CER Weekly Press Release 2-16-12

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: February 16, 2012

 

Dr. Robert Carreira

Director, Center for Economic Research

Cochise College

901 N. Colombo Ave.

Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

 

Phone: 520-515-5486

Email: cer@cochise.edu

 

 

Local sales fall in December    

 

Inflation-adjusted sales in Cochise County's retail, accommodation, and restaurant and bar industries fell in December, compared to December 2010.

 

Countywide retail sales in December were down 3.1 percent after adjusting for the effects of inflation. For the year, retail sales countywide were down 1.2 percent in 2011. Retail sales have been down in 9 of the past 16 months.

 

Countywide restaurant and bar sales were down 2.7 percent in December. In 2011, sales were down 0.2 percent compared to 2010. Despite the overall decline, sales have been up in 10 of the most recent 16 months.

 

Cochise County's accommodation industry saw a 19.2 percent decrease in sales in December, following the inflation adjustment. Accommodation sales include hotel, motel, RV Park, and other temporary lodging stays of less than 30 days. Countywide accommodation sales were down 13.1 percent in 2011, compared to 2010. Sales have been down in 13 of the past 15 months. 

 

At the city level, restaurant and bar receipts in Benson were down 2.3 percent in December. For the year, sales in 2011 were down 11.1 percent compared to 2010. Sales have been down in 17 of the most recent 18 months.

 

Benson's accommodation receipts in December were up 28.5 percent. In 2011, annual sales were down 6.1 percent. Sales have been down in 11 of the most recent 14 months.

 

Retail sales data are not available for Benson. Retail sales tax revenue for sales occurring in December, however, was up 1.8 percent (unadjusted) when compared to December a year prior. In 2011, retail sales tax revenue was down 5.6 percent (unadjusted) compared to 2010. 

 

Retail sales in Bisbee were down 18 percent in December compared to December 2010. In 2011, sales for the year were up 5.6 percent. Sales have been up in 10 of the most recent 15 months, largely due to the opening of the new ACE Hardware store in late 2010. Beginning in November 2011, monthly sales comparisons now reflect prior year ACE sales. Other things equal, this will eliminate strong sales growth rates seen since November 2010.

 

Bisbee's restaurant and bar sales were down 29.5 percent in December. Sales were down 8.8 percent for the year. Sales have been down in 3 of the past 5 months.

 

Bisbee's accommodation receipts were up 61.1percent in December. In 2011, sales were down 2.7 percent for the year. Sales have been down in 6 of the most recent 11 months.

 

In Douglas, restaurant and bar sales were up 19.8 percent in December. For the year, sales in 2011 were up 12.9 percent. Sales have been up in 12 of the most recent 18 months. The strong performance is likely attributable, in part, to the deployment of National Guard troops to the area to assist in border security, along with an increased Border Patrol presence. Another factor might be increased tax enforcement and compliance as the city took over its own sales tax collection in late 2010.

 

Retail and accommodation sales data are not available for Douglas. Retail sales tax revenue for sales occurring in December, however, was down 2 percent (unadjusted) compared to December a year prior. In 2011, retail sales tax revenue for the year was up 5.5 percent (unadjusted) compared to 2010.

 

In Huachuca City, retail sales were down 30.4 percent in December, compared to December a year prior. For the year, sales were up 1.2 percent compared to 2010. Sales have been up in 6 of the past 10 months. Accommodation and restaurant and bar sales data are not available for Huachuca City.

 

In Sierra Vista, retail sales were down 19.7 percent in December. In 2011, sales were down 5.5 percent compared to 2010. Sales have been down in 12 of the past 17 months.

 

Sierra Vista's restaurant and bar sales were down 2.7 percent in December. For the year, sales were up 2.8 percent compared to 2010. The city's restaurant and bar sales have been up in 5 of the past 11 months.

 

Sierra Vista's accommodation sales were down 19.3 percent in December. In 2011, sales for the year were down 10.1 percent. Sales have been down in 9 of the most recent 11 months.

 

In Tombstone, retail sales were up 17.2 percent in December. For the year, sales were up 1.8 percent. Tombstone's retail sales have been up in 7 of the past 15 months. 

