For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET November 7, 2003 CB03-174
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
SEPTEMBER 2003
Sales
September 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $240.7 billion, up 0.5 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised August level, and were up 3.9 percent (+/-1.0%) from the September 2002 level. The August preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.4 billion or 0.2 percent. September sales of durable goods increased 1.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month, and were up 3.0 percent (+/-1.3%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials increased 4.8 percent and sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were also up 4.8 percent. September sales of nondurable goods decreased 0.5 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month, but increased 4.7 percent (+/-1.6%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages were down 3.0 percent and sales of petroleum and petroleum products decreased 2.6 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $289.8 billion at the end of September, up 0.4 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month, and increased 0.9 percent (+/-1.1%) from a year ago. The August preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.1 billion. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.2 percent(+/-0.4%) from August, but were down 0.2 percent (+/-0.9%) from last year. Inventories of electrical goods increased 1.0 percent from last month. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.5 percent (+/-0.6%) from August and were up 2.6 percent (+/-2.1%) from last year. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 2.4 percent from last month and inventories of groceries and related products were up 1.7 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The September inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.20. The September 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 Sep(p) Aug(r) Sep(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 240739 239515 231752 421 Durable Goods....................................... 114960 113120 111647 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18159 17958 17800 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3768 3762 3537 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8105 7736 6651 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20650 20239 21085 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9123 8708 9960 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7451 7313 7496 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17919 17674 17237 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5610 5521 5414 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19751 19841 18834 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13547 13076 13593 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 125779 126395 120105 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6101 5898 6145 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22308 22542 19827 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7055 6932 7361 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 36163 36007 34793 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10176 10040 9682 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5355 5276 5301 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 18287 18783 16322 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7143 7365 6781 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13191 13552 13893 Inventories, Total.................................. 289777 288717 287186 421 Durable Goods....................................... 172867 172438 173216 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 24617 24698 24342 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5399 5418 5182 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7269 7250 7104 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24275 24258 23880 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7425 7539 7992 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13114 13062 13598 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22905 22674 23625 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10297 10293 10207 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44552 44738 45832 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20439 20047 19446 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 116910 116279 113970 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6158 6231 6144 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 31286 31429 27887 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12088 12211 12841 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22603 22226 22316 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9523 9436 10296 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5946 5923 6015 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4748 4638 4438 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7547 7475 7146 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17011 16710 16887 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.20 1.21 1.24 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.50 1.52 1.55 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.36 1.38 1.37 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.43 1.44 1.47 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.90 0.94 1.07 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.18 1.20 1.13 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.81 0.87 0.80 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.76 1.79 1.81 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.28 1.28 1.37 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.84 1.86 1.89 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.26 2.25 2.43 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.51 1.53 1.43 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.93 0.92 0.95 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.01 1.06 1.00 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.40 1.39 1.41 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.71 1.76 1.74 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.62 0.64 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.94 0.94 1.06 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.11 1.12 1.13 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.26 0.25 0.27 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.06 1.01 1.05 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.29 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 Sep Aug Sep Sep Aug Sep 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Aug Jul Sep Aug Jul Sep 2003 2003 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 0.5 0.2 3.9 0.4 -0.1 0.9 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.6 -0.4 3.0 0.2 -0.3 -0.2 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.1 -0.7 2.0 -0.3 -1.7 1.1 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 0.2 -0.9 6.5 -0.4 1.3 4.2 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 4.8 2.7 21.9 0.3 0.5 2.3 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 2.0 -1.9 -2.1 0.1 0.7 1.7 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 4.8 -4.9 -8.4 -1.5 -1.2 -7.1 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.9 -0.8 -0.6 0.4 -0.2 -3.6 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.4 -0.9 4.0 1.0 0.0 -3.0 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.6 0.4 3.6 0.0 -1.5 0.9 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -0.5 1.3 4.9 -0.4 -0.1 -2.8 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 3.6 -0.6 -0.3 2.0 -0.6 5.1 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -0.5 0.8 4.7 0.5 0.1 2.6 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 3.4 -2.2 -0.7 -1.2 -0.1 0.2 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -1.0 0.7 12.5 -0.5 0.6 12.