FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2013, AT 8:30 A.M. EDT 

Chris Savage or Adriana Stoica 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1 (13)-03 

CB13-73

Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories and Orders 

March 2013 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in March 

decreased $13.1 billion or 5.7 percent to $216.3 billion, 

the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This 

decrease, down two of the last three months, followed a 

4.3 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, 

new orders decreased 1.4 percent. Excluding defense, 

new orders decreased 4.7 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, also down two of the last 

three months, led the decrease, $11.0 billion or 15.0 

percent to $62.4 billion. This was led by nondefense 

aircraft and parts, which decreased $8.5 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, 

up six of the last seven months, increased $1.0 billion or 

0.4 percent to $230.0 billion. This was at the highest 

level since the series was first published on a NAICS 

basis in 1992 and followed a 0.7 percent February 

increase. 

 Transportation equipment, up four of the last five 

months, drove the increase, $1.4 billion or 2.1 percent to 

$67.6 billion. This followed a 1.7 percent February 

increase. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

March, down two of the last three months, decreased 

$6.4 billion or 0.6 percent to $991.2 billion. This 

decrease followed a 0.7 percent February increase. 

Transportation equipment, also down two of the last 

three months, led the decrease, $5.2 billion or 0.9 

percent to $586.0 billion. 

Inventories 

 Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, 

up seventeen of the last eighteen months, increased $0.3 

billion or 0.1 percent to $377.2 billion. This was at the 

highest level since the series was first published on a 

NAICS basis and followed a 0.4 percent February 

increase. 

 Computers and electronic products, up four of the last 

five months, drove the increase, $0.4 billion or 0.8 

percent to $46.8 billion. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March 

decreased $8.3 billion or 10.6 percent to $70.2 billion. 

Shipments increased $1.5 billion or 2.1 percent to $71.8 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.5 billion or 0.3 

percent to $593.7 billion. Inventories increased $0.6 

billion or 0.4 percent to $176.1 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in March 

decreased $2.5 billion or 33.2 percent to $5.0 billion. 

Shipments increased slightly or 0.1 percent to $8.4 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $3.4 billion or 2.0 

percent to $163.6 billion. Inventories decreased $0.3 

billion or 1.5 percent to $22.0 billion. 

Revised February Data 

 Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all 

manufacturing industries were: new orders, $489.3 

billion (revised from $492.0 billion); shipments, $488.9 

billion (revised from $489.3 billion); unfilled orders, 

$997.5 billion (revised from $999.7 billion); and total 

inventories, unchanged from $620.0 billion. 

Figures in text are adjusted for seasonality, but not for inflation. Figures on new and unfilled orders exclude data for 

semiconductor manufacturing. For data, call (301) 763-4673 or go to <http://www.census.gov/m3>.

Revised and more detailed estimates, plus nondurable goods data, will be published on May 3, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The advance report on durable goods for April is scheduled for release on May 24, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. See back page for survey description. To receive the latest updates on the Nation's key economic indicators, download the America's Economy app for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. 
 2

Table 1. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Shipments and New Orders 1

[Estimates are shown in millions of dollars and are based on data from the Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders Survey.]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Year to Date

Item Percent

Mar Feb Jan Feb - Jan - Dec - Mar Feb Mar Change

2013 2 2013 r 2013 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2013 2 2013 r 2012 2013 2012 2013/2012

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Shipments................................ 230,007 229,002 227,351 0.4 0.7 -0.7 244,690 214,782 238,715 666,705 650,399 2.5

 New Orders4

.............................. 216,276 229,406 219,880 -5.7 4.3 -3.7 234,280 226,855 237,846 666,659 667,427 -0.1

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 162,423 162,810 162,277 -0.2 0.3 -0.2 169,690 150,493 168,943 470,093 465,684 0.9

 New Orders

4

.............................. 153,850 155,996 158,699 -1.4 -1.7 3.0 165,432 151,865 167,920 468,752 467,780 0.2

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 219,111 218,406 217,044 0.3 0.6 -0.2 232,511 204,650 226,239 635,988 618,883 2.8

 New Orders4

.............................. 209,726 220,142 212,835 -4.7 3.4 1.3 224,764 216,842 222,726 639,602 631,458 1.3

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 159,481 158,599 158,353 0.6 0.2 -1.7 171,931 148,756 171,405 464,073 462,364 0.4

 New Orders.............................. 153,119 165,736 157,888 -7.6 5.0 -6.0 167,526 166,198 174,822 483,085 497,259 -2.9

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 28,138 28,679 29,028 -1.9 -1.2 -3.0 29,906 27,890 30,605 86,507 87,682 -1.3

 New Orders.............................. 28,095 28,952 28,724 -3.0 0.8 -1.4 29,948 29,189 30,335 88,641 88,741 -0.1

