For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET June 9, 2003 CB03-92
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
APRIL 2003
Sales
April 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $235.7 billion, down 2.0 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised March level, but were up 3.8 percent (+/-1.0%) from the April 2002 level. The March preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged. Among durable goods, sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 1.8 percent from last month. April sales of nondurable goods decreased 3.6 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month, but were up 6.8 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products decreased 24.0 percent and sales of paper and paper products decreased 2.3 percent.
Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $290.6 billion at the end of April, down 0.1 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month, but were up 2.8 percent (+/-0.8%) from a year ago. The March preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.1 billion. Among durable goods, inventories of furniture and home furnishings were up 1.3 percent from March, while inventories of computer peripheral equipment and software were down 3.0 percent. Among nondurable goods, inventories of petroleum and petroleum products decreased 4.9 percent and inventories of grocery and related products decreased 1.5 percent from last month.
Inventories/Sales Ratio
The April inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.23. The April 2002 ratio was 1.24.
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 Apr(p) Mar(r) Apr(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 235743 240547 227173 421 Durable Goods....................................... 112335 112537 111649 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17831 18163 17576 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3581 3574 3582 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6863 6877 6886 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 21056 21013 19850 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9580 9434 9068 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7271 7253 7603 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17671 17476 17729 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5427 5478 5606 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 18560 18485 18909 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14075 14218 13908 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 123408 128010 115524 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6137 6283 6080 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 21130 20827 19247 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6943 6978 7583 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35778 35351 33567 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9937 9633 8909 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5375 5431 5161 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 17172 22592 14882 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7068 7077 6731 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13868 13838 13364 Inventories, Total.................................. 290602 290938 282779 421 Durable Goods....................................... 175317 175406 171389 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25587 25474 22772 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5436 5368 5134 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7302 7311 7051 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23452 23952 23838 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7474 7705 8181 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13599 13642 12739 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23558 23384 23164 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10620 10682 10052 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45615 45614 47071 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20148 19979 19568 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 115285 115532 111390 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6232 6218 6070 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30546 30143 27584 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12414 12418 11833 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22331 22660 21771 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9295 9251 10420 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5974 5972 5931 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4230 4448 4575 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7439 7497 7091 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16824 16925 16115 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.23 1.21 1.24 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.56 1.56 1.54 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.43 1.40 1.30 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.52 1.50 1.43 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.06 1.06 1.02 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.11 1.14 1.20 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.78 0.82 0.90 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.87 1.88 1.68 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.33 1.34 1.31 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.96 1.95 1.79 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.46 2.47 2.49 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.43 1.41 1.41 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.93 0.90 0.96 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.02 0.99 1.00 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.45 1.45 1.43 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.79 1.78 1.56 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.62 0.64 0.65 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.94 0.96 1.17 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.11 1.10 1.15 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.25 0.20 0.31 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.05 1.06 1.05 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.21 1.22 1.21 (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 Apr Mar Apr Apr Mar Apr 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Mar Feb Apr Mar Feb Apr 2003 2003 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. -2.0 1.0 3.8 -0.1 0.4 2.8 421 Durable Goods....................................... -0.2 2.1 0.6 -0.1 0.4 2.3 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -1.8 5.9 1.5 0.4 1.3 12.4 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 0.2 -0.6 -0.0 1.3 1.5 5.9 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -0.2 0.9 -0.3 -0.1 -1.8 3.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.2 1.1 6.1 -2.1 0.4 -1.6 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 1.5 0.4 5.6 -3.0 0.0 -8.6 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 0.2 2.9 -4.4 -0.3 0.5 6.8 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.1 1.7 -0.3 0.7 0.4 1.7 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.9 2.0 -3.2 -0.6 1.6 5.7 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 0.4 1.2 -1.8 0.0 -0.3 -3.1 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -1.0 1.5 1.2 0.8 0.2 3.0 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -3.6 0.0 6.8 -0.2 0.6 3.5 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -2.3 2.4 0.9 0.2 -0.5 2.7 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.5 1.9 9.8 1.3 2.3 10.7 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -0.5 -0.9 -8.4 0.0 1.5 4.