In 2015, Brazil had 1.573 million commercial enterprises, which generated R$3.1 trillion in net operating revenue and paid R$206.3 billion in salaries, withdrawals and other compensation to 10.3 million workers. The Southeast maintained the major share
in the main trade variables in 2015: it accounted for more than half of the gross revenue of resale (R$1.8 trillion) and led in compensation (R$116.1 billion), employed persons (5.3 million) and number of local branches (858.9 thousand), as well as paid the highest average salary (2.1 minimum wages).

Since the beginning of the new time series in 2007, the biggest parcel of the net operating revenue belonged to the wholesale sector (45.4% in 2015), though retail prevailed with the biggest share in value added (54.4%), employed persons (73.5%) and wage bill (63.3%) in 2015.

This is some information from the IBGE´s Annual Survey of Trade - PAC, which investigates the productive structure of the commercial enterprises in Brazil, assessing productivity, interest margin of trade, salaries, withdrawals and other compensation, and employed persons, among other variables. The complete publication of PAC 2015 is available here. 

In 2015, the Annual Survey of Trade estimated 1,573 enterprises, which generated R$3.1 trillion of net operating revenue and R$550.5 billion of gross value added. In addition, R$206.3 billion were paid as compensation to 10.3 million employed persons, in 1,705 thousand local branches.

Since the beginning of the new time series, in 2007, the biggest parcel of the net operating revenue came from the wholesale sector, in which the enterprises produced a high volume of sales. In 2007, the wholesale sector accounted for 44.8% of the net operating revenue, changing to 45.4% in 2015; the retail accounted for 39.8% in 2007, increasing to 44.3% in 2015. On the other hand, the trade of motor vehicles, pieces and motorcycles retreated from 15.4% in 2007 to 10.3% in 2015.

In 2015, retail was the commercial segment that employed most persons.

Adding up to 1.2 million enterprises and 1.3 million local branches in 2015, retail accounted for 73.5% of the workforce. This sector paid 63.3% of the salaries, withdrawals and other compensation (R$131 billion). However, retail paid the lowest average salary: 1.7 minimum wages, against 2.9 in wholesale and 2.4 in motor vehicles, pieces and motorcycles.

Trade of vehicles, average of 13 employed per enterprise in 2015

Among the three activities of trade of motor vehicles, pieces and motorcycles in 2015, that of vehicles produced the biggest parcel of the net revenue of resale in this division (65.9% or R$205.6 billion), employing 29.9% of workers (271.1 thousand persons) in 15.0% of the enterprises (21.5 thousand). The sector of pieces for vehicles generated 27.3% of the revenue, paid 46.8% (R$10.4 billion) of the wage bill and led the proportion of employed persons (60.1% or 544.6 thousand persons) and of enterprises (73.0% or 104.3 thousand enterprises).

The activity of motor vehicles concentrated the highest average number of employed persons per enterprise (13), the highest average salary (3.6 monthly minimum wages) and the highest productivity (R$78,876), which is the division of the value added by the number of employed persons.

The highest trade margin – return of the sales effort of goods, after discounting the cost with the sale of its products – belonged to the resales of pieces for vehicles (43.7%).

Highest wholesale revenue comes from fuels and lubricants in 2015

In 2015, fuels and lubricants was the main activity in terms of net revenue of resale in the wholesale segment (R$345.5 billion or 25.2%), followed by food products, beverages and tobacco (R$249.2 billion or 18.2%).

Concerning the salaries of the wholesale sector, the segments of machinery and equipment and food products, beverages and tobacco stood out, each one of them accounting for 17.1%. Food products, beverages and tobacco employed more persons (424.6 thousand or 23.4%), followed by goods in general (241.8 thousand or 13.3%).

The wholesalers of goods in general and of fuels and lubricants employed the highest average number of persons per enterprise (42 and 26, respectively). The wholesalers of fuels and lubricants registered the highest average salary (6.2 minimum wages) and the highest work productivity (R$348.4 thousand). In terms of trade margin, the pharmaceutical companies led with 59.9%.

Hypermarkets and supermarkets generate highest revenue in retail trade

In 2015, hypermarkets and supermarkets generated the highest net revenue of resale in the retail trade (R$340.2 billion or 24.7% of the segment). The highest salaries, withdrawals and other compensation were paid by hypermarkets and supermarkets (R$22.7 billion or 17.3%), which also led the average number of employed persons: 99 per enterprise, an index above the others. The second placed, fuels and lubricants, employed 12 persons per enterprise.

Southeast remains leader in revenue, salaries, number of branches and persons employed

In 2015, the Southeast controlled the major variables: gross revenue of resale (R$1.8 trillion or 51.5% of the total); wage bill (R$116.1 billion or 56.3%); employed persons (5.3 million or 51.6%) and local branches (858.9 thousand or 50.4%). The Southeast also paid the highest average monthly salary (2.1 minimum wages), above the country´s average (2.0). Among the other regions, one matched and three remained below this average: South (2.0), North (1.9), Central-West (1.8) and Northeast (1.5).