For Wire Transmission 10:00 a.m. ET October 10, 2002 CB02-129
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
AUGUST 2002
Sales
August 2002 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $233.5 billion, up 0.9 percent (+/-0.6%) from the revised July level, and were up 3.0 percent (+/-1.1%) from the August 2001 level. The July preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.4 billion or 0.2 percent. Among durable goods, sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 4.1 percent from last month and lumber and other construction materials were up 2.5 percent. August sales of nondurable goods increased 1.5 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 5.7 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year. Compared to last month, sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 4.4 percent and chemicals and allied products increased 1.8 percent.Inventories
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $284.5 billion at the end of August, up 0.2 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month, but were down 4.2 percent (+/-1.0%) from a year ago. The July preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.1 billion. Among durable goods, inventories of electrical goods were up 2.4 percent from last month, while motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 2.3 percent. Among nondurable goods, inventories of apparel, piece goods, and notions increased 2.6 percent from July and chemicals and allied products were up 2.0 percent.Inventories/Sales Ratio
The August inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.22. The August 2001 ratio was 1.31.
TABLE 1A. ADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2002 AND 2001 (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.) 2002 2002 2001 NAICS Kind of business Aug(p) Jul(r) Aug(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 233468 231353 226739 421 Durable Goods....................................... 114933 114566 114628 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18403 17680 17318 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3496 3550 3620 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6598 6435 6243 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 21782 21643 21723 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 11794 11718 11645 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 7768 7866 7990 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17470 17745 17131 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5489 5393 5246 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19796 20315 22049 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14131 13939 13308 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 118535 116787 112111 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6239 6295 6321 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 18765 18564 16364 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7218 7124 6635 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 35585 35329 33789 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9249 9006 8905 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5127 5035 4835 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 15431 14783 14304 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6614 6590 6028 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14307 14061 14930 Inventories, Total.................................. 284530 284083 297079 421 Durable Goods....................................... 169730 169419 182068 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 23381 23931 24256 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5214 5209 5457 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6715 6686 6675 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23605 23299 25087 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8557 8448 9387 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12463 12364 13021 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 23713 23164 26535 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 9970 10069 10516 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45186 45382 49488 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19483 19315 21033 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 114800 114664 115011 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6040 6057 6559 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 26982 27125 26038 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 12786 12456 13503 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22549 22359 21625 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 10253 10351 10778 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6033 5914 6072 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4587 4596 4167 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6573 6674 6413 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 18997 19132 19856 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.22 1.23 1.31 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.48 1.48 1.59 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.27 1.35 1.40 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.49 1.47 1.51 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.02 1.04 1.07 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.08 1.08 1.15 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.73 0.72 0.81 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.60 1.57 1.63 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.36 1.31 1.55 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.82 1.87 2.00 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.28 2.23 2.24 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.38 1.39 1.58 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.97 0.98 1.03 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.97 0.96 1.04 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.44 1.46 1.59 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.77 1.75 2.04 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.63 0.63 0.64 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.11 1.15 1.21 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.18 1.17 1.26 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.30 0.31 0.29 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.99 1.01 1.06 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.33 1.36 1.33 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-FEBRUARY 2002. (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 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 2002 from from from from from from Jul Jun Aug Jul Jun Aug 2002 2002 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. 0.9 0.7 3.0 0.2 0.6 -4.2 421 Durable Goods....................................... 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.6 -6.8 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 4.1 1.3 6.3 -2.3 1.5 -3.6 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -1.5 -3.3 -3.4 0.1 0.7 -4.5 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 2.5 -2.0 5.7 0.4 -0.5 0.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 0.6 -1.7 0.3 1.3 0.1 -5.9 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.6 0.3 1.3 1.3 -0.4 -8.8 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -1.2 0.3 -2.8 0.8 1.8 -4.3 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -1.5 -0.2 2.0 2.4 1.3 -10.6 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.8 0.7 4.6 -1.0 0.0 -5.2 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -2.6 -0.1 -10.2 -0.4 0.4 -8.7 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.4 3.5 6.2 0.9 -0.7 -7.4 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 1.5 1.4 5.7 0.1 0.7 -0.2 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... -0.9 1.0 -1.3 -0.3 -1.6 -7.9 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.1 -1.1 14.7 -0.5 -1.6 3.6 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.3 2.7 8.8 2.6 2.2 -5.3 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.7 0.8 5.3 0.8 1.1 4.3 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 2.7 3.3 3.9 -0.9 3.4 -4.9 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.8 0.9 6.0 2.0 -1.7 -0.6 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4.4 1.6 7.9 -0.2 1.0 10.1 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.4 1.5 9.7 -1.5 0.1 2.5 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.7 5.0 -4.2 -0.7 2.8 -4.3 (1) ADJUSTED FOR SEASONAL VARIATIONS AND, IN THE CASE OF SALES, ALSO FOR TRADING-DAY DIFFERENCES.
