For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET February 7, 2003 CB03-33
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
DECEMBER 2002
Intention to Revise Wholesale Estimates: Monthly wholesale sales, inventories, and inventories/sales ratios will be revised based on the results of the 2001 Annual Trade Survey. Revised unadjusted and corresponding adjusted data are scheduled for release on April 3. |
December 2002 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $233.7 billion, down 0.8 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised November level, and were up 5.8 percent (+/-0.9%) from the December 2001 level. The November preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. December sales of durable goods decreased 1.4 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month, but were 1.4 percent (+/-1.1%) above a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, decreased 5.3 percent and sales of furniture and home furnishings decreased 4.6 percent. Among nondurable goods, sales of beer, wine, and distilled beverages increased 4.6 percent from November and sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 2.1 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $287.3 billion at the end of December, up 0.8 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month, but were about the same from a year ago. The November preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.4 billion or 0.1 percent. Among durable goods, inventories of hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies were up 1.0 percent from last month. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 1.6 percent (+/-0.6%) from November, and were up 2.5 percent (+/-1.5%) from last December. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 16.5 percent compared to last month and drugs and druggists’ sundries grew 2.4 percent.
The December inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.23. The December 2001 ratio was 1.30.
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 Dec(p) Nov(r) Dec(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 233655 235471 220917 421 Durable Goods....................................... 112230 113870 110723 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18064 18116 16802 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3327 3487 3496 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6406 6502 6426 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22281 22547 21547 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 11766 11580 11589 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 6818 7203 7117 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17111 17645 17066 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5128 5171 5420 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19902 19222 20116 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13193 13977 12733 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 121425 121601 110194 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6366 6332 6210 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 19360 19449 17521 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6976 7154 6763 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35305 35587 34030 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10938 10682 8089 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5004 5054 4816 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 17218 16871 12425 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6870 6565 6354 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13388 13907 13986 Inventories, Total.................................. 287257 284889 287339 421 Durable Goods....................................... 170649 170136 173525 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25049 25259 23838 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5248 5199 5355 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6810 6783 6694 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22862 22759 23032 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7823 7682 8070 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12968 12909 12283 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23786 23624 24120 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10016 9917 10242 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44449 44237 47674 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19461 19449 20287 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 116608 114753 113814 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6089 6071 6292 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 28517 27838 28033 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12353 12387 12741 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22396 22169 21335 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9410 9358 9995 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6133 6212 6116 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5200 4463 4423 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7002 6960 6417 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 19508 19295 18462 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.23 1.21 1.30 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.52 1.49 1.57 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.39 1.39 1.42 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.58 1.49 1.53 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.06 1.04 1.04 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.03 1.01 1.07 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.66 0.66 0.70 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.90 1.79 1.73 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.39 1.34 1.41 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.95 1.92 1.89 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.23 2.30 2.37 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.48 1.39 1.59 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.96 0.94 1.03 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.96 0.96 1.01 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.47 1.43 1.60 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.77 1.73 1.88 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.62 0.63 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.86 0.88 1.24 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.23 1.23 1.27 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.30 0.26 0.36 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.02 1.06 1.01 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.46 1.39 1.32 (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 Dec Nov Dec Dec Nov Dec 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 from from from from from from Nov Oct Dec Nov Oct Dec 2002 2002 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. -0.8 1.1 5.8 0.8 0.3 0.0 421 Durable Goods....................................... -1.4 0.5 1.4 0.3 0.5 -1.7 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -0.3 3.9 7.5 -0.8 2.2 5.1 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -4.6 1.7 -4.8 0.9 0.3 -2.0 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -1.5 -2.7 -0.3 0.4 0.5 1.7 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -1.2 1.0 3.4 0.5 0.6 -0.7 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 1.6 -0.9 1.5 1.8 -1.3 -3.1 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -5.3 -6.0 -4.2 0.5 1.2 5.6 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -3.0 2.3 0.3 0.7 -0.5 -1.4 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.8 -1.2 -5.4 1.0 0.0 -2.2 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 3.5 -2.3 -1.1 0.5 0.3 -6.8 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -5.6 2.5 3.6 0.1 -0.7 -4.1 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -0.1 1.7 10.2 1.6 0.1 2.5 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.5 1.4 2.5 0.3 1.2 -3.2 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -0.5 2.7 10.5 2.4 0.1 1.7 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -2.5 4.4 3.1 -0.3 -1.3 -3.0 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -0.8 -0.1 3.7 1.0 -0.6 5.0 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 2.4 8.1 35.2 0.6 1.5 -5.9 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -1.0 -0.4 3.9 -1.3 0.7 0.3 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 2.1 0.3 38.6 16.5 0.8 17.6 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 4.6 3.1 8.1 0.6 1.7 9.1 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -3.7 1.2 -4.3 1.1 0.0 5.7 (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 Dec(p) Nov(r) Dec(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 232237 229431 213276 2759448 2715755 421 Durable Goods....................................... 