NAICS 444 sales are down year-over-year

Of the year-over-year sales of the 13 major retail classifications in May, NAICS 444 performed near the bottom of the list. Leading the way were “Miscellaneous stores” and “Nonstore retailers,” up 7.3 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively.

On a monthly basis, the retail sector with the best performance in May was “Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, & book stores,” up 2.8 percent.

The data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows the consumer is “reasonably healthy,” according to the National Retail Federation.

“May’s retail sales give us a snapshot of a reasonably healthy consumer even though spending growth is fluctuating somewhat,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “These numbers indicate that the economy continues to expand at a solid pace. Job gains have remained strong, generally supporting consumers’ ability and willingness to spend. Inflation pressure has fallen, especially for retail goods, but higher prices for services continue to weigh on the minds of households.”