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 27,656 28,001 27,897 -1.2 0.4 2.2 28,271 25,797 28,507 80,276 80,457 -0.2

 New Orders.............................. 28,035 28,451 29,599 -1.5 -3.9 2.0 31,015 28,358 31,233 88,425 85,836 3.0

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 34,230 34,031 33,415 0.6 1.8 0.4 36,669 31,628 36,253 97,945 93,102 5.2

 New Orders.............................. 33,460 33,934 35,604 -1.4 -4.7 15.8 35,853 33,273 35,170 103,275 99,837 3.4

 Computers and electronic products4

:

 Shipments................................ 28,058 27,277 27,272 2.9 0.0 -3.1 29,333 23,950 28,508 78,135 80,469 -2.9

 New Orders.............................. 20,067 19,874 20,346 1.0 -2.3 -5.0 22,961 19,167 25,764 60,042 67,563 -11.1

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 2,522 2,279 2,315 10.7 -1.6 -15.8 3,045 1,653 3,490 6,348 8,178 -22.4

 New Orders.............................. 2,501 2,381 2,310 5.0 3.1 -14.9 3,024 1,755 3,534 6,424 8,151 -21.2

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 3,264 3,230 3,257 1.1 -0.8 3.7 3,807 2,874 3,533 9,299 8,849 5.1

 New Orders.............................. 3,348 3,169 3,779 5.6 -16.1 -4.7 3,944 3,183 4,297 10,410 10,699 -2.7

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 9,961 10,121 10,108 -1.6 0.1 0.8 10,556 9,342 10,831 29,011 29,038 -0.1

 New Orders.............................. 9,889 10,134 9,910 -2.4 2.3 0.2 10,401 9,796 10,797 29,713 30,144 -1.4

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 67,584 66,192 65,074 2.1 1.7 -1.8 75,000 64,289 69,772 196,612 184,715 6.4

 New Orders.............................. 62,426 73,410 61,181 -15.0 20.0 -17.7 68,848 74,990 69,926 197,907 199,647 -0.9

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 46,612 46,460 44,536 0.3 4.3 0.5 50,175 46,274 45,946 138,118 126,131 9.5

 New Orders.............................. 46,654 46,583 44,474 0.2 4.7 0.9 50,091 46,695 45,739 138,464 126,152 9.8

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 10,037 8,874 9,968 13.1 -11.0 -6.5 12,298 7,883 10,813 27,473 26,474 3.8

 New Orders.............................. 9,097 17,566 9,423 -48.2 86.4 -23.8 9,766 19,102 10,404 33,945 40,398 -16.0

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 4,704 4,461 4,222 5.4 5.7 -14.1 5,497 4,075 5,910 12,823 13,724 -6.6

 New Orders.............................. 2,309 2,605 2,804 -11.4 -7.1 -65.0 3,402 2,393 7,611 9,206 16,579 -44.5

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 34,380 34,701 34,557 -0.9 0.4 1.7 34,955 31,886 34,239 98,219 94,936 3.5

 New Orders.............................. 34,304 34,651 34,516 -1.0 0.4 1.8 35,254 32,082 34,621 98,656 95,659 3.1

 Capital goods3

:

 Shipments................................ 80,169 78,678 78,601 1.9 0.1 -2.7 87,979 72,763 87,536 228,614 227,608 0.4

 New Orders.............................. 75,249 86,080 78,089 -12.6 10.2 -11.4 84,428 87,348 90,089 242,646 257,705 -5.8

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 71,751 70,269 70,613 2.1 -0.5 -1.6 78,610 64,509 77,978 204,395 203,109 0.6

 New Orders.............................. 70,230 78,572 73,359 -10.6 7.1 2.0 76,855 78,986 78,093 221,557 229,561 -3.5

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 65,072 64,868 64,090 0.3 1.2 -0.7 70,433 59,846 71,110 187,319 186,557 0.4

 New Orders.......................... 64,510 64,364 67,593 0.2 -4.8 6.7 71,150 63,071 72,129 198,586 199,601 -0.5

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 8,418 8,409 7,988 0.1 5.3 -11.5 9,369 8,254 9,558 24,219 24,499 -1.1

 New Orders.............................. 5,019 7,508 4,730 -33.2 58.7 -70.8 7,573 8,362 11,996 21,089 28,144 -25.1

r

 Revised data due to late receipts and concurrent seasonal adjustment.

1

 Estimates of shipments and new orders are for the duration of the period, while estimates of unfilled orders and total inventories are for the end of the period. Not seasonally adjusted estimates of 

shipments and new orders include adjusted data for non-calendar reporters. Seasonally adjusted estimates include concurrent adjustments for holiday and trading-day differences, where appropriate, 

as well as seasonal variation, based on the results of the latest annual review of the model parameters. Estimates are not adjusted for price changes.

