For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET April 8, 2004 CB04-56
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
FEBRUARY 2004
Sales
February 2004 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $257.0 billion, up 1.3 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised January level, and were up 9.1 percent (+/-1.0%) from the February 2003 level. The January preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent. February sales of durable goods increased 2.1 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month, and were up 13.8 percent (+/-1.2%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies increased 5.4 percent and sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were up 5.2 percent. February sales of nondurable goods increased 0.6 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month, and were up 5.1 percent (+/-1.6%) from last year.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $299.7 billion at the end of February, up 1.2 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month, and increased 3.6 percent (+/-1.4%) from a year ago. The January preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 1.1 percent (+/-0.4%) from January, and were up 3.1 percent (+/-0.8%) from last year. Inventories of lumber and other construction materials increased 3.3 percent from last month and inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum, increased 3.2 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 1.4 percent (+/-0.6%) from January, and were up 4.3 percent (+/-3.2%) from last year. Inventories of farm product raw materials increased 5.2 percent from last month and inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries were up 3.8 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The February inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.17. The February 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 2004 2003 NAICS Kind of business Feb(p) Jan(r) Feb(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 257022 253664 235557 421 Durable Goods....................................... 123995 121424 108962 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 19422 18430 17456 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3949 3931 3663 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8572 8320 6522 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22417 22428 20836 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10269 10270 9086 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 9152 8703 6983 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 18813 18530 16746 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5636 5649 5370 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20888 20358 17940 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 15146 15075 13446 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 133027 132240 126595 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6465 6370 6405 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 22755 22473 20546 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7430 7190 7052 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 34914 34912 34619 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11856 11772 10017 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5455 5513 5148 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 21964 21727 21178 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7152 7360 6897 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 15036 14923 14733 Inventories, Total.................................. 299653 296016 289251 421 Durable Goods....................................... 179905 177965 174416 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26600 26243 25101 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5925 6017 5449 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8836 8551 7625 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24409 24254 23859 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7148 7223 7407 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 15082 14617 13460 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22470 21808 22428 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10313 10309 10564 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44958 44722 45955 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21312 21444 19975 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 119748 118051 114835 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6496 6515 6385 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30668 29537 30306 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11950 11864 12302 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22134 21945 22354 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 13212 12554 9506 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5879 5831 6034 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4973 5021 4491 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7572 7631 7448 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16864 17153 16009 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.17 1.17 1.23 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.45 1.47 1.60 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.37 1.42 1.44 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.50 1.53 1.49 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.03 1.03 1.17 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.09 1.08 1.15 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.70 0.70 0.82 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.65 1.68 1.93 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.19 1.18 1.34 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.83 1.82 1.97 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.15 2.20 2.56 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.41 1.42 1.49 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.90 0.89 0.91 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.00 1.02 1.00 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.35 1.31 1.48 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.61 1.65 1.74 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.63 0.65 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.11 1.07 0.95 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.08 1.06 1.17 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.23 0.23 0.21 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.06 1.04 1.08 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.12 1.15 1.09 (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 Feb Jan Feb Feb Jan Feb 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 from from from from from from Jan Dec Feb Jan Dec Feb 2004 2003 2003 2004 2003 2003 TOTAL.............................................. 1.3 0.9 9.1 1.2 0.2 3.6 421 Durable Goods....................................... 2.1 0.7 13.8 1.1 0.7 3.1 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 5.4 -6.5 11.3 1.4 0.4 6.0 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 0.5 1.2 7.8 -1.5 2.8 8.7 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 3.0 3.9 31.4 3.3 4.0 15.9 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.0 2.4 7.6 0.6 0.4 2.3 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.0 5.0 13.0 -1.0 -2.2 -3.5 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 5.2 6.8 31.1 3.2 4.3 12.1 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.5 2.0 12.3 3.0 -0.2 0.2 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.2 -0.1 5.0 0.0 -0.1 -2.4 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.6 0.6 16.4 0.5 0.5 -2.2 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 0.5 1.6 12.6 -0.6 -0.8 6.7 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.6 1.0 5.1 1.4 -0.6 4.3 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.5 -1.5 0.9 -0.3 -1.4 1.7 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.3 -1.2 10.8 3.8 -2.3 1.