For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET April 8, 2003 CB03-59
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
FEBRUARY 2003
| Notice of Revised Data:
Monthly wholesale sales, inventories, and inventories/sales ratios were
revised based on the results of the 2001 Annual Trade Survey. The Annual
Benchmark Report for Wholesale Trade showing revised data was released
on April 3, 2003 and can be found at http://www.census.gov/whl. |
Sales
February 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $238.1 billion, up 0.5 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised January level and were up 6.2 percent (+/-0.9%) from the February 2002 level. The January preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent. February sales of durable goods decreased 1.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month and were down 1.1 percent (+/-1.3%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 4.3 percent and sales of lumber and other construction materials decreased 2.9 percent. February sales of nondurable goods increased 2.4 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 13.4 percent (+/-1.4%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 13.2 percent, while sales of farm product raw materials decreased 4.0 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $289.5 billion at the end of February, up 0.3 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month and were up 1.8 percent (+/-0.8%) from a year ago. The January preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.7 percent (+/-0.5%) from January and were up 1.2 percent(+/-1.1%) from last February. Inventories of lumber and other construction materials were up 1.9 percent from January. Among nondurable goods, inventories of drugs and druggists' sundries increased 2.2 percent compared to last month, while petroleum and petroleum products decreased 6.2 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The February inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.22. The February 2002 ratio was 1.27.
TABLE 1A. ADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2003 AND 2002 (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.) 2003 2003 2002 NAICS Kind of business Feb(p) Jan(r) Feb(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 238145 236978 224199 421 Durable Goods....................................... 109982 111779 111181 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17330 18104 17729 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3565 3557 3554 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6795 6995 6933 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20687 20734 20130 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9381 9412 9346 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7020 7143 7093 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17179 17162 17438 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5331 5448 5694 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 18202 18723 18607 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13873 13913 14003 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 128163 125199 113018 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6134 6205 6094 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 20296 20060 18801 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7034 7281 7554 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35313 34811 34150 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10335 10766 8626 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5254 5325 5065 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 22524 19900 12459 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7046 6982 6659 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14227 13869 13610 Inventories, Total.................................. 289544 288705 284463 421 Durable Goods....................................... 174772 173626 172747 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25205 24896 23257 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5246 5197 5241 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7434 7298 6985 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23858 23717 23107 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7717 7651 7670 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13528 13378 12788 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23388 23414 23378 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10476 10422 10215 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45711 45470 48206 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19926 19834 19570 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 114772 115079 111716 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6227 6130 6215 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29339 28700 27893 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12180 12323 12420 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22953 22951 21388 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9355 9455 10599 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6059 6099 5957 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4592 4893 4477 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7460 7547 6829 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16607 16981 15938 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.22 1.22 1.27 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.59 1.55 1.55 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.45 1.38 1.31 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.47 1.46 1.47 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.09 1.04 1.01 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.15 1.14 1.15 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.82 0.81 0.82 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.93 1.87 1.80 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.36 1.36 1.34 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.97 1.91 1.79 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.51 2.43 2.59 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.44 1.43 1.40 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.90 0.92 0.99 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.02 0.99 1.02 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.45 1.43 1.48 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.73 1.69 1.64 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.65 0.66 0.63 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.91 0.88 1.23 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.15 1.15 1.18 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.20 0.25 0.36 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.06 1.08 1.03 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.17 1.22 1.17 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-JANUARY 2003. (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 Feb Jan Feb Feb Jan Feb 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Jan Dec Feb Jan Dec Feb 2003 2002 2002 2003 2002 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 0.5 1.4 6.2 0.3 0.0 1.8 421 Durable Goods....................................... -1.6 1.0 -1.1 0.7 -0.1 1.2 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -4.3 0.1 -2.3 1.2 -0.8 8.4 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 0.2 3.6 0.3 0.9 -0.1 0.1 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -2.9 7.2 -2.0 1.9 1.4 6.4 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -0.2 -0.3 2.8 0.6 0.9 3.3 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -0.3 -2.0 0.4 0.9 1.5 0.6 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -1.7 2.3 -1.0 1.1 -1.6 5.8 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 0.1 0.5 -1.5 -0.1 -0.6 0.0 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -2.1 2.4 -6.4 0.5 1.7 2.6 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -2.8 0.6 -2.2 0.5 -0.5 -5.2 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -0.3 0.4 -0.9 0.5 0.7 1.8 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 2.4 1.7 13.4 -0.3 0.0 2.7 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -1.1 -0.5 0.7 1.6 -0.2 0.2 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.2 -0.2 8.0 2.2 0.3 5.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -3.4 -1.1 -6.9 -1.2 -0.6 -1.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 1.4 0.4 3.4 0.0 1.8 7.3 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -4.0 -3.0 19.8 -1.1 -2.2 -11.7 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -1.3 4.9 3.7 -0.7 1.7 1.7 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 13.2 11.3 80.8 -6.2 -2.0 2.6 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.9 -2.4 5.8 -1.2 0.9 9.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 2.6 2.9 4.5 -2.2 -1.2 4.2 (1) ADJUSTED FOR SEASONAL VARIATIONS AND, IN THE CASE OF SALES, ALSO TRADING-DAY DIFFERENCES.
