For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET November 7, 2002 CB02-146
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
SEPTEMBER 2002
September 2002 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $233.4 billion, up 0.1 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised August level, and were up 3.7 percent (+/-1.0%) from the September 2001 level. The August preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. Among durable goods, sales of machinery, equipment, and supplies were up 3.3 percent from last month and professional and commercial equipment and supplies were up 3.2 percent. Among nondurable goods, sales of chemicals and allied products increased 2.4 percent, while sales of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages decreased 2.4 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $285.7 billion at the end of September, up 0.5 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month, but were down 3.4 percent (+/-0.9%) from a year ago. The August preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. Among durable goods, inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 2.7 percent from last month, while computer and computer peripheral equipment and software decreased 2.4 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.9 percent (+/-0.5%) from last month and were up 0.5 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year. Compared to last month, inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 4.2 percent and inventories of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages increased 2.3 percent.
The September inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.22. The September 2001 ratio was 1.31.
TABLE 1A. ADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2002 AND 2001 (Total sales and inventory estimates are shown in millions of dollars. Estimates are based on data from the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey, Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, and administrative records. Except for NAICS code 4225, estimates have been adjusted using results of the most recent economic census.) 2002 2002 2001 NAICS Kind of business Sep(p) Aug(r) Sep(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 233435 233314 225166 421 Durable Goods....................................... 115141 114698 112277 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18156 18350 16454 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3443 3482 3491 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6796 6633 6169 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22708 22006 21627 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 12067 11829 11858 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7572 7704 7690 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17366 17453 16805 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5378 5426 5263 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20496 19837 21944 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13226 13807 12834 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 118294 118616 112889 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6231 6229 6010 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 18967 18726 16998 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6997 7168 6592 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35398 35595 33823 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9485 9282 8542 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5273 5148 4820 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 15780 15505 15395 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6432 6590 5808 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13731 14373 14901 Inventories, Total.................................. 285716 284348 295766 421 Durable Goods....................................... 169855 169515 180485 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 23996 23360 24641 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5227 5228 5489 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6739 6716 6707 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23316 23572 24363 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8305 8513 8977 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12881 12600 12759 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23671 23639 26220 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10049 10017 10477 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44590 44962 49194 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19386 19421 20635 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 115861 114833 115281 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6029 6033 6510 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 27487 27012 27277 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 13030 12776 13317 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22415 22555 21448 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10109 10232 10550 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6134 6062 6180 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4736 4546 4117 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6721 6568 6417 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 19200 19049 19465 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.22 1.22 1.31 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.48 1.48 1.61 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.32 1.27 1.50 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.52 1.50 1.57 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.99 1.01 1.09 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.03 1.07 1.13 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.69 0.72 0.76 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.70 1.64 1.66 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.36 1.35 1.56 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.87 1.85 1.99 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.18 2.27 2.24 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.47 1.41 1.61 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.98 0.97 1.02 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.97 0.97 1.08 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.45 1.44 1.60 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.86 1.78 2.02 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.63 0.63 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.07 1.10 1.24 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.16 1.18 1.28 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.30 0.29 0.27 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.04 1.00 1.10 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.40 1.33 1.31 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-FEBRUARY 2002. (r) REVISED. Note: Estimates have not been adjusted for price changes. Information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions may be found at http://www/census.gov/svsd/www/mwtsreliability.html.
TABLE 2A. PERCENT CHANGES IN SALES AND INVENTORIES OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS ADJUSTED(1) INVENTORIES, SALES END-OF-MONTH (AT COST) NAICS Kind of business code Sep Aug Sep Sep Aug Sep 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 from from from from from from Aug Jul Sep Aug Jul Sep 2002 2002 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. 0.1 0.8 3.7 0.5 0.1 -3.4 421 Durable Goods....................................... 0.4 0.1 2.6 0.2 0.1 -5.9 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -1.1 3.8 10.3 2.7 -2.4 -2.6 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -1.1 -1.9 -1.4 0.0 0.4 -4.8 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 2.5 3.1 10.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 3.2 1.7 5.0 -1.1 1.2 -4.3 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 2.0 0.9 1.8 -2.4 0.8 -7.5 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -1.7 -2.1 -1.5 2.2 1.9 1.0 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -0.5 -1.6 3.3 0.1 2.1 -9.7 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.9 0.6 2.2 0.3 -0.5 -4.1 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 3.3 -2.4 -6.6 -0.8 -0.9 -9.4 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -4.2 -0.9 3.1 -0.2 0.5 -6.1 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -0.3 1.6 4.8 0.9 0.1 0.5 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.0 -1.0 3.7 -0.1 -0.4 -7.4 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.3 0.9 11.6 1.8 -0.4 0.8 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -2.4 0.6 6.1 2.0 2.6 -2.2 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -0.6 0.8 4.7 -0.6 0.9 4.5 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 2.2 3.1 11.0 -1.2 -1.1 -4.2 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 2.4 2.2 9.4 1.2 2.5 -0.7 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 1.8 4.9 2.5 4.2 -1.1 15.0 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -2.4 0.0 10.7 2.3 -1.6 4.7 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -4.5 2.2 -7.9 0.8 -0.4 -1.4 (1) ADJUSTED FOR SEASONAL VARIATIONS AND, IN THE CASE OF SALES, ALSO FOR TRADING-DAY DIFFERENCES.
