Rev. Rul. 85-9

1985-1 C.B. 172, 1985-6 I.R.B. 12.

Internal Revenue Service

Revenue Ruling

LIFO; PRICE INDEXES; DEPARTMENT STORES

Published: February 11, 1985

Section 472.-Last-In, First-Out Inventories, 26 CFR 1.472-1: Last-in, first-out inventories.

  LIFO; price indexes; department stores. The September 1984 Bureau of Labor Statistics price indexes are accepted for use by department stores employing the retail inventory and last-in, first-out inventory methods for valuing inventories for tax years ended on, or with reference to, September 30, 1984.

  The following price indexes for September 1984 were issued by the Bureau of

Labor Statistics on October 25, 1984, for use by department stores, and are accepted by the Internal Revenue Service, under section 1.472-1(k) of the Income Tax Regulations and Rev. Proc. 72-21, 1972-1 C.B. 745, for appropriate application to inventories of department stores employing the retail inventory and last-in, first-out inventory methods for tax years ended on, or with reference to, September 30, 1984.

  Indexes are prepared on a national basis for the store total, for 20 major groups of departments, and for two special combination -- soft and durable goods. The store total index covers all departments, including some not listed separately, with the following exceptions:  candy, foods, liquor, tobacco, paints, and wallpaper, as well as contract departments.

                 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, DEPARTMENT STORE
                 INVENTORY PRICE INDEXES BY DEPARTMENT GROUPS
                             (January 1941 = 100)
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                                                                    Percentage
                                                                    Change from
                                             Sept.        Sept.      Sept. 1983
                                             1983         1984         to Sept.
                                                                           1984
                                                                          [FN1]
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      I.  Piece Goods ......................... 402.2        398.9         -0.8
     II.  Domestics and Draperies ............. 532.0        563.4          5.9
    III.  Women's and Children's Shoes ........ 551.8        553.1          0.2
     IV.  Men's and Boys' Shoes ............... 688.8        707.5          2.7
      V.  Infant's Wear ....................... 482.9        483.1            0
     VI.  Women's Underwear ................... 415.7        426.8          2.7
    VII.  Women's and Girls' Hosiery .......... 229.5        236.1          2.9
   VIII.  Women's and Girls' Accessories ...... 418.2        443.1          6.0
     IX.  Women's Outerwear and
          Girls' Wear ......................... 349.7        351.0          0.4
      X.  Men's Clothing ...................... 458.8        471.6          2.8
     XI.  Men's Furnishings ................... 458.7        469.0          2.2
    XII.  Boys' Clothing and Furnishings ...... 428.8        441.4          2.9
   XIII.  Jewelry ............................. 702.1        692.4         -1.4
    XIV.  Notions ............................. 470.3        483.8          2.9
     XV.  Toilet Articles and Drugs ........... 603.5        623.7          3.3
    XVI.  Furniture and Bedding ............... 511.4        532.3          4.1
   XVII.  Floor Coverings ..................... 438.2        454.4          3.7
  XVIII.  Housewares .......................... 721.3        717.2          0.6
    XIX.  Major Appliances .................... 242.9        244.2         -0.6
     XX.  Radio and Television ................ 114.0        109.2         -4.2
          Groups I-XV: Soft Goods ............. 467.6        478.6          2.4
          Groups XVI-XX: Durable Goods ........ 441.3        446.1          1.1
          Store Total ......................... 460.0        469.0          2.0
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FN1. Absence of a minus sign before percentage change in this column signifies
  price increase.

Rev. Rul. 85-9, 1985-1 C.B. 172, 1985-6 I.R.B. 12.