For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET December 10, 2002 CB02-156
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
OCTOBER 2002
Sales
October 2002 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations
and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $232.6 billion, down
0.1 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised September level, but were up 5.1 percent (+/-0.9%)
from the October 2001 level. The September preliminary estimate was revised downward
$0.6 billion or 0.3 percent. Sales of durable goods decreased 1.0 percent (+/-0.9%)
from last month but increased 2.4 percent (+/-0.6%) compared to last year. Sales of motor
vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 1.9 percent. Among nondurable goods,
sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 6.5 percent, while chemicals and allied
products decreased 2.2 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $284.4 billion at the end of October, down 0.3 percent
(+/-0.3%) from last month, and were down 3.0 percent (+/-0.9%) from a year ago.
The September preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent.
Among durable goods, inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies
were up 2.6 percent from last month, while computer and computer peripheral equipment
and software decreased 4.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods decreased
0.6 percent (+/-0.5%) from last month but were up 1.4 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year.
Compared to last month, inventories of petroleum and petroleum products decreased 7.7 percent
and inventories of farm product raw materials decreased 5.5 percent.
Inventories/Sales Ratio
The October inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.22. The October 2001 ratio was 1.32.
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 Oct(p) Sep(r) Oct(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 232559 232798 221333 421 Durable Goods....................................... 113266 114429 110566 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17434 17764 17150 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3410 3442 3572 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6749 6778 6235 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22217 22641 21044 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 11669 12012 11496 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7733 7602 7458 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17203 17285 17124 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5259 5325 5336 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19845 20359 20105 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13416 13233 12542 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 119293 118369 110767 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6217 6227 6036 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 18862 18875 17537 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6776 6914 6641 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35665 35482 33693 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9627 9537 8410 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5098 5214 4810 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 16935 15905 13078 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6356 6432 5912 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13757 13783 14650 Inventories, Total.................................. 284432 285386 293113 421 Durable Goods....................................... 169415 169619 179669 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 24707 24080 24998 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5181 5214 5439 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6750 6750 6834 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22713 23178 23881 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7837 8176 8752 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12716 12864 12624 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23816 23632 25959 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 9929 9990 10392 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44003 44459 48938 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19600 19452 20604 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 115017 115767 113444 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 5972 6033 6453 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 27942 27563 26754 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12680 13005 13267 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22355 22421 20981 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9354 9894 9924 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6148 6146 6216 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4383 4750 4227 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6834 6736 6373 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 19349 19219 19249 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.22 1.23 1.32 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.50 1.48 1.62 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.42 1.36 1.46 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.52 1.51 1.52 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.00 1.00 1.10 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.02 1.02 1.13 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.67 0.68 0.76 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.64 1.69 1.69 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.38 1.37 1.52 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.89 1.88 1.95 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.22 2.18 2.43 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.46 1.47 1.64 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.96 0.98 1.02 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.96 0.97 1.07 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.48 1.46 1.53 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.87 1.88 2.00 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.63 0.62 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.97 1.04 1.18 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.21 1.18 1.29 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.26 0.30 0.32 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.08 1.05 1.08 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.41 1.39 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 Oct Sep Oct Oct Sep Oct 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 from from from from from from Sep Aug Oct Sep Aug Oct 2002 2002 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. -0.1 -0.2 5.1 -0.3 0.4 -3.0 421 Durable Goods....................................... -1.0 -0.2 2.4 -0.1 0.1 -5.7 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -1.9 -3.2 1.7 2.6 3.1 -1.2 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -0.9 -1.1 -4.5 -0.6 -0.3 -4.7 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -0.4 2.2 8.2 0.0 0.5 -1.2 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -1.9 2.9 5.6 -2.0 -1.7 -4.9 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -2.9 1.5 1.5 -4.1 -4.0 -10.5 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.7 -1.3 3.7 -1.2 2.1 0.7 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -0.5 -1.0 0.5 0.8 0.0 -8.3 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -1.2 -1.9 -1.4 -0.6 -0.3 -4.5 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -2.5 2.6 -1.3 -1.0 -1.1 -10.1 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.4 -4.2 7.0 0.8 0.2 -4.9 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.8 -0.2 7.7 -0.6 0.8 1.4 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -0.2 0.0 3.0 -1.0 0.0 -7.5 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -0.1 0.8 7.6 1.4 2.0 4.4 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -2.0 -3.5 2.0 -2.5 1.8 -4.4 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.5 -0.3 5.9 -0.3 -0.6 6.5 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.9 2.7 14.5 -5.5 -3.3 -5.7 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -2.2 1.3 6.0 0.0 1.4 -1.1 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 6.5 2.6 29.5 -7.7 4.5 3.7 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -1.2 -2.4 7.5 1.5 2.6 7.