For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET June 9, 2004 CB04-93
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
APRIL 2004
Sales
April 2004 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $268.7 billion, up 0.8 percent (+/-0.7%) from the revised March level, and were up 15.1 percent (+/-1.0%) from the April 2003 level. The March preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent. April sales of durable goods increased 1.5 percent (+/-0.9%) from last month, and were up 19.2 percent (+/-1.2%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials were up 4.1 percent and sales of electrical goods increased 3.1 percent. April sales of nondurable goods increased 0.2 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month, and were up 11.4 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 3.8 percent from last month and sales of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages increased 2.5 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $301.2 billion at the end of April, down 0.1 percent (+/-0.5%) from last month, but were up 3.7 percent (+/-1.5%) from a year ago. The March preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods were virtually unchanged (+/- 0.5%) from March, but were up 3.9 percent (+/-1.0%) from last year. Inventories of lumber and other construction materials increased 3.4 percent from last month and inventories of electrical goods increased 1.2 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods decreased 0.2 percent (+/-0.7%) from March, but were up 3.3 percent (+/-3.2%) from last year. Inventories of drugs and druggists’ sundries decreased 2.6 percent from last month, while inventories of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages increased 2.0 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The April inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.12. The April 2003 ratio was 1.24.
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 Apr(p) Mar(r) Apr(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 268696 266509 233464 421 Durable Goods....................................... 132224 130315 110942 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 20179 19944 18112 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4038 3995 3636 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 9742 9362 6602 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22352 22481 21056 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10444 10364 9254 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 10930 10604 7222 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 19966 19372 17011 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5934 5923 5409 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 22384 22351 18435 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 16699 16283 13459 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 136472 136194 122522 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6698 6608 6365 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 23641 23490 21077 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7354 7387 6987 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35452 35889 34847 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 12756 12287 9663 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5537 5544 5232 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 22002 22327 16990 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7223 7044 6895 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 15809 15618 14466 Inventories, Total.................................. 301155 301311 290534 421 Durable Goods....................................... 181668 181589 174886 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26697 26959 25513 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5955 5957 5598 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 9245 8940 7505 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24049 24302 23633 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7192 7348 7220 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 16128 15997 13462 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23216 22944 22523 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10293 10336 10488 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 44479 44518 45826 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21606 21636 20338 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 119487 119722 115648 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6527 6572 6371 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 30012 30824 31310 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11989 12067 12527 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22553 22356 21786 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 13701 13651 9702 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5830 5815 5988 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4747 4774 4253 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7580 7428 7429 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16548 16235 16282 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.12 1.13 1.24 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.37 1.39 1.58 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.32 1.35 1.41 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.47 1.49 1.54 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.95 0.95 1.14 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.08 1.08 1.12 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.69 0.71 0.78 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.48 1.51 1.86 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.16 1.18 1.32 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.73 1.75 1.94 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.99 1.99 2.49 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.29 1.33 1.51 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.88 0.88 0.94 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.97 0.99 1.00 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.27 1.31 1.49 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.63 1.63 1.79 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.64 0.62 0.63 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.07 1.11 1.00 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.05 1.05 1.14 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.22 0.21 0.25 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.05 1.05 1.08 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.05 1.04 1.13 (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 Apr Mar Apr Apr Mar Apr 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 from from from from from from Mar Feb Apr Mar Feb Apr 2004 2004 2003 2004 2004 2003 TOTAL.............................................. 0.8 2.9 15.1 -0.1 0.5 3.7 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.5 4.2 19.2 0.0 0.9 3.9 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.2 2.3 11.4 -1.0 1.1 4.6 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.1 1.7 11.1 0.0 0.4 6.4 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 4.1 6.9 47.6 3.4 1.0 23.2 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -0.6 0.5 6.2 -1.0 -0.5 1.8 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.8 1.9 12.9 -2.1 1.3 -0.4 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 3.1 16.0 51.3 0.8 4.9 19.8 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 3.1 1.9 17.4 1.2 2.1 3.1 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 0.2 3.9 9.7 -0.4 0.2 -1.9 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 0.1 5.2 21.4 -0.1 -0.9 -2.9 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 2.6 5.7 24.1 -0.1 2.1 6.2 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.2 1.6 11.4 -0.2 0.0 3.3 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.4 1.5 5.2 -0.7 0.6 2.4 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 0.6 2.9 12.2 -2.6 0.4 -4.1 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -0.4 -0.6 5.3 -0.6 0.3 -4.