MTIS via FRED · public data, not my business

Last 36 months: 36 rows. The last 36 rows of chart 1.
MonthRetailersTotal business
2023-081.261.4
2023-091.261.38
2023-101.271.4
2023-111.271.4
2023-121.281.4
2024-011.31.41
2024-021.31.4
2024-031.291.4
2024-041.31.4
2024-051.31.41
2024-061.321.41
2024-071.311.4
2024-081.331.41
2024-091.331.4
2024-101.321.41
2024-111.311.4
2024-121.31.39
2025-011.311.4
2025-021.311.39
2025-031.291.38
2025-041.291.38
2025-051.311.39
2025-061.31.39
2025-071.281.37
2025-081.281.37
2025-091.281.37
2025-101.291.38
2025-111.281.37
2025-121.281.36
2026-011.281.35
2026-021.271.33
2026-031.261.32
2026-041.261.3
2026-051.261.28
2026-061.251.3
2026-071.271.3

01Findings

What the charts say.

  1. The retail ratio fell from 1.75 (April 1995) to a record low of 1.09 (June 2021); at 1.27 it is still well under the 1990s and 2010s levels.

    Chart 1

  2. The largest year-over-year rise in the series was +0.2 (April 2020) and the largest fall -0.58 (April 2021).

    Chart 2

  3. July 2026 is in the lean tail: 46 of 415 months were at or below 1.27.

    Chart 3

  4. Every year from 2020 on averaged below the 2015 to 2019 level of 1.47, so leaner stock looks like the new normal, not a blip.

    Chart 4 Chart 5

02Method

How the figures were built.

Steps

  1. No API key. fredgraph.csv for each series id (columns observation_date and the series id), every row kept, none dropped (415 monthly rows each, no gaps, identical month sets). Cross-checks: (1) all 415 months of both ratios equal the Census adjusted time series workbook (sheet Inventories to Sales Ratios, columns Total Business and Total Retail Trade, 0 differences); (2) the total-business ratio for July 2026 (1.30) and July 2025 (1.37) equal the values quoted in the Census MTIS press release text.
  2. Ratio of end-of-month inventories to that month's sales, seasonally adjusted (a ratio of 1.25 means about 1.25 months of sales held as inventory).

415 months each for the two series, Jan 1992 to Jul 2026 (415 months), no gaps. Every derived figure on this page (changes, indexes, averages, counts) is computed from the published rows, and the table under each chart says how.

Checks

  • A fresh re-run gives a series identical to the stored file (415 rows).
  • All 415 months of both ratios equal the Census workbook timeseries1.xlsx (sheet Inventories to Sales Ratios), not only FRED's copy: 0 differences.
  • The latest and prior-year values equal the Census press release text (total business 1.30 and 1.37) and the report PDF table (retail 1.27 July 2026, 1.25 June, 1.28 July 2025).
  • Spot check by the reviewer: FRED RETAILIRSA for July 2026 is 1.27.

Where the data comes from

This series is not in Live SQL. The data file behind every chart is data/analyses/inventory_sales_ratio.json, built by data/analyses/scripts/build_inventory_sales_ratio.py from the source downloads.

Caveats

  • Seasonally adjusted, end-of-period ratios; the retailers series is the Census retail trade total (including motor vehicle and parts dealers), not e-commerce only and not any one company. The total business series is retailers plus manufacturers plus merchant wholesalers. Recent months are revised (July 2026 is preliminary, June 2026 revised): Census says revised retail estimates (revised not adjusted figures were scheduled for September 28, 2026) are to be reflected in the August 2026 release scheduled for October 15, 2026, so the values here, which come from the September 16, 2026 release, may change. Retail estimates cover businesses with paid employees only; before the April 2025 benchmark report they also included nonemployers.

Releases and revisions

  • Census MTIS release dated Wednesday, September 16, 2026 (July 2026 data); FRED shows the series updated Sep 16, 2026 9:02 AM CDT, next release Oct 15, 2026.
  • Intention to Revise - Monthly retail and monthly wholesale estimates are anticipated to be revised based on historical corrections and the results of the 2023 and 2024 Annual Integrated Economic Survey. Revised not adjusted estimates and corresponding adjusted estimates are tentatively scheduled for release on September 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026, respectively. Revisions to the retail estimates are anticipated to be reflected in the August 2026 MTIS release scheduled for October 15, 2026. Revisions to the wholesale estimates are anticipated to be reflected in the September 2026 MTIS release scheduled for November 17, 2026.

03Sources

Sources and licence.

FRED lists both series as Public Domain: Citation Requested. Suggested citation: U.S. Census Bureau, Retailers: Inventories to Sales Ratio [RETAILIRSA], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Public data, not my business.

Download the chart data

Each CSV is made in your browser from the rows in that chart's table.

All ten analyses on the Dashboard

04Contact

Want this kind of breakdown on your own data?

Open to e-commerce, data and operations roles. Los Angeles or remote.

zacharybhenley@gmail.com Book a 30-minute call