*U.S. Feb retail, food service sales +0.3%; ex-autos +0.2%
*U.S. Feb retail sales ex-food services +0.2%
*U.S. Feb auto sales +0.5%; autos and parts sales +0.4%
*U.S. Feb electronic sales +1.1%; bldg material sales -0.4%
*U.S. Feb health sales -0.1%; food/beverage -0.2%; apparel -0.1%
*U.S. Feb gas station sales +0.0%; department store sales -0.3%
*U.S. Jan retail, food service sales revised to -0.3 from -0.2%

Washington, March 13 (OsterDowJones) - U.S. retail and food service sales increased 0.3% in February, while sales excluding autos rose 0.2%, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. February's retail and food service sales data was far below analysts' predictions for a 0.7% increase and below excluding autos forecast for an increase of 0.4%.
In January, retail and food service sales revised to a 0.3% loss, previously reported as down 0.2%. IMPORTANT RETAIL SALES SECTORS
--February's auto sales increased 0.5%, but dropped 5.1% from the previous period. --Building material sales slipped 0.4% in February after rising 2.8% in January.
--Furniture sales rose 1.5% in February, followed by a 0.3% increase in January.
--Department store sales dropped 0.3% in February. January's department store sales revised to up 1.2%. --Sales at gas stations were unchanged in February, following a 4.2% increase the previous month. --Sales in food stores for February fell 0.2%, but increased a revised 0.1% the previous month.
WHAT WAS EXPECTED
The February sales data was within the range of OsterDowJones survey, which extended from up 0.3% to up 1.4% for overall sales. Non-automotive sales surveyed results ranged from up 0.2% to up 0.9%.
OTHER DETAILS, HISTORICALS
February retail and food sales rose to a seasonally adjusted level of $296.414 billion. Sales were up 2.9% versus a year later. Excluding the automotive sector, sales increased to a seasonally adjusted $223.635 billion, and were up 2.8% from a year ago. The seasonally unadjusted 2-month cumulative total for the retail and food service sales increased to $529,327, up 3.0% from the same period a year ago.