Pierre Langlois, the chief financial officer, attributed growth in the United States, where drug sales rose almost 37percentt, in part to "lower inventory levels in wholesale distribution channels at the end of 2000".
After adjusting for lower inventory levels, Mr. Anderson said the "implied revenue" figure for the quarter was $1.53 billion.
Dillard's reported a 1.5 percentage point increase in gross margin, using cost controls and lower inventory levels, which trimmed its discounting.
That predictability allows PetFlow to maintain lower inventory levels and to negotiate better deals with suppliers, who appreciate that PetFlow does not discount its sales and that its customers are much less likely than others to switch to a different brand.
In the pre-owned market, lower inventory levels have resulted in an increase in market competitiveness.
While Silicon Valley's San Mateo and Santa Clara counties experienced some "buyer fatigue," as Hepp calls it, only San Francisco had lower inventory levels across all price ranges in June.
The lower a company's ratio is, the more likely the management is committed to a streamlined operation with lower inventory levels and accounts receivables.
This year, he says, stores are better prepared for modest spending with lower inventory levels and, in some cases, fewer seasonal staffers.
Texas Instruments' quarterly profit rose 42% as the semiconductor maker benefited from lower inventory levels among customers and robust demand for chips in a variety of new electronic gadgets.
Moving to constant, lower inventory levels through frequent and responsive deliveries would reduce waste, lessen storage space requirements and reduce the risk of being out of stock.
After several difficult years and many bankruptcies in the early 1990s, the apparel industry is relatively healthier overall, and its lower inventory levels are a sign of that.
