Taxable first-quarter sales and purchases in North Dakota this year declined by 33.24 percent compared with the first quarter last year, according a report released Tuesday morning, June 28, by the Office of State Tax Commissioner.
The decrease continues a four-quarter downturn that began the second quarter of 2015.
The state reported $3.43 billion in taxable sales and $465 million in taxable purchases for the three-month period between January and March.
Of the state’s 53 counties, 40 reported a decrease in first quarter taxable sales and purchases, with Burke, Williams and McKenzie counties showing the greatest decreases in percentage change. Thirteen counties showed a positive percentage change in taxable sales and purchases.
The mining and oil extraction industry, which had the greatest percentage change decrease in first quarter taxable sales and purchases of all the industrial sectors, shrank by 66.6 percent compared with last year. Sectors such as transportation and warehousing; wholesale trade; and real estate, rental and leasing also showed large drops. Only the information industry and the educational, health care, and social services reported an increase in taxable sales and purchases for the first quarter compared to last year’s figures.
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The state reported approximately $22.9 billion in taxable sales and purchases in 2015, down by 19 percent from the previous year.
