Wholesale inventories rose 0.8% in August, the Commerce Department said Friday.
The increase followed a revised 1.5% jump in July that had been the biggest in more than two years.
Economists had forecast August inventories to rise 0.5%, Bloomberg reported.
Wholesale sales rose 0.5% following a 0.8% increase in July.
Stockpiles of durable goods that are meant to last at least several years rose 0.6%, led by furniture, electrical equipment and hardware.
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Wholesale inventories account for about a fourth of total business stockpiles, while retailers and factories account for the rest.
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