 

Tombstone's restaurant and bar sales were down 11 percent in December. For the year, sales were down 13.2 percent. Sales have been down in 7 of the past 9 months.

 

Accommodation receipts in Tombstone were down 5.9 percent in December. Annual sales for 2011 were down 5.3 percent. Sales have been down in 13 of the most recent 19 months.

 

In Willcox, restaurant and bar sales were up 2 percent in December. In 2011, annual sales were down 10.8 percent compared to 2010. Sales have been down in 13 of the past 19 months.

 

Accommodation receipts in Willcox were up 3 percent in December. Annual sales in 2011 were up 15.2 percent. Sales have been up in 12 of the past 15 months.

 

Retail sales data are not available for Willcox. Unadjusted retail sales tax revenue, however, was down 3.7 percent for sales occurring in December. For the year, retail sales tax revenue was up 19.3 percent (unadjusted) compared to 2010.

 

Dr. Robert Carreira is director of the Center for Economic Research at Cochise College. If you have any questions on the economy, please contact the CER at (520) 515-5486 or by email at cer@cochise.edu. Check out the CER's website at www.cochise.edu/cer. 

 

 

 

COCHISE COUNTY SALES
	December 2011	December 2010	% Change	Inflation-adjusted Growth*	YTD 2011	YTD 2010	Annual % Change	Annual Inflation-adjusted Growth*
Cochise County
Retail	$78,415,014	$78,550,826	-0.2%	-3.1%	$738,394,565	$724,134,017	2.0%	-1.2%
Restaurant & Bar	$11,145,383	$11,120,600	0.2%	-2.7%	$134,364,426	$130,507,965	3.0%	-0.2%
Accommodation	$2,731,617	$3,261,973	-16.3%	-19.2%	$40,863,664	$45,357,394	-9.9%	-13.1%
Benson
Restaurant & Bar	$1,051,080	$1,044,600	0.6%	-2.3%	$11,112,520	$12,075,640	-8.0%	-11.1%
Accommodation	$313,000	$238,022	31.5%	28.5%	$4,109,489	$4,233,889	-2.9%	-6.1%
Bisbee
Retail	$2,958,320	$3,482,200	-15.0%	-18.0%	$35,498,280	$32,640,080	8.8%	5.6%
Restaurant & Bar	$502,160	$683,640	-26.5%	-29.5%	$6,878,240	$7,292,640	-5.7%	-8.8%
Accommodation	$148,800	$90,700	64.1%	61.1%	$1,703,320	$1,694,920	0.5%	-2.7%
Douglas
Restaurant & Bar	$1,398,536	$1,139,071	22.8%	19.8%	$14,518,429	$12,504,429	16.1%	12.9%
Huachuca City
Retail	$377,800	$520,800	-27.5%	-30.4%	$4,050,267	$3,882,067	4.3%	1.2%
Sierra Vista
Retail	$51,201,600	$61,465,886	-16.7%	-19.7%	$495,431,943	$507,068,457	-2.3%	-5.5%
Restaurant & Bar	$6,054,385	$6,037,615	0.3%	-2.7%	$74,541,692	$70,375,231	5.9%	2.8%
Accommodation	$1,523,764	$1,820,436	-16.3%	-19.3%	$23,581,436	$25,337,345	-6.9%	-10.1%
Tombstone
Retail	$667,440	$555,440	20.2%	17.2%	$8,914,280	$8,490,560	5.0%	1.8%
Restaurant & Bar	$481,880	$524,040	-8.0%	-11.0%	$6,710,520	$7,462,600	-10.1%	-13.2%
Accommodation	$105,576	$108,800	-3.0%	-5.9%	$2,212,134	$2,260,418	-2.1%	-5.3%
Willcox
Restaurant & Bar	$539,367	$513,833	5.0%	2.0%	$6,727,867	$7,282,467	-7.6%	-10.8%
Accommodation	$303,371	$286,314	6.0%	3.0%	$3,791,386	$3,203,643	18.3%	15.2%
YTD = Year to Date * Inflation rate determined by change in the Consumer Price Index. Source: Arizona Department of Revenue, City of Douglas, City of Willcox, and Cochise College Center for Economic Research. Figures shown are estimates, based on transaction privilege tax collections.

 

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