For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET February 9, 2004 CB04-21
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
DECEMBER 2003
Intention to Revise Wholesale Estimates: Monthly wholesale sales, inventories, and inventories/sales ratios will be revised based on the results of the 2002 Annual Trade Survey. Revised unadjusted and corresponding adjusted data are scheduled for release on March 3, 2004. |
December 2003 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $250.9 billion, up 1.0 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised November level and were up 8.0 percent (+/-1.0%) from the December 2002 level. The November preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.8 billion or 0.3 percent. December sales of durable goods increased 1.4 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 9.7 percent (+/-1.2%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of machinery, equipment, and supplies increased 4.6 percent, while lumber and other construction materials decreased 2.4 percent. December sales of nondurable goods were up 0.7 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 6.4 percent (+/-1.6%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of apparel, piece goods, and notions were up 4.8 percent, and paper and paper products were up 3.8 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $294.5 billion at the end of December, up 0.6 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month and were up 2.0 percent (+/-1.4%) from a year ago. The November preliminary estimate was virtually unchanged. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.9 percent (+/-0.4%) from November and were up 1.3 percent (+/-0.8%) from last December. Inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies increased 3.0 percent, and inventories of electrical goods increased 2.8 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 0.1 percent (+/-0.6%) from November and were up 3.1 percent (+/-3.2%) compared to last December. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 6.3 percent from last month, while inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries decreased 2.7 percent.
The December inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.17. The December 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 Dec(p) Nov(r) Dec(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 250864 248260 232347 421 Durable Goods....................................... 120343 118660 109697 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 19386 18868 17934 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3867 3801 3409 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8164 8365 6463 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 21745 21333 20665 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10108 9702 9568 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7808 7709 6817 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 18497 18809 17045 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5677 5654 5265 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20306 19420 18402 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14893 14701 13697 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 130521 129600 122650 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6273 6041 6181 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22976 22680 20199 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7540 7198 7124 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35236 35586 34879 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11725 12148 10779 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5431 5397 5055 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 20024 19487 17860 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7415 7359 7260 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 13901 13704 13313 Inventories, Total.................................. 294457 292716 288708 421 Durable Goods....................................... 175964 174314 173781 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26039 25280 25019 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5618 5523 5200 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7853 7702 7138 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24060 24357 23533 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7571 7552 7524 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13786 13482 13575 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22674 22065 23562 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10390 10391 10261 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44115 44548 45843 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21429 20966 19650 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 118493 118402 114927 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6462 6303 6156 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29916 30739 29172 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11818 11934 12431 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22913 22337 22351 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11221 11261 9473 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6087 5846 6000 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5209 4898 4787 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7653 7810 7466 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17214 17274 17091 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.17 1.18 1.24 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.46 1.47 1.58 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.34 1.34 1.40 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.45 1.45 1.53 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.96 0.92 1.10 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.11 1.14 1.14 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.75 0.78 0.79 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.77 1.75 1.99 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.23 1.17 1.38 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.83 1.84 1.95 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.17 2.29 2.49 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.44 1.43 1.43 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.91 0.91 0.94 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.03 1.04 1.00 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.30 1.36 1.44 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.57 1.66 1.74 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.65 0.63 0.64 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.96 0.93 0.88 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.12 1.08 1.19 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.26 0.25 0.27 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.03 1.06 1.03 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.24 1.26 1.28 (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 Dec Nov Dec Dec Nov Dec 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 from from from from from from Nov Oct Dec Nov Oct Dec 2003 2003 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 1.0 0.6 8.0 0.6 0.5 2.0 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.4 1.0 9.7 0.9 0.4 1.3 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 2.7 2.7 8.1 3.0 0.2 4.1 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.7 1.2 13.4 1.7 1.2 8.0 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -2.4 0.8 26.3 2.0 3.2 10.0 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.9 1.6 5.2 -1.2 0.6 2.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 4.2 2.5 5.6 0.3 0.0 0.6 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.3 2.1 14.5 2.3 2.0 1.6 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -1.7 0.1 8.5 2.8 -1.6 -3.8 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 0.4 0.9 7.8 0.0 0.1 1.3 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 4.6 -1.3 10.3 -1.0 0.2 -3.8 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.3 1.3 8.7 2.2 1.1 9.1 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.7 0.3 6.4 0.1 0.6 3.1 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 3.8 -3.2 1.5 2.5 0.8 5.0 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.3 -0.3 13.7 -2.7 0.2 2.6 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 4.8 2.4 5.8 -1.0 1.2 -4.