For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET March 10, 2004 CB04-39
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
JANUARY 2004
Notice of Revised Data: Monthly wholesale sales, inventories, and inventories/sales ratios were revised based on the results of the 2002 Annual Trade Survey. The Annual Benchmark Report for Wholesale Trade showing revised data was released on March 3, 2004 and can be found at http://www.census.gov/whl. |
January 2004 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $253.1 billion, up 0.6 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised December level and were up 7.6 percent (+/-1.0%) from the January 2003 level. The December preliminary estimate was revised upward $1.3 billion or 0.5 percent. January sales of durable goods increased 0.2 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 8.8 percent (+/-1.2%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software increased 4.9 percent, while motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 6.6 percent. January sales of nondurable goods were up 1.0 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 6.5 percent (+/-1.6%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 7.0 percent, and chemicals and allied products were up 2.4 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $295.8 billion at the end of January, up 0.1 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month and were up 2.5 percent (+/-1.4%) from a year ago. The December preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.6 percent (+/-0.4%) from December and were up 2.6 percent (+/-0.8%) from last January. Inventories of lumber and other construction materials increased 4.0 percent, and inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum increased 3.4 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods decreased 0.6 percent (+/-0.6%) from December, but were up 2.3 percent (+/-3.2%) compared to last January. Inventories of chemicals and allied products decreased 4.1 percent from last month, and inventories of groceries and related products decreased 2.9 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The January inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.17. The January 2003 ratio was 1.23.
TABLE 1A. ADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2004 AND 2003 (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.) 2004 2003 2003 NAICS Kind of business Jan(p) Dec(r) Jan(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 253116 251526 235248 421 Durable Goods....................................... 120771 120546 110996 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18415 19714 18393 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3931 3886 3619 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8280 8004 6730 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22449 21898 20804 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10262 9778 9041 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 8518 8149 7139 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 18413 18162 16685 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5643 5657 5507 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20101 20235 18565 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 15021 14841 13554 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 132345 130980 124252 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6334 6470 6494 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22514 22735 20251 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7179 7555 7342 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 34855 34397 34204 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11756 11860 10368 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5512 5384 5184 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 21767 20337 19129 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7366 7258 6728 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 15062 14984 14552 Inventories, Total.................................. 295787 295435 288572 421 Durable Goods....................................... 177729 176674 173171 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26159 26147 24864 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 6016 5853 5377 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8546 8219 7454 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24255 24154 23741 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7276 7388 7344 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 14492 14019 13360 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 21822 21856 22588 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10313 10315 10246 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44638 44490 45755 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21488 21621 19786 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 118058 118761 115401 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6554 6605 6234 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29623 30222 29833 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11894 11970 12535 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 21830 22479 22398 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 12433 11916 9665 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5825 6071 6132 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5055 5055 4776 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7653 7672 7508 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17191 16771 16320 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.17 1.17 1.23 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.47 1.47 1.56 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.42 1.33 1.35 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.53 1.51 1.49 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.03 1.03 1.11 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.08 1.10 1.14 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.71 0.76 0.81 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.70 1.72 1.87 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.19 1.20 1.35 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.83 1.82 1.86 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.22 2.20 2.46 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.43 1.46 1.46 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.89 0.91 0.93 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.03 1.02 0.96 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.32 1.33 1.47 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.66 1.58 1.71 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.65 0.65 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.06 1.00 0.93 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.06 1.13 1.18 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.23 0.25 0.25 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.04 1.06 1.12 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.14 1.12 1.12 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-DECEMBER 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 Jan Dec Jan Jan Dec Jan 2004 2003 2004 2004 2003 2004 from from from from from from Dec Nov Jan Dec Nov Jan 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 TOTAL.............................................. 0.6 1.5 7.6 0.1 0.6 2.5 421 Durable Goods....................................... 0.2 2.0 8.8 0.6 1.1 2.6 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -6.6 3.1 0.1 0.0 3.4 5.2 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.2 1.4 8.6 2.8 2.1 11.9 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 3.4 -1.5 23.0 4.0 2.3 14.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 2.5 2.2 7.9 0.4 -1.0 2.