FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, MAY 9, 2005 AT 10:00 A.M. EDT
Nancy Piesto/ Howard Krakower CB05-65 Service Sector Statistics Division (301) 763-2747
MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE: SALES AND INVENTORIES
MARCH 2005
Sales
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that March 2005 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $291.5 billion, up 0.2 percent (+/-0.7%)* from the revised February level and were up 7.2 percent (+/-1.3%) from the March 2004 level. The February preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.4 billion or 0.1 percent. March sales of durable goods decreased 0.5 percent (+/-1.0%)* from last month, but were up 6.7 percent (+/-2.1%) from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials decreased 4.1 percent, while sales of electrical and electronic goods increased 2.2 percent. March sales of nondurable goods were up 0.9 percent (+/-0.8%) from last month and were up 7.7 percent (+/-1.7%) from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products increased 9.2 percent from last month, while sales of paper and paper products decreased 2.9 percent.Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $346.7 billion at the end of March, up 0.4 percent (+/-0.3%) from last month and were up 10.8 percent (+/-5.1%) from a year ago. The February preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent. End-of-month inventories of durable goods increased 0.1 percent (+/-0.5%)* from February and were up 13.3 percent (+/-7.1%) from last March. Inventories of metals and minerals, except petroleum increased 1.5 percent from last month, while inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies decreased 2.3 percent. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 1.0 percent (+/-0.5%) from February and were up 6.9 percent (+/-1.5%) compared to last March. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products increased 9.3 percent from last month and inventories of farm product raw materials increased 6.1 percent.
InventoriesInventories/Sales Ratio
The March inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.19. The March 2004 ratio was 1.15. Data in this report are based on a sample and, therefore, are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. A discussion of the reliability of the estimates and general survey methodology appears in BW/04-A Current Business Reports.Monthly Wholesale Trade for April is scheduled to be released June 8, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. For information, visit the Census Bureau's Web site at <http://www.census.gov/whl>. This report is also available the day of issue through the Department of Commerce's STAT-USA (202-482-1986). * The 90 percent confidence interval includes zero. The Census Bureau does not have sufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the actual change is different from zero.
TABLE 1A. ADJUSTED ESTIMATED MONTHLY SALES, INVENTORIES, AND INVENTORIES/SALES RATIOS OF MERCHANT WHOLESALERS, EXCEPT MANUFACTURERS' SALES BRANCHES AND OFFICES: 2005 AND 2004 (Total sales and inventory estimates are shown in millions of dollars. Estimates are based on data from the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey and have been adjusted using results of the 2002 Economic Census.) 2005 2005 2004 NAICS Kind of business Mar(p) Feb(r) Mar(r) code Sales, Total....................................... 291485 290976 271880 423 Durable Goods....................................... 146173 146903 137008 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 23572 23787 22693 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5200 5226 4935 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 12057 12568 11350 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24288 24407 24048 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 13586 13680 13212 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 10891 11018 9711 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 22007 21530 20398 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 6731 6795 6405 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 24988 25048 22838 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 16439 16524 14630 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 145312 144073 134872 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6800 7005 6389 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 26139 26902 24283 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 9201 9177 9002 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 35554 35560 34510 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9396 9496 11469 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 6643 6747 5927 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 27779 25439 21810 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7571 7552 6687 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 16229 16195 14795 Inventories, Total.................................. 346711 345294 312803 423 Durable Goods....................................... 218585 218475 192914 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 31873 32616 31769 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 7559 7558 7256 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 14618 14477 11166 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 28207 28472 26505 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10761 10793 9594 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 20861 20558 14388 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 27117 27050 25102 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 12602 12609 11013 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 53131 52460 46057 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 22617 22675 19658 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 128126 126819 119889 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6861 6917 5965 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 28580 28589 30755 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 15670 15465 14188 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 23011 23071 21890 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 11254 10602 12776 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 7424 7349 6375 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 7796 7135 4560 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 8498 8523 7547 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 19032 19168 15833 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.19 1.19 1.15 423 Durable Goods....................................... 