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -1.2 2.2 1.7 0.9 1.0 3.5 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 3.8 3.1 32.0 0.4 2.8 41.2 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -0.1 1.7 5.8 0.3 -0.9 -2.6 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -1.5 -0.3 29.5 -0.6 -3.1 11.6 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 2.5 -1.6 4.8 2.0 -1.4 2.0 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.2 2.7 9.3 1.9 -2.5 1.6 (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 Apr(p) Mar(r) Apr(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 274231 288749 237965 1042295 925416 421 Durable Goods....................................... 135442 142261 113014 502467 430399 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 21390 21958 19235 77743 71016 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4099 4251 3618 15502 13953 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 10395 10017 7005 35274 25476 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 21480 24819 20403 86959 80332 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 9859 11432 8856 39749 34884 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 11498 11431 7576 40088 28571 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 20006 20805 16807 75491 65335 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 6231 6379 5625 22975 21110 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 23794 24787 19394 85948 71905 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 16549 17814 13351 62487 52701 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 138789 146488 124951 539828 495017 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6658 7150 6352 25981 25280 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 23783 25534 21372 92757 82120 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6883 8650 6749 29648 28521 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35417 37863 34812 138383 133912 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 12322 13073 9576 49896 40342 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5720 6054 5384 22414 20936 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 23476 23912 17890 91299 80087 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7187 7150 6874 26043 24537 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17343 17102 15942 63407 59282 Inventories, Total.................................. 302200 304040 291448 421 Durable Goods....................................... 184307 182526 177221 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 27364 27768 26125 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5848 5832 5486 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 9661 9271 7820 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24145 23986 23775 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7357 7201 7400 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 16434 16173 13664 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23193 22485 22455 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10509 10491 10698 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45547 45230 46880 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 21606 21290 20318 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 117893 121514 114227 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6605 6565 6447 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29802 31440 31122 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 11402 11536 11926 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22237 22289 21459 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 13372 14989 9450 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5830 5821 5988 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4476 4731 4053 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7671 7324 7533 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16498 16819 16249 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.10 1.05 1.22 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.36 1.28 1.57 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.28 1.26 1.36 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.43 1.37 1.52 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.93 0.93 1.12 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.12 0.97 1.17 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.75 0.63 0.84 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.43 1.41 1.80 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.16 1.08 1.34 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.69 1.64 1.90 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.91 1.82 2.42 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.31 1.20 1.52 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.85 0.83 0.91 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.99 0.92 1.01 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.25 1.23 1.46 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.66 1.33 1.77 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.59 0.62 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.09 1.15 0.99 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.02 0.96 1.11 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.19 0.20 0.23 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.07 1.02 1.10 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.95 0.98 1.02 (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 04 Months Apr Mar Apr 2004 Apr Mar Apr 2004 2004 2004 from 2004 2004 2004 from from from 04 from from from Mar Feb Apr Months Mar Feb Apr 2004 2004 2003 2003 2004 2004 2003 TOTAL.............................................. -5.0 20.1 15.2 12.6 -0.6 0.5 3.7 421 Durable Goods....................................... -4.8 24.7 19.8 16.7 1.0 1.0 4.0 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -2.6 22.3 11.2 9.5 -1.5 0.7 4.7 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -3.6 18.9 13.3 11.1 0.3 -0.1 6.6 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 3.8 32.0 48.4 38.5 4.2 3.5 23.5 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -13.5 23.1 5.3 8.2 0.7 -1.6 1.6 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -13.8 26.6 11.3 13.9 2.2 1.5 -0.6 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 0.6 29.8 51.8 40.3 1.6 6.2 20.3 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -3.8 18.5 19.0 15.5 3.1 1.1 3.3 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -2.3 24.1 10.8 8.8 0.2 1.3 -1.8 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -4.0 30.3 22.7 19.5 0.7 0.6 -2.8 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -7.1 24.7 24.0 18.6 1.5 0.5 6.3 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... -5.3 16.0 11.1 9.1 -3.0 -0.2 3.2 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -6.9 18.2 4.8 2.8 0.6 1.4 2.5 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -6.9 20.6 11.3 13.0 -5.2 4.0 -4.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... -20.4 13.8 2.0 4.0 -1.2 -2.7 -4.4 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -6.5 18.2 1.7 3.3 -0.2 2.1 3.6 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -5.7 12.5 28.7 23.7 -10.8 -3.8 41.5 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -5.5 17.3 6.2 7.1 0.2 -1.0 -2.6 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... -1.8 9.0 31.2 14.0 -5.4 -6.3 10.4 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.5 19.4 4.6 6.1 4.7 0.8 1.8 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.4 16.0 8.8 7.0 -1.9 -4.5 1.5
Monthly Wholesale Trade for May is scheduled to be released July 9, 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: June 9, 2004