109864 110262 105244 1361035 1371270 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18281 18007 16382 212078 204401 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3124 3543 3202 41932 43538 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 5343 5949 5192 79803 73493 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23440 21352 22215 262462 266230 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 12743 10688 12342 139022 146164 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 6075 6749 6149 89320 92985 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 16632 17416 16127 209916 213314 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 4574 4923 4661 64158 63122 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19822 17857 19271 239652 256414 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 12573 14466 12045 161714 157773 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 122373 119169 108032 1398413 1344485 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6162 6123 5850 74765 76636 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 20134 19138 17486 223124 193368 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 5420 6861 5099 83685 80630 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35482 35231 33962 421148 402881 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 12240 11248 8647 111607 106092 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 4579 4705 4262 60362 58984 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 17356 16331 12090 180548 177978 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7866 6696 6888 78172 72600 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13134 12836 13748 165002 175316 Inventories, Total.................................. 289065 287186 289050 421 Durable Goods....................................... 168106 168987 170916 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 24824 25663 23623 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5143 5163 5243 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6558 6573 6433 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22679 22964 22871 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7706 7828 8014 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13150 12780 12443 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23405 23648 23758 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 9926 9689 10140 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 43427 43175 46625 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 18994 19332 19780 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 120959 118199 118134 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6162 6138 6355 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30000 28005 29294 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12267 11916 12665 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22754 22967 21676 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11386 11435 12144 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6133 6169 6128 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5382 4557 4582 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6470 7273 5923 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 20405 19739 19367 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.24 1.25 1.36 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.53 1.53 1.62 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.36 1.43 1.44 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.65 1.46 1.64 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.23 1.10 1.24 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.97 1.08 1.03 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.60 0.73 0.65 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 2.16 1.89 2.02 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.41 1.36 1.47 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 2.17 1.97 2.18 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.19 2.42 2.42 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.51 1.34 1.64 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.99 0.99 1.09 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.00 1.00 1.09 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.49 1.46 1.68 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 2.26 1.74 2.48 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.64 0.65 0.64 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.93 1.02 1.40 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.34 1.31 1.44 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.31 0.28 0.38 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.82 1.09 0.86 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.55 1.54 1.41 (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 12 Months Dec Nov Dec 2002 Dec Nov Dec 2002 2002 2002 from 2002 2002 2002 from from from 12 from from from Nov Oct Dec Months Nov Oct Dec 2002 2002 2001 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. 1.2 -7.9 8.9 1.6 0.7 0.1 0.0 421 Durable Goods....................................... -0.4 -9.7 4.4 -0.7 -0.5 -0.1 -1.6 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.5 -2.8 11.6 3.8 -3.3 3.3 5.1 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -11.8 -6.5 -2.4 -3.7 -0.4 -2.5 -1.9 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -10.2 -19.1 2.9 8.6 -0.2 -0.5 1.9 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 9.8 -9.1 5.5 -1.4 -1.2 -0.2 -0.8 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 19.2 -14.4 3.2 -4.9 -1.6 -1.2 -3.8 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -10.0 -18.6 -1.2 -3.9 2.9 0.7 5.7 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -4.5 -8.3 3.1 -1.6 -1.0 -0.9 -1.5 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -7.1 -13.6 -1.9 1.6 2.4 -0.7 -2.1 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 11.0 -14.2 2.9 -6.5 0.6 -0.4 -6.9 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -13.1 -4.6 4.4 2.5 -1.7 -2.5 -4.0 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 2.7 -6.1 13.3 4.0 2.3 0.4 2.4 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.6 -9.6 5.3 -2.4 0.4 2.2 -3.0 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 5.2 -4.8 15.1 15.4 7.1 -1.5 2.4 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -21.0 -12.3 6.3 3.8 2.9 -5.2 -3.1 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.7 -4.9 4.5 4.5 -0.9 -1.0 5.0 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8.8 -0.8 41.6 5.2 -0.4 10.0 -6.2 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -2.7 -12.4 7.4 2.3 -0.6 2.0 0.1 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 6.3 -7.7 43.6 1.4 18.1 2.5 17.5 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 17.5 -2.8 14.2 7.7 -11.0 -0.6 9.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 2.3 -7.6 -4.5 -5.9 3.4 1.9 5.4
Monthly Wholesale Trade for January is scheduled to be released March 11, 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: February 7, 2003