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 1.2 0.1 6.6 -1.5 -1.3 2.6 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 3.2 -5.9 11.5 0.5 -0.5 -10.8 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -1.0 2.6 4.1 0.0 -0.9 0.7 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -24.0 0.8 15.4 -4.9 -3.0 -7.5 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -0.1 0.5 5.0 -0.8 0.5 4.9 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.2 -1.7 3.8 -0.6 1.8 4.4 (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 Apr(p) Mar(r) Apr(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 239109 243477 230318 928653 875806 421 Durable Goods....................................... 113689 114751 113099 432061 428050 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18865 18726 18525 69707 68290 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3585 3620 3643 13753 13851 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7247 6836 7189 26362 25838 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20151 21685 19016 79548 76388 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8967 9717 8424 35591 34908 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7533 7224 7747 28393 28691 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17406 17791 17463 67082 67566 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5649 5462 5870 21094 21863 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19488 18947 20100 72328 73153 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13765 14460 13546 53794 52410 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 125420 128726 117219 496592 447756 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6069 6245 6013 24156 23667 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 21510 20869 19555 82328 75658 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6686 7578 7227 28109 29932 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35599 35881 33668 136985 131153 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9818 9614 8820 41366 35475 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5515 5523 5264 21379 20048 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 18254 22005 15522 81517 54015 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7075 6716 6677 25224 23900 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14894 14295 14473 55528 53908 Inventories, Total.................................. 290812 291603 283146 421 Durable Goods....................................... 176894 175280 172966 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26048 25856 23205 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5316 5218 5006 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7528 7538 7270 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23804 23617 24172 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7743 7489 8451 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13449 13533 12624 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23275 22776 22886 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10779 10810 10203 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 46527 46253 48012 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20168 19679 19588 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 113918 116323 110180 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6307 6156 6155 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30577 30625 27612 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11806 11822 11277 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 21817 22456 21314 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8942 9843 10055 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5998 6002 5955 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4116 4421 4461 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7565 7430 7204 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16790 17568 16147 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.22 1.20 1.23 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.56 1.53 1.53 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.38 1.38 1.25 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.48 1.44 1.37 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.04 1.10 1.01 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.18 1.09 1.27 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.86 0.77 1.00 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.79 1.87 1.63 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.34 1.28 1.31 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.91 1.98 1.74 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.39 2.44 2.39 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.47 1.36 1.45 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.91 0.90 0.94 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.04 0.99 1.02 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.42 1.47 1.41 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.77 1.56 1.56 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.61 0.63 0.63 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.91 1.02 1.14 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.09 1.09 1.13 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.23 0.20 0.29 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.07 1.11 1.08 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.13 1.23 1.12 (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 04 Months Apr Mar Apr 2003 Apr Mar Apr 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 04 from from from Mar Feb Apr Months Mar Feb Apr 2003 2003 2002 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. -1.8 11.9 3.8 6.0 -0.3 0.4 2.7 421 Durable Goods....................................... -0.9 15.8 0.5 0.9 0.9 0.3 2.3 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 0.7 21.1 1.8 2.1 0.7 -0.2 12.3 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -1.0 11.6 -1.6 -0.7 1.9 0.6 6.2 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6.0 16.0 0.8 2.0 -0.1 1.2 3.5 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -7.1 18.2 6.0 4.1 0.8 -0.1 -1.5 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -7.7 19.0 6.4 2.0 3.4 -0.9 -8.4 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 4.3 10.4 -2.8 -1.0 -0.6 0.2 6.5 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -2.2 13.6 -0.3 -0.7 2.2 -1.0 1.7 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 3.4 13.2 -3.8 -3.5 -0.3 3.1 5.6 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.9 16.2 -3.0 -1.1 0.6 1.5 -3.1 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -4.8 13.1 1.6 2.6 2.5 -1.7 3.0 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -2.6 8.6 7.0 10.9 -2.1 0.5 3.4 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -2.8 11.2 0.9 2.1 2.5 -1.0 2.5 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 3.1 9.7 10.0 8.8 -0.2 4.8 10.7 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -11.8 8.0 -7.5 -6.1 -0.1 -2.4 4.7 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -0.8 12.2 5.7 4.4 -2.8 -0.1 2.4 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 2.1 -3.9 11.3 16.6 -9.2 -7.0 -11.1 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -0.1 11.2 4.8 6.6 -0.1 -0.5 0.7 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -17.0 5.7 17.6 50.9 -6.9 -2.3 -7.7 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 5.3 14.5 6.0 5.5 1.8 3.2 5.0 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 4.2 8.5 2.9 3.0 -4.4 0.8 4.0
Monthly Wholesale Trade for May is scheduled to be released July 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: June 9, 2003