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 4.9 3.4 13.5 -1.5 1.3 -0.9 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 4.5 4.6 19.3 3.4 3.0 8.5 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.4 -0.4 10.4 -0.2 2.3 -3.4 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.2 -0.1 2.5 0.0 -0.1 0.7 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -0.7 4.2 8.3 0.3 -0.8 -2.4 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.2 1.5 10.8 -0.6 2.7 8.6 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 1.0 1.1 6.5 -0.6 -0.1 2.3 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -2.1 2.3 -2.5 -0.8 2.6 5.1 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -1.0 0.6 11.2 -2.0 -3.5 -0.7 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -5.0 3.3 -2.2 -0.6 -0.8 -5.1 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 1.3 -1.2 1.9 -2.9 2.6 -2.5 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -0.9 -1.9 13.4 4.3 0.8 28.6 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 2.4 1.8 6.3 -4.1 3.6 -5.0 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 7.0 6.0 13.8 0.0 2.0 5.8 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.5 1.2 9.5 -0.2 -1.4 1.9 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.5 2.0 3.5 2.5 0.4 5.3 (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: 2004 AND 2003 (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.) 2004 2003 2003 2004 2003 NAICS Kind of business Jan(p) Dec(r) Jan(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 238973 257367 227770 238973 227770 421 Durable Goods....................................... 110567 121466 104147 110567 104147 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 16445 20581 16885 16445 16885 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3581 3773 3358 3581 3358 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7344 6779 6171 7344 6171 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20541 23935 19556 20541 19556 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9462 11069 8544 9462 8544 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 8271 7334 7139 8271 7139 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17069 17926 15834 17069 15834 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5220 5182 5193 5220 5193 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 18292 21085 17433 18292 17433 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 13804 14871 12578 13804 12578 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 128406 135901 123623 128406 123623 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6100 6625 6513 6100 6513 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22289 24668 20899 22289 20899 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6576 6422 6938 6576 6938 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 32973 35085 32767 32973 32767 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 12861 13935 11633 12861 11633 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5479 5072 5267 5479 5267 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 22050 20093 20162 22050 20162 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 5694 8702 5416 5694 5416 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14384 15299 14028 14384 14028 Inventories, Total.................................. 300587 298174 292511 421 Durable Goods....................................... 176947 173847 172248 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26473 26069 25138 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5908 5718 5275 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8512 7874 7402 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24279 23840 23765 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7203 7270 7285 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 14564 14201 13400 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 21757 21572 22543 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10138 10140 10072 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 43656 43244 44748 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21660 21189 19905 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 123640 124327 120263 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6541 6711 6215 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30778 31612 31146 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12168 11826 12848 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 21983 22951 22532 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 15604 14823 12091 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5767 6113 6071 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5313 5561 4957 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7332 7120 7185 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 18154 17610 17218 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.26 1.16 1.28 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.60 1.43 1.65 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.61 1.27 1.49 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.65 1.52 1.57 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.16 1.16 1.20 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.18 1.00 1.22 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.76 0.66 0.85 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.76 1.94 1.88 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.27 1.20 1.42 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.94 1.96 1.94 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.39 2.05 2.57 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.57 1.42 1.58 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.96 0.91 0.97 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.07 1.01 0.95 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.38 1.28 1.49 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.85 1.84 1.85 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.67 0.65 0.69 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.21 1.06 1.04 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.05 1.21 1.15 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.24 0.28 0.25 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.29 0.82 1.33 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.26 1.15 1.23 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-DECEMBER 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 01 Months Jan Dec Jan 2004 Jan Dec Jan 2004 2003 2004 from 2004 2003 2004 from from from 01 from from from Dec Nov Jan Months Dec Nov Jan 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 TOTAL.............................................. -7.1 9.7 4.9 4.9 0.8 0.6 2.8 421 Durable Goods....................................... -9.0 8.8 6.2 6.2 1.8 0.4 2.7 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -20.1 11.2 -2.6 -2.6 1.5 2.0 5.3 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -5.1 0.2 6.6 6.6 3.3 0.8 12.0 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8.3 -6.2 19.0 19.0 8.1 1.4 15.0 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -14.2 20.8 5.0 5.0 1.8 -3.0 2.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -14.5 31.5 10.7 10.7 -0.9 -0.6 -1.1 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12.8 4.7 15.9 15.9 2.6 5.8 8.7 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -4.8 -0.1 7.8 7.8 0.9 1.0 -3.5 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 0.7 -0.7 0.5 0.5 0.0 1.0 0.7 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -13.2 23.4 4.9 4.9 1.0 -1.3 -2.4 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -7.2 -1.5 9.7 9.7 2.2 1.3 8.8 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -5.5 10.6 3.9 3.9 -0.6 0.9 2.8 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -7.9 11.8 -6.3 -6.3 -2.5 3.9 5.2 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -9.6 16.5 6.7 6.7 -2.6 0.4 -1.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 2.4 -7.0 -5.2 -5.2 2.9 2.3 -5.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -6.0 3.7 0.6 0.6 -4.2 2.2 -2.4 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -7.7 10.4 10.6 10.6 5.3 -1.7 29.1 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 8.0 7.1 4.0 4.0 -5.7 5.4 -5.0 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 9.7 15.6 9.4 9.4 -4.5 10.9 7.2 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -34.6 24.7 5.1 5.1 3.0 -12.3 2.0 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... -6.0 14.7 2.5 2.5 3.1 1.9 5.4
Monthly Wholesale Trade for February is scheduled to be released April 8, 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: March 10, 2004
