For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET October 8, 2003 CB03-158
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
AUGUST 2003
Sales
August 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $239.9 billion, up 0.4 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised July level, and were up 3.3 percent (+/-1.0%) from the August 2002 level. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. August sales of durable goods decreased 0.7 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month, but were virtually unchanged (+/-1.3%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials increased 1.8 percent (+/-2.0%), while sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software decreased 4.9 percent. August sales of nondurable goods increased 1.5 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 6.4 percent (+/-1.6%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 5.0 percent and sales of farm product raw materials increased 2.5 percent (+/-3.5%).Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $288.6 billion at the end of August, down 0.2 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month, but were up 0.7 percent (+/-1.0%) from a year ago. The July preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged. End-of-month inventories of durable goods decreased 0.5 percent (+/-0.4%) from July, and were down 0.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from last year. Inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 1.7 percent from last month and inventories of hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies decreased 1.4 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.3 percent (+/-0.6%) from July and were up 2.7 percent (+/-2.0%) from last year. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 4.5 percent from last month, while inventories of chemicals and allied products decreased 1.9 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.20. The August 2002 ratio was 1.23.
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 Aug(p) Jul(r) Aug(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 239942 238919 232373 421 Durable Goods....................................... 112711 113520 112745 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17930 18093 18477 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3756 3797 3537 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7663 7531 6573 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20100 20638 20873 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8708 9156 9977 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7264 7375 7586 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17645 17838 17347 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5467 5501 5537 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19904 19593 18403 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 12982 13154 14412 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 127231 125399 119628 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 5917 6028 6164 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22731 22393 19377 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6883 6872 7644 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 36268 36109 34722 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9967 9727 9508 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5245 5360 5232 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 19044 18145 15896 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7400 7373 6848 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13776 13392 14237 Inventories, Total.................................. 288589 289061 286685 421 Durable Goods....................................... 172084 172939 173202 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 24717 25134 23719 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5420 5348 5166 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7259 7215 7069 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24250 24098 24331 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7558 7630 8274 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13023 13087 13253 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22535 22672 23669 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10302 10448 10156 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44571 44777 46262 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20007 20160 19577 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 116505 116122 113483 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6230 6240 6114 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 31600 31242 27304 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12305 12377 12606 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22321 22130 22842 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9398 9441 10566 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5904 6017 5971 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4613 4413 4285 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7461 7590 6970 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16673 16672 16825 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.20 1.21 1.23 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.53 1.52 1.54 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.38 1.39 1.28 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.44 1.41 1.46 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.95 0.96 1.08 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.21 1.17 1.17 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.87 0.83 0.83 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.79 1.77 1.75 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.28 1.27 1.36 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.88 1.90 1.83 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.24 2.29 2.51 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.54 1.53 1.36 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.92 0.93 0.95 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.05 1.04 0.99 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.39 1.40 1.41 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.79 1.80 1.65 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.62 0.61 0.66 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.94 0.97 1.11 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.13 1.12 1.14 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.24 0.24 0.27 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.01 1.03 1.02 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.21 1.24 1.18 (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 Aug Jul Aug Aug Jul Aug 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Jul Jun Aug Jul Jun Aug 2003 2003 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 0.4 0.5 3.3 -0.2 0.0 0.7 421 Durable Goods....................................... -0.7 0.2 0.0 -0.5 -0.6 -0.6 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -0.9 -1.0 -3.0 -1.7 -2.4 4.2 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -1.1 2.9 6.2 1.3 -0.9 4.9 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.8 4.0 16.6 0.6 -0.2 2.7 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -2.6 -0.1 -3.7 0.6 0.7 -0.3 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -4.9 -1.1 -12.7 -0.9 -1.6 -8.7 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -1.5 1.8 -4.2 -0.5 -1.3 -1.7 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -1.1 -0.3 1.7 -0.6 -0.8 -4.8 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.6 -0.1 -1.3 -1.4 0.1 1.4 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.6 2.0 8.2 -0.5 -0.6 -3.7 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -1.3 -3.0 -9.9 -0.8 0.7 2.2 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 1.5 0.8 6.4 0.3 1.0 2.7 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -1.8 -1.9 -4.0 -0.2 0.4 1.9 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.5 3.0 17.3 1.1 2.9 15.7 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 0.2 0.0 -10.0 -0.6 -0.2 -2.4 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.4 0.7 4.5 0.9 1.1 -2.3 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 2.5 -7.5 4.8 -0.5 -1.6 -11.1 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -2.1 0.7 0.2 -1.9 0.2 -1.1 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5.0 2.9 19.8 4.5 -0.3 7.7 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.4 3.4 8.1 -1.7 0.5 7.0 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 2.9 1.4 -3.2 0.0 0.7 -0.9 (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 Aug(p) Jul(r) Aug(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 238949 244277 237904 1888773 1811145 421 Durable Goods....................................... 