For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET October 8, 2004 CB04-178
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
AUGUST 2004
Sales
August 2004 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $275.8 billion, up 1.2 percent (+/-0.7%) from the revised July level, and were up 15.0 percent (+/-1.3%) from the August 2003 level. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.9 billion or 0.3 percent. August sales of durable goods increased 1.1 percent (+/-1.0%) from last month, and were up 19.8 percent (+/-1.8%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 4.1 percent and sales of lumber and other construction materials were up 3.9 percent. August sales of nondurable goods increased 1.3 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month, and were up 10.8 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 3.2 percent from last month and sales of chemicals and allied products increased 2.9 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $317.2 billion at the end of August, up 0.9 percent (+/-0.5%) from last month, and were up 9.8 percent (+/-1.3%) from a year ago. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.6 billion or 0.2 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 1.7 percent (+/-0.5%) from July, and were up 13.3 percent (+/-1.3%) from last year. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum increased 5.0 percent from last month and inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software increased 2.9 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods decreased 0.3 percent (+/-0.7%) from July, but were up 4.7 percent (+/-2.8%) from last year. Inventories of farm products and raw materials decreased 6.9 percent from last month, while inventories of paper and paper products were up 2.8 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.15. The August 2003 ratio was 1.20.
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. 2004 2004 2003 NAICS Kind of business Aug(p) Jul(r) Aug(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 275812 272479 239756 421 Durable Goods....................................... 135841 134365 113437 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 19890 19698 18389 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4240 4160 3793 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 10419 10024 7467 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22639 23099 20783 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10408 10941 8844 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 11794 11325 7383 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 20638 20435 17404 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 6142 6050 5527 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 23373 23153 19699 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 16706 16421 12992 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 139971 138114 126319 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6837 6834 6190 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 24554 24474 22421 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7346 7296 7061 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35897 35056 35058 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10584 11045 9892 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5909 5745 5140 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 24948 24178 18834 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7200 7197 7238 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16696 16289 14485 Inventories, Total.................................. 317211 314354 288848 421 Durable Goods....................................... 194628 191460 171785 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 28420 27946 24769 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 6047 6006 5638 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 10340 10205 7553 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 25570 25093 24129 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 7852 7629 7217 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 19380 18458 13084 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23811 23747 21784 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 11032 10869 10149 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 47088 46511 44743 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 22940 22625 19936 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 122583 122894 117063 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 7365 7162 6342 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 31097 30930 31788 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12126 11871 12275 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22825 22942 21711 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10850 11657 10854 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6014 5969 5897 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 6211 6130 4666 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7950 7870 7414 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 18145 18363 16116 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.15 1.15 1.20 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.43 1.42 1.51 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.43 1.42 1.35 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.43 1.44 1.49 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.99 1.02 1.01 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.13 1.09 1.16 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.75 0.70 0.82 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.64 1.63 1.77 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.15 1.16 1.25 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.80 1.80 1.84 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.01 2.01 2.27 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.37 1.38 1.53 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.88 0.89 0.93 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.08 1.05 1.02 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.27 1.26 1.42 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.65 1.63 1.74 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.64 0.65 0.62 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.03 1.06 1.10 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.02 1.04 1.15 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.25 0.25 0.25 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.10 1.09 1.02 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.09 1.13 1.11 (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 Aug Jul Aug Aug Jul Aug 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 from from from from from from Jul Jun Aug Jul Jun Aug 2004 2004 2003 2004 2004 2003 TOTAL.............................................. 1.2 0.8 15.0 0.9 1.5 9.8 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.1 0.9 19.8 1.7 1.7 13.3 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.0 -2.2 8.2 1.7 2.4 14.7 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.9 1.9 11.8 0.7 1.2 7.3 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 3.9 2.0 39.5 1.3 2.3 36.9 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -2.0 0.7 8.9 1.9 0.1 6.0 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -4.9 3.3 17.7 2.9 -1.1 8.8 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 4.1 4.4 59.7 5.0 4.5 48.1 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.0 -1.1 18.6 0.3 0.5 9.3 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.5 -0.3 11.1 1.5 1.7 8.7 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.0 2.8 18.7 1.2 0.9 5.2 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.7 2.4 28.6 1.4 2.8 15.1 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 1.3 0.7 10.8 -0.3 1.2 4.7 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.0 0.0 10.5 2.8 3.6 16.1 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 0.3 2.7 9.5 0.5 0.6 -2.