1.50 1.49 1.41 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.35 1.37 1.40 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.45 1.45 1.47 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.21 1.15 0.98 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.16 1.17 1.10 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.79 0.79 0.73 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.92 1.87 1.48 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 1.23 1.26 1.23 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.87 1.86 1.72 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 2.13 2.09 2.02 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.38 1.37 1.34 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.88 0.88 0.89 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 1.01 0.99 0.93 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.09 1.06 1.27 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.70 1.69 1.58 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 0.65 0.65 0.63 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.20 1.12 1.11 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.12 1.09 1.08 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.28 0.28 0.21 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.12 1.13 1.13 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.17 1.18 1.07 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-JANUARY 2005. (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, EXCEPT MANUFACTURERS' SALES BRANCHES AND OFFICES ADJUSTED(1) INVENTORIES, SALES END-OF-MONTH (AT COST) NAICS Kind of business code Mar Feb Mar Mar Feb Mar 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 from from from from from from Feb Jan Mar Feb Jan Mar 2005 2005 2004 2005 2005 2004 TOTAL.............................................. 0.2 -0.5 7.2 0.4 0.6 10.8 423 Durable Goods....................................... -0.5 -1.0 6.7 0.1 0.5 13.3 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... -0.9 2.1 3.9 -2.3 -0.7 0.3 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... -0.5 -0.6 5.4 0.0 0.2 4.2 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. -4.1 -1.8 6.2 1.0 3.1 30.9 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... -0.5 0.1 1.0 -0.9 -1.1 6.4 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. -0.7 -1.4 2.8 -0.3 -0.4 12.2 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... -1.2 -1.9 12.2 1.5 0.6 45.0 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 2.2 -5.0 7.9 0.2 1.3 8.0 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. -0.9 -1.1 5.1 -0.1 0.3 14.4 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... -0.2 -0.4 9.4 1.3 1.3 15.4 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ -0.5 -1.2 12.4 -0.3 0.2 15.1 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.9 0.0 7.7 1.0 0.8 6.9 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... -2.9 0.5 6.4 -0.8 0.4 15.0 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... -2.8 -1.3 7.6 0.0 -1.8 -7.1 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 0.3 -1.0 2.2 1.3 0.7 10.4 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 0.0 0.9 3.0 -0.3 0.3 5.1 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. -1.1 -1.7 -18.1 6.1 7.7 -11.9 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... -1.5 -0.3 12.1 1.0 2.0 16.5 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 9.2 0.4 27.4 9.3 4.6 71.0 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 0.3 0.9 13.2 -0.3 1.3 12.6 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 0.2 1.0 9.7 -0.7 0.3 20.2 (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, EXCEPT MANUFACTURERS' SALES BRANCHES AND OFFICES: 2005 AND 2004 (Total sales and inventory estimates are shown in millions of dollars. Estimates are based on data from the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey and have been adjusted using results of the 2002 Economic Census.) 2005 2005 2004 2005 2004 NAICS Kind of business Mar(p) Feb(r) Mar(r) CUM CUM code Sales, Total....................................... 314925 266662 293994 848472 780870 423 Durable Goods....................................... 159356 132781 148998 423128 384141 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 26165 21480 25167 67845 64571 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 5496 4662 5216 14775 13993 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 12793 10859 12031 34318 29882 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 27008 21771 26501 70413 69736 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 14972 12025 14520 39483 37756 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 11817 10423 10381 32689 25963 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 23613 19506 21887 63351 58371 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 7169 6136 6802 19387 17851 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 27212 22593 25008 71935 62501 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 18083 15351 16005 48415 41273 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 155569 133881 144996 425344 396729 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 7256 6452 6887 20263 18610 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 28230 24831 26323 79403 71131 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 10793 9296 10550 28231 27777 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 37296 32146 36339 102260 98896 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 9997 9259 12329 29503 35436 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 7214 6362 6455 20067 17756 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 29168 23811 23140 77781 65707 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 7844 6306 6861 19746 18093 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 17771 15418 16112 48090 43323 Inventories, Total.................................. 