Wholesale inventories rose 1.5% in September, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.
The increase followed a revised 1.2% jump in August that was originally reported as an 0.8% increase.
Economists had forecast September inventories to rise 0.7%, Bloomberg reported.
Wholesale sales rose 0.4% to the highest level since September 2008.
Stockpiles of durable goods that are meant to last at least several years rose 0.7%, led by automobiles, machinery and electrical equipment.
Wholesale inventories account for about a fourth of total business stockpiles, while retailers and factories account for the rest.
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