For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET May 7, 2003 CB03-74
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
MARCH 2003
Sales
March 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $240.6 billion, up 1.0 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised February level and were up 7.6 percent (+/-1.0%) from the March 2002 level. The February preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged. March sales of durable goods increased 2.1 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month and were up 2.6 percent (+/-1.9%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies increased 6.3 percent. Among nondurable goods, sales of chemicals and allied products increased 3.2 percent from last month, while sales of farm product raw materials decreased 5.8 percent.Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $291.0 billion at the end of March, up 0.5 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month and were up 2.2 percent (+/-0.8%) from a year ago. The February preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.1 billion. Among durable goods, inventories of hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies were up 1.7 percent from February, while lumber and other construction materials decreased 1.6 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.7 percent (+/-0.6%) from February and were up 2.8 percent (+/-1.6%) from last year. Inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries increased 2.3 percent from last month.
InventoriesThe March inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.21. The March 2002 ratio was 1.27.
Inventories/Sales Ratio
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 Mar(p) Feb(r) Mar(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 240569 238193 223530 421 Durable Goods....................................... 112497 110215 109634 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18237 17159 17370 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3586 3596 3599 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6896 6813 6761 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20999 20777 20031 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9404 9394 9222 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7183 7051 7039 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17401 17179 17286 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5468 5372 5588 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 18482 18267 18532 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14245 14001 13428 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 128072 127978 113896 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6302 6133 6036 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 20767 20436 19086 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7056 7043 7634 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35324 35300 33965 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9646 10241 8499 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5461 5291 4850 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 22606 22412 13699 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7088 7044 6748 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13822 14078 13379 Inventories, Total.................................. 291035 289680 284642 421 Durable Goods....................................... 175366 174784 172163 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25461 25156 23182 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5348 5288 5108 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7326 7444 7002 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23981 23862 23474 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7701 7705 7941 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13660 13571 12719 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23362 23285 23280 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10691 10511 10170 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45628 45735 47742 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19909 19932 19486 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 115669 114896 112479 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6195 6252 6141 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30140 29455 28093 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12413 12236 12246 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22783 22956 21715 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9221 9297 10708 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5985 6024 5946 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4502 4587 4569 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7480 7463 7002 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16950 16626 16059 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.21 1.22 1.27 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.56 1.59 1.57 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.40 1.47 1.33 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.49 1.47 1.42 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.06 1.09 1.04 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.14 1.15 1.17 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.82 0.82 0.86 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.90 1.92 1.81 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.34 1.36 1.35 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.96 1.96 1.82 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.47 2.50 2.58 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.40 1.42 1.45 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.90 0.90 0.99 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.98 1.02 1.02 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.45 1.44 1.47 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.76 1.74 1.60 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.64 0.65 0.64 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.96 0.91 1.26 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.10 1.14 1.23 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.20 0.20 0.33 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.06 1.06 1.04 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.23 1.18 1.20 (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 Mar Feb Mar Mar Feb Mar 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Feb Jan Mar Feb Jan Mar 2003 2003 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 1.0 0.5 7.6 0.5 0.3 2.2 421 Durable Goods....................................... 2.1 -1.4 2.6 0.3 0.7 1.9 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 6.3 -5.2 5.0 1.2 1.0 9.8 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -0.3 1.1 -0.4 1.1 1.8 4.7 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.2 -2.6 2.0 -1.6 2.0 4.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.1 0.2 4.8 0.5 0.6 2.