TABLE 1B. UNADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2002 AND 2001 (Total sales and inventory estimates are shown in millions of dollars. Estimates are based on data from the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey, Annual Wholesale Trade Survey, and administrative records. Except for NAICS code 4225, estimates have been adjusted using results of the most recent economic census.) 2002 2002 2001 2002 2001 NAICS Kind of business Sep(p) Aug(r) Sep(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 231835 238629 217820 2049279 2044149 421 Durable Goods....................................... 116257 118339 110299 1019395 1035831 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17303 18735 15434 157707 152575 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3543 3694 3460 31469 32653 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6796 7270 6002 61165 55516 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24161 22358 22319 194228 200927 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 13346 12172 12712 103085 110608 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7527 8081 7429 68207 71843 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17991 17994 17023 156924 160061 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5260 5686 5026 48994 47347 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20066 19996 20605 181184 196166 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13610 14525 13001 119517 118743 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 115578 120290 107521 1029884 1008318 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6300 6522 5914 55710 58009 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 18607 18089 16046 163732 139662 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7221 7899 6770 63617 61390 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 34442 36556 32267 313289 299761 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8774 8521 7688 76754 78546 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5099 5328 4536 45747 45016 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 15559 16017 14733 129245 139616 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6078 6999 5396 56696 52793 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13498 14359 14171 125094 133525 Inventories, Total.................................. 283132 280530 292709 421 Durable Goods....................................... 169658 170227 180116 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 23708 22519 24296 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5405 5395 5676 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6739 6743 6700 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23246 23690 24241 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8230 8522 8878 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12971 12676 12797 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23908 24088 26456 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10059 10127 10456 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44100 45277 48653 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19522 19712 20841 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 113474 110303 112593 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 5981 5949 6451 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 27102 25553 26868 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 13382 13210 13637 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22639 22510 21620 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8198 7674 8556 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6067 6062 6100 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4731 4510 4117 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6923 6529 6616 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 18451 18306 18628 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.22 1.18 1.34 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.46 1.44 1.63 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.37 1.20 1.57 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.53 1.46 1.64 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.99 0.93 1.12 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.96 1.06 1.09 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.62 0.70 0.70 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.72 1.57 1.72 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.33 1.34 1.55 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.91 1.78 2.08 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.20 2.26 2.36 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.43 1.36 1.60 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.98 0.92 1.05 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.95 0.91 1.09 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.46 1.41 1.67 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.85 1.67 2.01 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.66 0.62 0.67 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.93 0.90 1.11 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.19 1.14 1.34 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.30 0.28 0.28 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.14 0.93 1.23 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.37 1.27 1.31 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-FEBRUARY 2002. (r) REVISED. Note: Estimates have not been adjusted for price changes. Information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions may be found at http://www/census.gov/svsd/www/mwtsreliability.html.
TABLE 2B. UNADJUSTED PERCENT CHANGES IN SALES AND INVENTORIES OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS UNADJUSTED INVENTORIES, SALES END-OF-MONTH (AT COST) NAICS Kind of business code 09 Months Sep Aug Sep 2002 Sep Aug Sep 2002 2002 2002 from 2002 2002 2002 from from from 09 from from from Aug Jul Sep Months Aug Jul Sep 2002 2002 2001 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. -2.8 1.5 6.4 0.3 0.9 -0.7 -3.3 421 Durable Goods....................................... -1.8 1.3 5.4 -1.6 -0.3 -0.7 -5.8 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -7.6 4.3 12.1 3.4 5.3 -4.8 -2.4 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -4.1 4.3 2.4 -3.6 0.2 -0.0 -4.8 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -6.5 3.2 13.2 10.2 -0.1 -0.7 0.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 8.1 1.6 8.3 -3.3 -1.9 0.6 -4.1 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9.6 3.7 5.0 -6.8 -3.4 -0.6 -7.3 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -6.9 0.3 1.3 -5.1 2.3 0.8 1.4 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 0.0 -0.2 5.7 -2.0 -0.7 2.3 -9.6 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -7.5 1.6 4.7 3.5 -0.7 -0.6 -3.8 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 0.4 -2.8 -2.6 -7.6 -2.6 -2.3 -9.4 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -6.3 4.0 4.7 0.7 -1.0 1.3 -6.3 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -3.9 1.7 7.5 2.1 2.9 -0.5 0.8 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -3.4 1.4 6.5 -4.0 0.5 -1.2 -7.3 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 2.9 -1.2 16.0 17.2 6.1 -4.5 0.9 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -8.6 6.0 6.7 3.6 1.3 2.7 -1.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -5.8 -0.5 6.7 4.5 0.6 2.1 4.7 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 3.0 0.6 14.1 -2.3 6.8 -1.5 -4.2 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -4.3 2.5 12.4 1.6 0.1 1.4 -0.5 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -2.9 7.2 5.6 -7.4 4.9 -1.3 14.9 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -13.2 1.8 12.6 7.4 6.0 -3.8 4.6 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -6.0 3.2 -4.7 -6.3 0.8 1.1 -1.0
Monthly Wholesale Trade for October is scheduled to be released December 10, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. Address inquiries concerning this report to Service Sector Statistics Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233, or call Nancy Piesto, (301) 763-2747. This report is available on day of issue through the Department of Commerce's STAT-USA website; for information, call (202) 482-1986.
Source: U.S.
Census Bureau
E-mail questions to: Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey
Last Revised: November 7, 2002