For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET July 9, 2003 CB03-105
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
MAY 2003
Sales
May 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $233.4 billion, down 0.5 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised April level, but were up 2.6 percent (+/-1.0%) from the May 2002 level. The April preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.1 billion or 0.5 percent. Among durable goods, sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software decreased 3.5 percent from last month. Among nondurable goods, sales of drugs and druggists’ sundries were up 2.1 percent from April, while sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 3.7 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $289.3 billion at the end of May, down 0.3 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month, but were up 2.3 percent (+/-0.8%) from a year ago. The April preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent. Among durable goods, inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software increased 2.5 percent, while inventories of electrical goods decreased 1.3 percent. Among nondurable goods, inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 3.7 percent and inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries increased 1.3 percent from last month.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The May inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.24. The May 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 May(p) Apr(r) May(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 233425 234634 227446 421 Durable Goods....................................... 111528 111927 112108 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17819 17836 17508 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3644 3580 3575 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6855 6858 6632 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20563 20917 20441 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9256 9590 9610 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7337 7294 7522 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17287 17498 18055 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5439 5439 5464 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 18824 18620 19074 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13760 13885 13837 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 121897 122707 115338 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6078 6119 6098 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 21633 21197 19205 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6958 6916 7670 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35896 35758 33731 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9744 9890 8769 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5241 5337 5212 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 16150 16764 14425 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7124 7063 6738 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13073 13663 13490 Inventories, Total.................................. 289339 290092 282853 421 Durable Goods....................................... 174399 174992 170864 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25328 25536 23443 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5395 5419 5116 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7239 7287 7055 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23792 23447 23527 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7705 7516 8032 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13389 13540 12774 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23097 23401 23220 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10526 10581 10175 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45449 45586 46396 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20184 20195 19158 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 114940 115100 111989 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6203 6221 6165 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30905 30512 27462 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12286 12388 11897 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22010 22327 22164 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9314 9298 10281 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5972 5960 5950 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4322 4166 4466 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7544 7483 7101 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16384 16745 16503 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.24 1.24 1.24 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.56 1.56 1.52 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.42 1.43 1.34 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.48 1.51 1.43 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.06 1.06 1.06 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.16 1.12 1.15 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.83 0.78 0.84 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.82 1.86 1.70 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.34 1.34 1.29 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.94 1.95 1.86 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.41 2.45 2.43 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.47 1.45 1.38 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.94 0.94 0.97 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.02 1.02 1.01 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.43 1.44 1.43 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.77 1.79 1.55 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.61 0.62 0.66 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.96 0.94 1.17 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.14 1.12 1.14 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.27 0.25 0.31 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.06 1.06 1.05 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.25 1.23 1.22 (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 May Apr May May Apr May 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Apr Mar May Apr Mar May 2003 2003 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. -0.5 -2.5 2.6 -0.3 -0.3 2.3 421 Durable Goods....................................... -0.4 -0.5 -0.5 -0.3 -0.2 2.1 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -0.1 -1.8 1.8 -0.8 0.2 8.0 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.8 0.2 1.9 -0.4 1.0 5.5 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.0 -0.3 3.4 -0.7 -0.3 2.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -1.7 -0.5 0.6 1.5 -2.1 1.1 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -3.5 1.7 -3.7 2.5 -2.5 -4.1 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 0.6 0.6 -2.5 -1.1 -0.7 4.8 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -1.2 0.1 -4.3 -1.3 0.1 -0.5 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 0.0 -0.7 -0.5 -0.5 -0.9 3.4 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.1 0.7 -1.3 -0.3 -0.1 -2.0 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -0.9 -2.3 -0.6 -0.1 1.1 5.4 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -0.7 -4.1 5.7 -0.1 -0.4 2.6 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -0.7 -2.6 -0.3 -0.3 0.0 0.6 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 2.1 1.8 12.6 1.3 1.2 12.5 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 0.6 -0.9 -9.3 -0.8 -0.2 3.