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.8 0.9 -4.2 -1.0 -1.3 -5.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.4 -0.3 3.9 1.7 0.4 1.3 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.4 3.2 5.1 0.9 -0.1 -7.5 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.5 -1.6 1.0 0.4 -1.6 -1.1 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -2.6 3.5 12.0 2.4 5.1 7.0 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -3.0 -0.1 5.3 1.0 -1.5 5.6 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -2.7 1.2 -5.1 1.8 0.2 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 Sep(p) Aug(r) Sep(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 247590 238279 230444 2135693 2041589 421 Durable Goods....................................... 121365 113061 113603 1012988 1002353 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17850 17922 16910 160659 157821 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4013 3860 3633 32901 32205 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8672 8239 6804 66813 61320 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23004 19672 22709 185308 183185 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10455 8647 11105 82787 85965 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7756 7569 7496 66600 68180 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 19299 17709 17875 157268 156597 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5823 5615 5398 49872 50322 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20561 19504 18777 172419 169674 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14387 12971 14001 121148 123049 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 126225 125218 116841 1122705 1039236 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6382 5998 6225 54869 54871 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22866 21280 19490 191494 171333 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7768 7424 7758 63432 68492 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35874 35935 33854 319645 305982 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9932 8845 8811 87708 77930 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5387 5265 5137 48501 46582 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 17994 19459 15751 171753 131433 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6950 7623 6367 62698 59084 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13072 13389 13448 122605 123529 Inventories, Total.................................. 287170 284600 284324 421 Durable Goods....................................... 172177 172528 172541 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 24026 23562 23782 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5577 5613 5353 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7240 7250 7076 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24275 24404 23856 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7395 7652 7944 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13180 13101 13639 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23134 22969 23861 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10235 10355 10156 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 43928 45006 45236 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 20582 20268 19582 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 114993 112072 111783 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6072 6162 6064 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30692 29763 27357 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12499 12809 13239 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22671 22070 22361 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8114 7360 8700 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5875 5882 5937 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4890 4638 4536 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7713 7363 7310 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16467 16025 16279 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.16 1.19 1.23 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.42 1.53 1.52 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.35 1.31 1.41 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.39 1.45 1.47 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.83 0.88 1.04 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.06 1.24 1.05 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.71 0.88 0.72 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.70 1.73 1.82 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.20 1.30 1.33 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.76 1.84 1.88 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.14 2.31 2.41 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.43 1.56 1.40 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.91 0.90 0.96 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.95 1.03 0.97 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.34 1.40 1.40 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.61 1.73 1.71 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.61 0.66 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.82 0.83 0.99 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.09 1.12 1.16 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.27 0.24 0.29 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.11 0.97 1.15 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.26 1.20 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 2B. PERCENT CHANGES IN SALES AND INVENTORIES OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS UNADJUSTED INVENTORIES, SALES END-OF-MONTH (AT COST) NAICS Kind of business code 09 Months Sep Aug Sep 2003 Sep Aug Sep 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 09 from from from Aug Jul Sep Months Aug Jul Sep 2003 2003 2002 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 3.9 -2.5 7.4 4.6 0.9 -1.1 1.0 421 Durable Goods....................................... 7.3 -3.5 6.8 1.1 -0.2 -1.5 -0.2 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -0.4 -3.4 5.6 1.8 2.0 -5.3 1.0 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4.0 -0.2 10.5 2.2 -0.6 1.6 4.2 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 5.3 -1.7 27.5 9.0 -0.1 -0.3 2.3 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 16.9 -7.3 1.3 1.2 -0.5 -0.6 1.8 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 20.9 -7.7 -5.9 -3.7 -3.4 -3.5 -6.9 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 2.5 -3.9 3.5 -2.3 0.6 -0.9 -3.4 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 9.0 -2.9 8.0 0.4 0.7 -0.2 -3.0 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 3.7 -3.1 7.9 -0.9 -1.2 -2.1 0.8 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 5.4 -2.3 9.5 1.6 -2.4 -1.7 -2.9 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 10.9 -2.4 2.8 -1.5 1.5 -0.2 5.1 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.8 -1.5 8.0 8.0 2.6 -0.5 2.9 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6.4 -2.7 2.5 0.0 -1.5 -0.9 0.1 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 7.5 -4.8 17.3 11.8 3.1 -2.8 12.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 4.6 2.4 0.1 -7.4 -2.4 -0.8 -5.6 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -0.2 -4.2 6.0 4.5 2.7 1.5 1.4 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 12.3 -0.4 12.7 12.5 10.2 0.8 -6.7 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 2.3 -5.4 4.9 4.1 -0.1 -3.2 -1.0 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -7.5 7.8 14.2 30.7 5.4 6.6 7.8 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -8.8 -4.0 9.2 6.1 4.8 -4.2 5.5 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -2.4 0.0 -2.8 -0.7 2.8 2.0 1.2
Monthly Wholesale Trade for October is scheduled to be released December 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: November 7, 2003