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 0.7 -1.5 4.0 2.1 1.8 -1.2 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 2.4 -0.8 2.4 -0.5 0.7 5.1 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -4.2 -2.9 7.0 -6.9 -7.0 0.0 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 2.9 1.7 15.0 0.8 1.5 2.0 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 3.2 2.8 32.5 1.3 19.5 33.1 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.0 -1.3 -0.5 1.0 0.9 7.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 2.5 2.8 15.3 -1.2 2.3 12.6 (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. 2004 2004 2003 2004 2003 NAICS Kind of business Aug(p) Jul(r) Aug(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 282264 269553 237647 2143020 1882896 421 Durable Goods....................................... 139568 134079 112729 1047956 888821 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 20029 19442 18168 158025 145137 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4562 4118 3903 32407 29253 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 11471 10545 7960 78465 56162 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22141 23030 19869 178078 163741 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10044 10875 8455 81917 70706 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12549 11585 7641 86539 59336 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 21071 20312 17282 158804 134528 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 6541 6141 5621 48380 44102 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 24331 23060 19423 180201 151056 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 16873 15846 12862 127057 105506 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 142696 135474 124918 1095064 994075 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 7165 6684 6277 53544 50742 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 24284 23642 21210 187751 168102 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 8000 7238 7541 58988 56551 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 36974 35862 35128 283549 277384 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9642 9543 8626 90565 75821 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6104 5802 5161 45761 42267 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 25696 23525 19230 188496 151811 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7567 7427 7419 56551 54257 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17264 15751 14326 129859 117140 Inventories, Total.................................. 313877 313225 285243 421 Durable Goods....................................... 195939 194329 172796 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 27027 27639 23555 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 6241 6192 5818 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 10392 10378 7583 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 25954 25570 24443 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8033 7904 7376 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 19613 18679 13228 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 24287 24198 22198 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 11186 11032 10291 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 47794 47767 45325 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 23445 22874 20355 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 117938 118896 112447 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 7350 7205 6298 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 29791 30590 30358 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12854 12393 12987 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22734 22667 21646 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 7736 8486 7826 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6014 6070 5891 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 6130 5952 4605 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7855 7996 7332 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17474 17537 15504 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.11 1.16 1.20 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.40 1.45 1.53 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.35 1.42 1.30 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.37 1.50 1.49 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.91 0.98 0.95 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.17 1.11 1.23 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.80 0.73 0.87 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.56 1.61 1.73 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.15 1.19 1.28 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.71 1.80 1.83 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.96 2.07 2.33 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.39 1.44 1.58 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.83 0.88 0.90 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.03 1.08 1.00 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.23 1.29 1.43 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.61 1.71 1.72 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.61 0.63 0.62 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.80 0.89 0.91 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 0.99 1.05 1.14 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.24 0.25 0.24 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.04 1.08 0.99 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.01 1.11 1.08 (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 08 Months Aug Jul Aug 2004 Aug Jul Aug 2004 2004 2004 from 2004 2004 2004 from from from 08 from from from Jul Jun Aug Months Jul Jun Aug 2004 2004 2003 2003 2004 2004 2003 TOTAL.............................................. 4.7 -4.7 18.8 13.8 0.2 2.1 10.0 421 Durable Goods....................................... 4.1 -5.9 23.8 17.9 0.8 2.4 13.4 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 3.0 -9.5 10.2 8.9 -2.2 2.2 14.7 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 10.8 -2.3 16.9 10.8 0.8 3.5 7.3 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 8.8 -3.4 44.1 39.7 0.1 1.0 37.0 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -3.9 -7.7 11.4 8.8 1.5 2.3 6.2 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -7.6 -7.6 18.8 15.9 1.6 1.9 8.9 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 8.3 -1.5 64.2 45.8 5.0 4.9 48.3 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 3.7 -6.6 21.9 18.0 0.4 1.7 9.4 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 6.5 -8.5 16.4 9.7 1.4 1.7 8.7 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 5.5 -5.2 25.3 19.3 0.1 1.3 5.4 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 6.5 -3.0 31.2 20.4 2.5 4.4 15.2 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 5.3 -3.5 14.2 10.2 -0.8 1.6 4.9 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 7.2 -7.0 14.1 5.5 2.0 4.0 16.7 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 2.7 -3.1 14.5 11.7 -2.6 0.9 -1.9 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 10.5 -3.8 6.1 4.3 3.7 4.1 -1.0 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 3.1 -0.8 5.3 2.2 0.3 0.7 5.0 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.0 -10.9 11.8 19.4 -8.8 -13.0 -1.2 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5.2 -4.1 18.3 8.3 -0.9 2.7 2.1 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 9.2 -1.9 33.6 24.2 3.0 20.8 33.1 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.9 -7.8 2.0 4.2 -1.8 1.0 7.1 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 9.6 -3.4 20.5 10.9 -0.4 4.1 12.7
Monthly Wholesale Trade for September is scheduled to be released November 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: October 8, 2004