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.4 1.2 6.4 -1.4 -1.5 -0.7 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -1.5 2.7 11.1 0.2 0.5 -9.4 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -1.8 -1.7 0.6 0.2 -0.2 0.4 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -3.7 -25.8 12.0 3.7 -6.3 -3.2 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.9 -0.2 5.7 0.8 -0.2 6.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -4.3 -1.3 -3.1 -2.2 -1.1 -0.7 (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 May(p) Apr(r) May(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 236711 238667 236555 1164922 1112361 421 Durable Goods....................................... 112483 113491 115979 544346 544029 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18033 18871 18156 87746 86446 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3659 3559 3654 17386 17505 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7376 7256 7415 33747 33253 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20028 20248 20543 99673 96931 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8719 9072 9370 44415 44278 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7520 7527 7981 35907 36672 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 16959 17306 18037 83941 85603 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5716 5640 5879 26801 27742 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19859 19477 20657 92176 93810 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13333 13607 13657 66969 66067 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 124228 125176 120576 620576 568332 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 5969 6070 6196 30126 29863 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 21244 21515 19531 103577 95189 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6360 6660 7202 34443 37134 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 37511 35615 35687 174512 166840 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9150 9841 8418 50539 43893 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5466 5492 5587 26822 25635 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 17135 18055 15853 98453 69868 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7509 7063 7398 32721 31298 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13884 14865 14704 69383 68612 Inventories, Total.................................. 285987 290759 279623 421 Durable Goods....................................... 175122 176909 171597 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25303 26047 23443 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5379 5300 5090 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7427 7527 7245 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23578 23705 23292 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7705 7681 7992 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13255 13472 12672 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23005 23237 23104 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10673 10782 10307 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 46358 46543 47324 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20144 20296 19120 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 110865 113850 108026 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6308 6308 6264 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29607 30512 26309 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11942 11793 11611 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 21504 21880 21699 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 7917 8945 8739 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6044 5978 6021 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4175 4074 4314 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7574 7565 7144 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 15794 16795 15925 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.21 1.22 1.18 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.56 1.56 1.48 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.40 1.38 1.29 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.47 1.49 1.39 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.01 1.04 0.98 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.18 1.17 1.13 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.88 0.85 0.85 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.76 1.79 1.59 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.36 1.34 1.28 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.87 1.91 1.75 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.33 2.39 2.29 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.51 1.49 1.40 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.89 0.91 0.90 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.06 1.04 1.01 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.39 1.42 1.35 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.88 1.77 1.61 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.57 0.61 0.61 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.87 0.91 1.04 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.11 1.09 1.08 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.24 0.23 0.27 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.01 1.07 0.97 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.14 1.13 1.08 (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 05 Months May Apr May 2003 May Apr May 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 05 from from from Apr Mar May Months Apr Mar May 2003 2003 2002 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. -0.8 -2.0 0.1 4.7 -1.6 -0.3 2.3 421 Durable Goods....................................... -0.9 -1.1 -3.0 0.1 -1.0 0.9 2.1 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -4.4 0.8 -0.7 1.5 -2.9 0.7 7.9 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 2.8 -1.7 0.1 -0.7 1.5 1.6 5.7 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.7 6.1 -0.5 1.5 -1.3 -0.1 2.5 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -1.1 -6.6 -2.5 2.8 -0.5 0.4 1.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -3.9 -6.6 -6.9 0.3 0.3 2.6 -3.6 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -0.1 4.2 -5.8 -2.1 -1.6 -0.5 4.6 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -2.0 -2.7 -6.0 -1.9 -1.0 2.0 -0.4 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.3 3.3 -2.8 -3.4 -1.0 -0.3 3.6 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.0 2.8 -3.9 -1.7 -0.4 0.6 -2.0 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -2.0 -5.9 -2.4 1.4 -0.7 3.1 5.4 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -0.8 -2.8 3.0 9.2 -2.6 -2.1 2.6 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -1.7 -2.8 -3.7 0.9 0.0 2.5 0.7 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -1.3 3.1 8.8 8.8 -3.0 -0.4 12.5 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -4.5 -12.1 -11.7 -7.2 1.3 -0.2 2.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 5.3 -0.7 5.1 4.6 -1.7 -2.6 -0.9 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -7.0 2.4 8.7 15.1 -11.5 -9.1 -9.4 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -0.5 -0.6 -2.2 4.6 1.1 -0.4 0.4 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -5.1 -18.0 8.1 40.9 2.5 -7.8 -3.2 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6.3 5.2 1.5 4.5 0.1 1.8 6.0 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -6.6 4.0 -5.6 1.1 -6.0 -4.4 -0.8
Monthly Wholesale Trade for June is scheduled to be released August 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: July 9, 2003