348826 347920 314796 423 Durable Goods....................................... 218921 219430 193146 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 32542 33823 32436 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 7393 7460 7096 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 15013 14665 11479 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 27615 28387 25948 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 10492 10556 9345 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 20903 20537 14402 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 26629 26752 24625 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 12741 12685 11134 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 53875 52355 46702 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 22210 22766 19324 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 129905 128490 121650 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 6765 6903 5887 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 28837 27989 31032 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 15059 15295 13606 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 22919 22771 21802 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 13235 12627 14692 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 7461 7400 6401 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 7921 7271 4615 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 8371 8242 7434 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 19337 19992 16181 Inventories/Sales Ratios, Total...................... 1.11 1.30 1.07 423 Durable Goods....................................... 1.37 1.65 1.30 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 1.24 1.57 1.29 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 1.35 1.60 1.36 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 1.17 1.35 0.95 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 1.02 1.30 0.98 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 0.70 0.88 0.64 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 1.77 1.97 1.39 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 1.13 1.37 1.13 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 1.78 2.07 1.64 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 1.98 2.32 1.87 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 1.23 1.48 1.21 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 0.84 0.96 0.84 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 0.93 1.07 0.85 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 1.02 1.13 1.18 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 1.40 1.65 1.29 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 0.61 0.71 0.60 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 1.32 1.36 1.19 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 1.03 1.16 0.99 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 0.27 0.31 0.20 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 1.07 1.31 1.08 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 1.09 1.30 1.00 (p) PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. SEE SAMPLE DESIGN AND ESTIMATION PROCEDURES IN ANNUAL BENCHMARK REPORT FOR WHOLESALE TRADE: JANUARY 1992-JANUARY 2005. (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, EXCEPT MANUFACTURERS' SALES BRANCHES AND OFFICES UNADJUSTED(1) INVENTORIES, SALES END-OF-MONTH (AT COST) NAICS Kind of business code 03 Months Mar Feb Mar 2005 Mar Feb Mar 2005 2005 2005 from 2005 2005 2005 from from from 03 from from from Feb Jan Mar Months Feb Jan Mar 2005 2005 2004 2004 2005 2005 2004 TOTAL.............................................. 18.1 -0.1 7.1 8.7 0.3 0.3 10.8 423 Durable Goods....................................... 20.0 1.4 7.0 10.1 -0.2 1.5 13.3 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies..... 21.8 6.3 4.0 5.1 -3.8 2.2 0.3 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishings......................... 17.9 1.0 5.4 5.6 -0.9 0.5 4.2 4233 Lumber & Other Construction Materials.................. 17.8 1.8 6.3 14.8 2.4 6.2 30.8 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies..... 24.1 0.6 1.9 1.0 -2.7 -1.8 6.4 42343 Computer & Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software. 24.5 -3.7 3.1 4.6 -0.6 -2.2 12.3 4235 Metals and Minerals, ex. Petroleum..................... 13.4 -0.2 13.8 25.9 1.8 -0.2 45.1 4236 Electrical and Electronic Goods........................ 21.1 -3.6 7.9 8.5 -0.5 1.3 8.1 4237 Hardware, Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies.. 16.8 0.9 5.4 8.6 0.4 2.4 14.4 4238 Machinery, Equipment and Supplies...................... 20.4 2.1 8.8 15.1 2.9 3.1 15.4 4239 Miscellaneous Durable Goods............................ 17.8 2.5 13.0 17.3 -2.4 -0.5 14.9 424 Nondurable Goods..................................... 16.2 -1.5 7.3 7.2 1.1 -1.8 6.8 4241 Paper and Paper Products............................... 12.5 -1.6 5.4 8.9 -2.0 0.3 14.9 4242 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries.......................... 13.7 -5.7 7.2 11.6 3.0 -7.6 -7.1 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions...................... 16.1 14.2 2.3 1.6 -1.5 -3.1 10.7 4244 Grocery and Related Products........................... 16.0 -2.0 2.6 3.4 0.6 -1.4 5.1 4245 Farm Product Raw Materials............................. 8.0 -9.6 -18.9 -16.7 4.8 7.0 -9.9 4246 Chemicals and Allied Products.......................... 13.4 -2.0 11.8 13.0 0.8 2.8 16.6 4247 Petroleum and Petroleum Products....................... 22.5 -4.0 26.1 18.4 8.9 -0.9 71.6 4248 Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverages.......... 24.4 12.7 14.3 9.1 1.6 1.3 12.6 4249 Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods......................... 15.3 3.5 10.3 11.0 -3.3 -1.3 19.5
Source: U.S.
Census Bureau
E-mail questions
to: Monthly
Wholesale Trade Survey
Last Revised: May 9, 2005