TABLE 1B. UNADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2003 AND 2002 (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.) 2003 2003 2002 2003 2002 NAICS Kind of business Feb(p) Jan(r) Feb(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 217448 228515 204534 445963 418778 421 Durable Goods....................................... 98972 104549 100130 203521 202968 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 15424 16656 15814 32080 31665 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3205 3304 3199 6509 6587 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 5905 6386 5990 12291 11949 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 18329 19366 17855 37695 36760 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8143 8744 8150 16887 16958 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 6543 7093 6646 13636 13771 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 15719 16218 15938 31937 32385 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 4830 5159 5147 9989 10427 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 16309 17581 16728 33890 34095 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 12708 12786 12813 25494 25329 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 118476 123966 104404 242442 215810 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 5613 6224 5570 11837 11648 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 18896 20923 17504 39819 36941 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7006 6830 7569 13836 14399 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 31994 33523 30906 65517 63452 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10015 11929 8341 21944 18181 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 4960 5373 4786 10333 9842 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 20835 20437 11537 41272 24726 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 5883 5565 5547 11448 10752 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13274 13162 12644 26436 25869 Inventories, Total.................................. 290690 292210 285905 421 Durable Goods....................................... 174936 172488 172847 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26037 25145 24024 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5157 5098 5147 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7434 7167 6971 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23667 23693 22991 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7586 7567 7555 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13487 13351 12762 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23154 23344 23191 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10486 10307 10215 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45528 44470 47917 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19986 19913 19629 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 115754 119722 113058 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6196 6081 6165 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29222 30451 27781 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12095 12717 12345 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22448 22974 20939 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10580 11469 12019 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6065 6062 5969 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4528 4957 4419 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7199 7215 6590 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17421 17796 16831 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.34 1.28 1.40 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.77 1.65 1.73 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.69 1.51 1.52 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.61 1.54 1.61 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.26 1.12 1.16 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.29 1.22 1.29 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.93 0.87 0.93 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 2.06 1.88 1.92 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.47 1.44 1.46 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 2.17 2.00 1.98 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.79 2.53 2.86 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.57 1.56 1.53 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.98 0.97 1.08 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.10 0.98 1.11 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.55 1.46 1.59 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.73 1.86 1.63 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.70 0.69 0.68 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.06 0.96 1.44 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.22 1.13 1.25 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.22 0.24 0.38 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.22 1.30 1.19 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.31 1.35 1.33 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-JANUARY 2003. (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 02 Months Feb Jan Feb 2003 Feb Jan Feb 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 02 from from from Jan Dec Feb Months Jan Dec Feb 2003 2002 2002 2002 2003 2002 2002 TOTAL.............................................. -4.8 -1.5 6.3 6.5 -0.5 0.5 1.7 421 Durable Goods....................................... -5.3 -3.1 -1.2 0.3 1.4 0.7 1.2 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -7.4 -8.0 -2.5 1.3 3.5 1.0 8.4 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -3.0 2.4 0.2 -1.2 1.2 0.1 0.2 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -7.5 19.2 -1.4 2.9 3.7 4.3 6.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -5.4 -11.8 2.7 2.5 -0.1 1.9 2.9 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -6.9 -16.3 -0.1 -0.4 0.3 2.3 0.4 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -7.8 14.8 -1.5 -1.0 1.0 -3.5 5.7 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -3.1 -1.8 -1.4 -1.4 -0.8 0.5 -0.2 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -6.4 9.2 -6.2 -4.2 1.7 2.3 2.7 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -7.2 -5.5 -2.5 -0.6 2.4 -0.6 -5.0 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -0.6 -3.6 -0.8 0.7 0.4 3.4 1.8 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -4.4 0.0 13.5 12.3 -3.3 0.2 2.4 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -9.8 2.8 0.8 1.6 1.9 -2.5 0.5 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -9.7 -0.7 8.0 7.8 -4.0 0.6 5.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 2.6 19.2 -7.4 -3.9 -4.9 3.4 -2.0 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -4.6 -3.7 3.5 3.3 -2.3 0.6 7.2 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -16.0 -3.9 20.1 20.7 -7.8 -2.4 -12.0 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -7.7 16.3 3.6 5.0 0.0 0.8 1.6 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 1.9 15.4 80.6 66.9 -8.7 -3.7 2.5 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 5.7 -33.0 6.1 6.5 -0.2 4.5 9.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.9 -0.6 5.0 2.2 -2.1 -1.4 3.5
Monthly Wholesale Trade for March is scheduled to be released May 7, 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: April 8, 2003