113211 117163 116468 891773 888750 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17894 18545 18828 142781 140911 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3857 3869 3781 28885 28572 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8245 8382 7290 58147 54516 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 19698 21216 21103 162330 160476 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8673 9367 10157 72358 74860 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7569 7877 8049 58844 60684 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17733 18230 17902 137993 138722 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5615 5793 5836 44049 44924 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19605 19965 18734 151959 150897 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 12995 13286 14945 106785 109048 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 125738 127114 121436 997000 922395 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6012 6167 6441 48501 48646 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 21413 22348 18912 168761 151843 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7420 7250 8462 55660 60734 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 36304 37517 35729 284140 272128 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8791 8881 8662 77722 69119 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5240 5564 5415 43089 41445 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 19539 18054 16278 153839 115682 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7629 7941 7300 55754 52717 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13390 13392 14237 109534 110081 Inventories, Total.................................. 284575 287763 282668 421 Durable Goods....................................... 172282 175148 173476 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 23555 24883 22652 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5615 5525 5352 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7252 7273 7069 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24396 24556 24404 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7618 7928 8307 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13101 13218 13333 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22963 23012 24095 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10364 10573 10227 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44749 45807 46493 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20287 20301 19851 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 112293 112615 109192 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6137 6215 6022 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29767 30617 25802 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12810 12909 13110 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22321 21754 22796 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 7349 7298 8189 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5863 6077 5929 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4641 4351 4306 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7349 7689 6886 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16056 15705 16152 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.19 1.18 1.19 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.52 1.49 1.49 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.32 1.34 1.20 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.46 1.43 1.42 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.88 0.87 0.97 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.24 1.16 1.16 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.88 0.85 0.82 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.73 1.68 1.66 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.29 1.26 1.35 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.85 1.83 1.75 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.28 2.29 2.48 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.56 1.53 1.33 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.89 0.89 0.90 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.02 1.01 0.93 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.39 1.37 1.36 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.73 1.78 1.55 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.61 0.58 0.64 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.84 0.82 0.95 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.12 1.09 1.09 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.24 0.24 0.26 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.96 0.97 0.94 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.20 1.17 1.13 (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 08 Months Aug Jul Aug 2003 Aug Jul Aug 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 08 from from from Jul Jun Aug Months Jul Jun Aug 2003 2003 2002 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. -2.2 1.5 0.4 4.3 -1.1 0.5 0.7 421 Durable Goods....................................... -3.4 0.0 -2.8 0.3 -1.6 0.3 -0.7 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -3.5 -0.3 -5.0 1.3 -5.3 -2.1 4.0 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -0.3 2.7 2.0 1.1 1.6 1.3 4.9 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -1.6 7.8 13.1 6.7 -0.3 -1.7 2.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -7.2 -2.4 -6.7 1.2 -0.7 3.2 0.0 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -7.4 -5.4 -14.6 -3.3 -3.9 2.6 -8.3 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -3.9 5.3 -6.0 -3.0 -0.9 0.0 -1.7 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -2.7 0.8 -0.9 -0.5 -0.2 0.3 -4.7 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -3.1 -1.2 -3.8 -1.9 -2.0 0.1 1.3 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -1.8 -1.3 4.6 0.7 -2.3 -0.2 -3.8 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -2.2 -2.1 -13.0 -2.1 -0.1 1.9 2.2 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -1.1 2.8 3.5 8.1 -0.3 0.9 2.8 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -2.5 -0.4 -6.7 -0.3 -1.3 0.0 1.9 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -4.2 4.3 13.2 11.1 -2.8 2.3 15.4 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 2.3 10.0 -12.3 -8.4 -0.8 1.7 -2.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -3.2 4.2 1.6 4.4 2.6 0.6 -2.1 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -1.0 -6.1 1.5 12.4 0.7 -4.2 -10.3 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -5.8 1.8 -3.2 4.0 -3.5 0.9 -1.1 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 8.2 2.2 20.0 33.0 6.7 1.1 7.8 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -3.9 6.1 4.5 5.8 -4.4 0.6 6.7 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.0 0.3 -5.9 -0.5 2.2 0.9 -0.6
Monthly Wholesale Trade for September is scheduled to be released November 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: October 8, 2003