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -0.2 -4.1 -6.1 0.7 0.9 0.5 (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 Oct(p) Sep(r) Oct(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 249073 231298 237144 2297815 2281293 421 Durable Goods....................................... 122035 115660 119318 1140833 1155149 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18532 16858 18128 175794 170703 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3775 3549 3947 35250 36600 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7390 6785 6821 68544 62337 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23417 24113 22370 217597 223297 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 12393 13369 12358 115501 122966 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 8290 7526 7913 76496 79756 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 19026 17942 18956 175901 179017 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5695 5229 5795 54658 53142 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20857 20054 21291 202029 217457 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 15053 13604 14097 134564 132840 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 127038 115638 117826 1156982 1126144 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6776 6295 6603 62481 64612 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 20182 18630 18765 183937 158427 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7758 7184 7537 71338 68927 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 37127 34524 35176 350498 334937 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11206 8803 9823 87989 88369 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5383 5058 5075 51089 50091 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 17697 15491 13771 146874 153387 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6877 6104 6338 63599 59131 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14032 13549 14738 139177 148263 Inventories, Total.................................. 287239 282926 295827 421 Durable Goods....................................... 169257 169435 179358 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 24855 23671 25098 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5300 5402 5564 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6608 6750 6663 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23054 23178 24263 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7970 8168 8910 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12691 12967 12561 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23840 23868 25959 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 9770 10010 10215 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 43343 44059 48204 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19796 19530 20831 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 117982 113491 116469 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6008 5991 6492 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 28473 27094 27289 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12642 13343 13214 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 23160 22668 21778 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10514 8192 11313 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6050 6072 6104 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4409 4750 4269 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7319 6931 6819 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 19407 18450 19191 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.15 1.22 1.25 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.39 1.46 1.50 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.34 1.40 1.38 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.40 1.52 1.41 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.89 0.99 0.98 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.98 0.96 1.08 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.64 0.61 0.72 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.53 1.72 1.59 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.25 1.33 1.37 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.72 1.91 1.76 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.08 2.20 2.26 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.32 1.44 1.48 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.93 0.98 0.99 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.89 0.95 0.98 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.41 1.45 1.45 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.63 1.86 1.75 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.62 0.66 0.62 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.94 0.93 1.15 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.12 1.20 1.20 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.25 0.31 0.31 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.06 1.14 1.08 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.38 1.36 1.30 (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. PERCENT CHANGES IN SALES AND INVENTORIES OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS UNADJUSTED INVENTORIES, SALES END-OF-MONTH (AT COST) NAICS Kind of business code 10 Months Oct Sep Oct 2002 Oct Sep Oct 2002 2002 2002 from 2002 2002 2002 from from from 10 from from from Sep Aug Oct Months Sep Aug Oct 2002 2002 2001 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. 7.7 -3.1 5.0 0.7 1.5 0.9 -2.9 421 Durable Goods....................................... 5.5 -2.3 2.3 -1.2 -0.1 -0.5 -5.6 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 9.9 -10.0 2.2 3.0 5.0 5.1 -1.0 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 6.4 -3.9 -4.4 -3.7 -1.9 0.1 -4.7 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8.9 -6.7 8.3 10.0 -2.1 0.1 -0.8 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -2.9 7.8 4.7 -2.6 -0.5 -2.2 -5.0 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -7.3 9.8 0.3 -6.1 -2.4 -4.2 -10.5 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 10.2 -6.9 4.8 -4.1 -2.1 2.3 1.0 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 6.0 -0.3 0.4 -1.7 -0.1 -0.9 -8.2 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 8.9 -8.0 -1.7 2.9 -2.4 -1.2 -4.4 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 4.0 0.3 -2.0 -7.1 -1.6 -2.7 -10.1 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 10.7 -6.3 6.8 1.3 1.4 -0.9 -5.0 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 9.9 -3.9 7.8 2.7 4.0 2.9 1.3 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 7.6 -3.5 2.6 -3.3 0.3 0.7 -7.5 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 8.3 3.0 7.6 16.1 5.1 6.0 4.3 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 8.0 -9.1 2.9 3.5 -5.3 1.0 -4.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 7.5 -5.6 5.5 4.6 2.2 0.7 6.3 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 27.3 3.3 14.1 -0.4 28.3 6.8 -7.1 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6.4 -5.1 6.1 2.0 -0.4 0.2 -0.9 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 14.2 -3.3 28.5 -4.2 -7.2 5.3 3.3 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 12.7 -12.8 8.5 7.6 5.6 6.2 7.3 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 3.6 -5.6 -4.8 -6.1 5.2 0.8 1.1
Monthly Wholesale Trade for November is scheduled to be released January 9, 2003 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: December 10, 2002
