Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau reported on April 1, 2026, that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for February 2026 totaled $738.4 billion. This figure represents a 0.6 percent increase from the previous month, January 2026, and a 3.7 percent rise compared to February 2025. These estimates are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences but do not account for price changes.
Total sales for the three-month period from December 2025 through February 2026 were up 3.1 percent from the same period a year ago. The previously reported month-over-month change for December 2025 to January 2026 was revised from a decline of 0.2 percent to a smaller decrease of 0.1 percent.
Within the broader retail and food services sector, retail trade sales alone also saw an increase, advancing 0.6 percent from January 2026 and climbing 3.5 percent from February 2025. Several specific sectors demonstrated notable performance. Nonstore retailers experienced a significant 7.5 percent increase from the previous year. Food services and drinking places also showed robust growth, with sales up 5.2 percent from February 2025.
Further granular data revealed varied performance across other retail categories in February 2026. Sales of motor vehicles and parts dealers jumped 1.2 percent month-over-month, marking their first monthly gain in three months. Health and personal care stores saw a substantial 2.3 percent month-over-month increase, their first monthly gain in five months. Clothing store sales rose 2.0 percent, while department store sales gained 3.0 percent on a monthly basis.
Conversely, some sectors experienced declines. Food sales slumped 1.0 percent month-over-month in February, their first monthly decline in three months. Furniture and home furnishings store sales also decreased by 1.0 percent. In other areas, sales of electronics and appliance stores rose 0.5 percent, building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers increased 0.4 percent, and gasoline stations saw a 0.9 percent rise month-over-month.
The U.S. Census Bureau's Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services report provides early estimates based on a subsample of its full retail and food services sample, offering a timely indicator of consumer spending activity.