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -1.0 -0.8 1.0 2.6 0.8 2.5 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -3.5 0.7 8.8 -0.4 -0.7 18.5 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 0.6 0.6 7.4 4.1 -1.1 1.5 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 2.8 3.6 12.1 6.3 3.7 8.8 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.8 -1.7 2.1 -2.0 3.0 2.5 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.4 1.1 4.4 -0.3 0.4 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 Dec(p) Nov(r) Dec(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 257877 235417 231910 2893527 2751001 421 Durable Goods....................................... 121672 112040 107942 1373750 1338776 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 20064 18264 18113 218314 212563 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3736 3729 3225 44520 42935 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7013 7478 5358 90608 80022 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23919 19690 21967 250973 247104 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 11442 8606 10448 112817 115388 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7246 6938 6176 88895 89336 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 18405 18376 16517 214857 209481 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5172 5207 4723 66356 66009 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 21179 17128 18604 231520 224491 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14938 15230 13259 167707 166835 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 136205 123377 123968 1519777 1412225 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6329 5660 6057 73627 73609 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 24745 21274 21068 261777 233488 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6379 6795 5728 84680 89907 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35941 34625 34809 427510 411756 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 14176 12938 12417 128456 113334 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5143 4830 4620 64150 61496 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 20404 17616 17717 229802 183724 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 8839 7168 8306 86708 81558 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14249 12471 13246 163067 163353 Inventories, Total.................................. 297236 295372 290763 421 Durable Goods....................................... 173512 172815 171251 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 25935 25558 24894 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5506 5468 5091 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7586 7456 6874 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23747 24528 23251 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7412 7567 7396 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 14089 13320 13833 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22357 22043 23232 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10193 10100 10076 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 43056 43523 44743 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21043 20819 19257 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 123724 122557 119512 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6565 6322 6236 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 31053 30923 30281 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11676 11421 12294 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 23440 22895 22843 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 13981 14177 11746 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6099 5793 6012 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5636 5011 5146 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7079 8154 6906 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 18195 17861 18048 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.15 1.25 1.25 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.43 1.54 1.59 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.29 1.40 1.37 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.47 1.47 1.58 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.08 1.00 1.28 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.99 1.25 1.06 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.65 0.88 0.71 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.94 1.92 2.24 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.21 1.20 1.41 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.97 1.94 2.13 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.03 2.54 2.41 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.41 1.37 1.45 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.91 0.99 0.96 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.04 1.12 1.03 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.25 1.45 1.44 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.83 1.68 2.15 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.65 0.66 0.66 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.99 1.10 0.95 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.19 1.20 1.30 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.28 0.28 0.29 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.80 1.14 0.83 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.28 1.43 1.36 (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 12 Months Dec Nov Dec 2003 Dec Nov Dec 2003 2003 2003 from 2003 2003 2003 from from from 12 from from from Nov Oct Dec Months Nov Oct Dec 2003 2003 2002 2002 2003 2003 2002 TOTAL.............................................. 9.5 -10.9 11.2 5.2 0.6 0.4 2.2 421 Durable Goods....................................... 8.6 -11.8 12.7 2.6 0.4 -0.2 1.3 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 9.9 -5.6 10.8 2.7 1.5 0.1 4.2 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 0.2 -10.1 15.8 3.7 0.7 -1.2 8.2 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -6.2 -19.4 30.9 13.2 1.7 3.4 10.4 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 21.5 -11.1 8.9 1.6 -3.2 0.2 2.1 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 33.0 -13.8 9.5 -2.2 -2.0 -0.7 0.2 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 4.4 -14.8 17.3 -0.5 5.8 2.1 1.9 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 0.2 -11.7 11.4 2.6 1.4 -2.9 -3.8 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.7 -14.7 9.5 0.5 0.9 -0.3 1.2 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 23.7 -17.5 13.8 3.1 -1.1 0.2 -3.8 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -1.9 -6.9 12.7 0.5 1.1 -1.1 9.3 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 10.4 -10.1 9.9 7.6 1.0 1.2 3.5 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 11.8 -16.3 4.5 0.0 3.8 1.2 5.3 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 16.3 -12.4 17.5 12.1 0.4 0.0 2.5 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -6.1 -15.7 11.4 -5.8 2.2 -3.0 -5.0 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 3.8 -7.1 3.3 3.8 2.4 0.4 2.6 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9.6 -5.1 14.2 13.3 -1.4 6.3 19.0 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6.5 -14.8 11.3 4.3 5.3 -0.6 1.4 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 15.8 -11.5 15.2 25.1 12.5 4.7 9.5 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 23.3 -10.3 6.4 6.3 -13.2 1.4 2.5 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14.3 -8.3 7.6 -0.2 1.9 2.7 0.8
Monthly Wholesale Trade for January is scheduled to be released March 10, 2004 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: February 9, 2004