TABLE 1B. UNADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS: 2002 AND 2001 (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.) 2002 2002 2001 2002 2001 NAICS Kind of business Aug(p) Jul(r) Aug(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 238803 235123 236987 1817618 1826329 421 Durable Goods....................................... 118537 116791 120863 903336 925532 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 18808 17963 18028 140477 137141 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 3688 3543 3895 27920 29193 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 7271 7046 7111 54370 49514 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 22414 22011 22874 170123 178608 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 12254 11741 12355 89821 97896 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 8086 8055 8565 60685 64414 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 17977 18029 18022 138916 143038 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 5742 5598 5592 43790 42321 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 19954 20579 22843 161076 175561 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 14597 13967 13933 105979 105742 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 120266 118332 116124 914282 900797 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6526 6433 6833 49414 52095 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 18089 18304 16462 145125 123616 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 7925 7452 7498 56422 54620 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 36475 36742 35039 278766 267494 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8583 8466 8353 68042 70858 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 5332 5196 5169 40652 40480 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 16017 14946 15191 113686 124883 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6998 6873 6619 50617 47397 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 14321 13920 14960 111558 119354 Inventories, Total.................................. 280763 282379 292946 421 Durable Goods....................................... 170360 171473 182628 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 22539 23644 23383 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 5386 5397 5637 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 6749 6793 6708 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 23652 23555 25037 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 8523 8575 9321 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 12675 12574 13190 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 24116 23535 26986 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 10120 10190 10653 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 45367 46335 49686 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 19756 19450 21348 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 110403 110906 110318 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 5961 6021 6474 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 25552 26745 24762 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 13246 12867 13962 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 22459 22046 21474 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 7700 7794 8019 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6051 5979 6084 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 4587 4568 4167 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 6534 6787 6394 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 18313 18099 18982 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.18 1.20 1.24 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.44 1.47 1.51 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.20 1.32 1.30 4212 Furniture and Home furnishings......................... 1.46 1.52 1.45 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 0.93 0.96 0.94 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.06 1.07 1.09 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.70 0.73 0.75 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.57 1.56 1.54 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... 1.34 1.31 1.50 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.76 1.82 1.91 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.27 2.25 2.18 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.35 1.39 1.53 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.92 0.94 0.95 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.91 0.94 0.95 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.41 1.46 1.50 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.67 1.73 1.86 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... 0.62 0.60 0.61 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 0.90 0.92 0.96 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.13 1.15 1.18 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.29 0.31 0.27 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.93 0.99 0.97 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.28 1.30 1.27 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-FEBRUARY 2002. (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. UNADJUSTED 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 2002 Aug Jul Aug 2002 2002 2002 from 2002 2002 2002 from from from 08 from from from Jul Jun Aug Months Jul Jun Aug 2002 2002 2001 2001 2002 2002 2001 TOTAL.............................................. 1.6 3.7 0.8 -0.5 -0.6 1.1 -4.2 421 Durable Goods....................................... 1.5 1.9 -1.9 -2.4 -0.6 1.5 -6.7 4211 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 4.7 2.8 4.3 2.4 -4.7 2.2 -3.6 4212 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 4.1 -0.9 -5.3 -4.4 -0.2 3.7 -4.5 4213 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 3.2 2.3 2.3 9.8 -0.6 -1.2 0.6 4214 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.8 -1.7 -2.0 -4.8 0.4 2.1 -5.5 42143 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 4.4 -2.9 -0.8 -8.2 -0.6 2.3 -8.6 4215 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 0.4 3.0 -5.6 -5.8 0.8 3.4 -3.9 4216 Electrical Goods....................................... -0.3 3.7 -0.2 -2.9 2.5 2.5 -10.6 4217 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 2.6 2.3 2.7 3.5 -0.7 0.1 -5.0 4218 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -3.0 1.3 -12.6 -8.3 -2.1 1.0 -8.7 4219 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 4.5 5.2 4.8 0.2 1.6 -0.2 -7.5 422 Nondurable Goods..................................... 1.6 5.5 3.6 1.5 -0.5 0.6 0.1 4221 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.4 6.4 -4.5 -5.1 -1.0 -2.2 -7.9 4222 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -1.2 2.9 9.9 17.4 -4.5 -1.5 3.2 4223 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 6.3 12.6 5.7 3.3 2.9 3.6 -5.1 4224 Groceries and Related Products......................... -0.7 6.3 4.1 4.2 1.9 0.0 4.6 4225 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.4 8.5 2.8 -4.0 -1.2 1.5 -4.0 4226 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 2.6 3.7 3.2 0.4 1.2 -1.4 -0.5 4227 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 7.2 5.7 5.4 -9.0 0.4 2.9 10.1 4228 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.8 3.2 5.7 6.8 -3.7 0.3 2.2 4229 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 2.9 2.5 -4.3 -6.5 1.2 3.2 -3.5
Monthly Wholesale Trade for September is scheduled to be released November 7, 2002 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 10, 2002