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 3.3 -4.8 5.4 0.7 -0.9 -2.9 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.0 1.5 0.9 0.9 -2.4 -1.0 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.7 -0.7 18.4 5.2 5.4 39.0 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -1.1 2.4 6.0 0.8 -4.0 -2.6 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 1.1 6.8 3.7 -1.0 -0.7 10.7 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... -2.8 1.4 3.7 -0.8 -0.5 1.7 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.8 -0.4 2.1 -1.7 2.3 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 2004 2003 2004 2003 NAICS Kind of business Feb(p) Jan(r) Feb(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 240054 238907 216868 478961 444638 421 Durable Goods....................................... 114121 110672 98777 224793 202924 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 17946 16440 15798 34386 32683 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 3605 3577 3297 7182 6655 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7586 7272 5694 14858 11865 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 20265 20499 18523 40764 38079 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9170 9428 7987 18598 16531 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 8804 8355 6585 17159 13724 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17515 17122 15306 34637 31140 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5140 5225 4833 10365 10026 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19008 18343 16182 37351 33615 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14252 13839 12559 28091 25137 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 125933 128235 118091 254168 241714 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6025 6122 5880 12147 12393 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 21185 22271 19005 43456 39904 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7601 6514 7158 14115 14096 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 31981 33062 31261 65043 64028 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11571 12879 9757 24450 21390 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5193 5480 4870 10673 10137 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 21766 21966 20394 43732 40556 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 5936 5719 5711 11655 11127 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14675 14222 14055 28897 28083 Inventories, Total.................................. 302696 300441 291297 421 Durable Goods....................................... 180781 176817 175034 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 27584 26479 25980 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5836 5915 5362 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8951 8508 7694 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24287 24205 23764 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7005 7151 7274 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 15233 14602 13554 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 22245 21655 22226 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10354 10144 10596 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44958 43693 45863 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21333 21616 19995 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 121915 123624 116263 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6477 6535 6359 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30208 30778 29882 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11854 12113 12216 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 21868 22077 22041 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 15590 15605 11150 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5879 5773 6040 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 5048 5252 4545 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7284 7326 7172 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17707 18165 16858 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.26 1.26 1.34 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.58 1.60 1.77 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.54 1.61 1.64 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.62 1.65 1.63 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.18 1.17 1.35 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.20 1.18 1.28 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.76 0.76 0.91 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.73 1.75 2.06 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.27 1.26 1.45 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 2.01 1.94 2.19 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.37 2.38 2.83 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.50 1.56 1.59 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.97 0.96 0.98 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.08 1.07 1.08 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.43 1.38 1.57 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.56 1.86 1.71 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.68 0.67 0.71 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.35 1.21 1.14 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.13 1.05 1.24 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.23 0.24 0.22 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.23 1.28 1.26 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.21 1.28 1.20 (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 02 Months Feb Jan Feb 2004 Feb Jan Feb 2004 2004 2004 from 2004 2004 2004 from from from 02 from from from Jan Dec Feb Months Jan Dec Feb 2004 2003 2003 2003 2004 2003 2003 TOTAL.............................................. 0.5 -7.2 10.7 7.7 0.8 0.8 3.9 421 Durable Goods....................................... 3.1 -8.9 15.5 10.8 2.2 1.7 3.3 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 9.2 -20.1 13.6 5.2 4.2 1.6 6.2 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 0.8 -5.2 9.3 7.9 -1.3 3.4 8.8 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 4.3 7.3 33.2 25.2 5.2 8.1 16.3 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -1.1 -14.4 9.4 7.1 0.3 1.5 2.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -2.7 -14.8 14.8 12.5 -2.0 -1.6 -3.7 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 5.4 13.9 33.7 25.0 4.3 2.8 12.4 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 2.3 -4.5 14.4 11.2 2.7 0.4 0.1 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -1.6 0.8 6.4 3.4 2.1 0.0 -2.3 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 3.6 -13.0 17.5 11.1 2.9 1.0 -2.0 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 3.0 -6.9 13.5 11.8 -1.3 2.0 6.7 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -1.8 -5.6 6.6 5.2 -1.4 -0.6 4.9 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -1.6 -7.6 2.5 -2.0 -0.9 -2.6 1.9 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -4.9 -9.7 11.5 8.9 -1.9 -2.6 1.1 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 16.7 1.4 6.2 0.1 -2.1 2.4 -3.0 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -3.3 -5.8 2.3 1.6 -0.9 -3.8 -0.8 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -10.2 -7.6 18.6 14.3 -0.1 5.3 39.8 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -5.2 8.0 6.6 5.3 1.8 -5.6 -2.7 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -0.9 9.3 6.7 7.8 -3.9 -5.6 11.1 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 3.8 -34.3 3.9 4.7 -0.6 2.9 1.6 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 3.2 -7.0 4.4 2.9 -2.5 3.2 5.0
Monthly Wholesale Trade for March is scheduled to be released May 7, 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: April 8, 2004