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.1 -0.2 2.0 -0.1 0.7 -3.0 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.9 -1.3 2.0 0.7 1.4 7.4 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.3 0.1 0.7 0.3 -0.6 0.4 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.8 -1.4 -2.1 1.7 0.9 5.1 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.2 -2.4 -0.3 -0.2 0.6 -4.4 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.7 0.6 6.1 -0.1 0.5 2.2 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.1 2.2 12.4 0.7 -0.2 2.8 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 2.8 -1.2 4.4 -0.9 2.0 0.9 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.6 1.9 8.8 2.3 2.6 7.3 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 0.2 -3.3 -7.6 1.4 -0.7 1.4 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.1 1.4 4.0 -0.8 0.0 4.9 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -5.8 -4.9 13.5 -0.8 -1.7 -13.9 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 3.2 -0.6 12.6 -0.6 -1.2 0.7 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.9 12.6 65.0 -1.9 -6.3 -1.5 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.6 0.9 5.0 0.2 -1.1 6.8 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -1.8 1.5 3.3 1.9 -2.1 5.5 (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 Mar(p) Feb(r) Mar(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 243657 217552 226710 689724 645488 421 Durable Goods....................................... 114721 99072 111983 318342 314951 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18729 15460 18100 50845 49765 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3640 3244 3621 10188 10208 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6834 5893 6700 19113 18649 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 21713 18346 20612 59425 57372 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9761 8163 9526 26668 26484 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7176 6543 7173 20812 20944 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17766 15667 17718 49651 50103 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5441 4824 5566 15424 15993 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 18963 16312 18958 52856 53053 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14459 12783 13535 40028 38864 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 128936 118480 114727 371382 330537 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6277 5618 6006 18119 17654 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 20850 19026 19162 60799 56103 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7642 7015 8306 21487 22705 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35960 31982 34033 101465 97485 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9607 10005 8474 31541 26655 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5548 4968 4942 15889 14784 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 22041 20821 13767 63299 38493 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6719 5868 6471 18152 17223 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14292 13177 13566 40631 39435 Inventories, Total.................................. 291572 290551 285298 421 Durable Goods....................................... 175171 174760 172040 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25843 25911 23576 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5220 5188 4985 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7538 7451 7205 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23549 23647 23051 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7462 7559 7671 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13537 13503 12630 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22778 23006 22745 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10809 10490 10272 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 46267 45552 48363 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19630 20012 19213 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 116401 115791 113258 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6145 6221 6098 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30683 29219 28486 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11830 12114 11683 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22510 22474 21476 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9839 10580 11425 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6015 6030 5982 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4421 4527 4496 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7398 7202 6911 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17560 17424 16701 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.20 1.34 1.26 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.53 1.76 1.54 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.38 1.68 1.30 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.43 1.60 1.38 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.10 1.26 1.08 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.08 1.29 1.12 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.76 0.93 0.81 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.89 2.06 1.76 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.28 1.47 1.28 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.99 2.17 1.85 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.44 2.79 2.55 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.36 1.57 1.42 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.90 0.98 0.99 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.98 1.11 1.02 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.47 1.54 1.49 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.55 1.73 1.41 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.70 0.63 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.02 1.06 1.35 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.08 1.21 1.21 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.20 0.22 0.33 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.10 1.23 1.07 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.23 1.32 1.23 (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 03 Months Mar Feb Mar 2003 Mar Feb Mar 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 03 from from from Feb Jan Mar Months Feb Jan Mar 2003 2003 2002 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 12.0 -4.8 7.5 6.9 0.4 -0.6 2.2 421 Durable Goods....................................... 15.8 -5.2 2.4 1.1 0.2 1.3 1.8 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 21.1 -7.2 3.5 2.2 -0.3 3.0 9.6 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 12.2 -1.8 0.5 -0.2 0.6 1.8 4.7 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 16.0 -7.7 2.0 2.5 1.2 4.0 4.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 18.4 -5.3 5.3 3.6 -0.4 -0.2 2.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 19.6 -6.6 2.5 0.7 -1.3 -0.1 -2.7 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 9.7 -7.8 0.0 -0.6 0.3 1.1 7.2 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 13.4 -3.4 0.3 -0.9 -1.0 -1.4 0.1 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 12.8 -6.5 -2.2 -3.6 3.0 1.8 5.2 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 16.3 -7.2 0.0 -0.4 1.6 2.4 -4.3 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13.1 0.0 6.8 3.0 -1.9 0.5 2.2 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 8.8 -4.4 12.4 12.4 0.5 -3.3 2.8 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 11.7 -9.7 4.5 2.6 -1.2 2.3 0.8 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 9.6 -9.1 8.8 8.4 5.0 -4.0 7.7 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 8.9 2.7 -8.0 -5.4 -2.3 -4.7 1.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 12.4 -4.6 5.7 4.1 0.2 -2.2 4.8 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -4.0 -16.1 13.4 18.3 -7.0 -7.8 -13.9 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 11.7 -7.5 12.3 7.5 -0.2 -0.5 0.6 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5.9 1.9 60.1 64.4 -2.3 -8.7 -1.7 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 14.5 5.4 3.8 5.4 2.7 -0.2 7.0 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 8.5 0.1 5.4 3.0 0.8 -2.1 5.1
Monthly Wholesale Trade for April is scheduled to be released June 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: May 7, 2003