2 Based on advance sample. Estimates of manufacturers' shipments, inventories, and orders are subject to survey error and revision. One major component of survey error is nonsampling error, which 

includes errors of coverage, response and nonreporting. Since the survey panel is not a probability sample, estimates of sampling error cannot be calculated. For further details on survey design, 

methodology, and data limitations, see http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/m3.

3

 The Capital Goods Industries include Nondefense : small arms and ordnance; farm machinery and equipment; construction machinery; mining, oil, and gas field machinery; industrial machinery; vending, 

laundry, and other machinery; photographic equipment; metalworking machinery; turbines and generators; other power transmission equipment; pumps and compressors; material handling equipment; all 

other machinery; electronic computers; computer storage devices; other computer peripheral equipment; communications equipment; search and navigation equipment; electromedical, measuring, and 

control instruments; electrical equipment; other electrical equipment, appliances, and components; heavy duty trucks; aircraft; railroad rolling stock; ships and boats; office and institutional furniture; and 

medical equipment and supplies.

 Defense Capital Goods include : small arms and ordnance, communications equipment, aircraft; missiles, space vehicles, and parts, ships and boats, and search and navigation equipment.

4 Estimates of shipments for the semiconductor industry are no longer shown separately. Estimates and percent changes of shipments and inventories for the semiconductor industry are included 

 in computers and electronic products, and all other applicable aggregate totals. Estimates and percent changes for new orders and unfilled orders exclude semiconductor industry data. 
 3

Table 2. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Unfilled Orders and Total Inventories 1

[Estimates are shown in millions of dollars and are based on data from the Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders Survey.]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Percent

Item Change

Mar Feb Jan Feb - Jan - Dec - Mar Feb Mar 2013/

2013 2 2013 r 2013 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2013 2 2013 r 2012 2012

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Unfilled Orders4......................... 991,166 997,528 990,391 -0.6 0.7 0.0 1,007,980 1,012,385 1,000,818 0.7

 Total Inventories....................... 377,241 376,923 375,425 0.1 0.4 0.4 375,513 378,364 361,474 3.9

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 405,199 406,403 406,484 -0.3 0.0 0.9 412,927 411,180 425,220 -2.9

 Total Inventories....................... 259,536 259,119 259,244 0.2 0.0 0.0 258,517 260,312 255,049 1.4

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4........................... 803,274 805,290 796,821 -0.3 1.1 0.4 815,847 817,589 806,850 1.1

 Total Inventories....................... 350,200 349,665 349,030 0.2 0.2 0.3 348,292 351,004 336,117 3.6

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 991,166 997,528 990,391 -0.6 0.7 0.0 1,007,980 1,012,385 1,000,818 0.7

 Total Inventories....................... 307,076 307,079 305,244 0.0 0.6 0.5 305,591 307,896 292,856 4.3

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 30,350 30,393 30,120 -0.1 0.9 -1.0 32,069 32,027 37,061 -13.5

 Total Inventories....................... 33,987 34,352 34,607 -1.1 -0.7 -0.4 33,920 34,314 34,763 -2.4

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 87,495 87,116 86,666 0.4 0.5 2.0 90,313 87,569 82,750 9.1

 Total Inventories....................... 46,115 45,969 45,988 0.3 0.0 0.0 45,981 45,910 45,555 0.9

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 122,873 123,643 123,740 -0.6 -0.1 1.8 124,104 124,920 141,197 -12.1

 Total Inventories....................... 65,486 65,382 65,534 0.2 -0.2 -0.8 65,544 66,155 64,337 1.9

 Computers and electronic products4

:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 136,660 137,282 137,952 -0.5 -0.5 0.1 138,207 138,574 135,073 2.3

 Total Inventories....................... 46,759 46,397 46,330 0.8 0.1 0.0 45,915 46,336 45,294 1.4

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 1,417 1,438 1,336 -1.5 7.6 -0.4 1,417 1,438 1,129 25.5

 Total Inventories....................... 3,768 3,792 3,799 -0.6 -0.2 2.6 3,592 3,808 3,963 -9.4

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 35,661 35,577 35,638 0.2 -0.2 1.5 36,063 35,926 32,811 9.9

 Total Inventories....................... 8,469 8,369 8,312 1.2 0.7 1.1 8,289 8,467 8,445 -1.8

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 20,710 20,782 20,769 -0.3 0.1 -0.9 21,054 21,209 21,834 -3.6

 Total Inventories....................... 15,889 15,844 15,792 0.3 0.3 2.1 15,909 15,982 15,335 3.7

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 585,967 591,125 583,907 -0.9 1.2 -0.7 595,053 601,205 575,598 3.4

 Total Inventories....................... 117,705 117,804 116,181 -0.1 1.4 1.2 116,996 118,052 106,425 9.9

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 15,686 15,644 15,521 0.3 0.8 -0.4 16,180 16,264 17,139 -5.6

 Total Inventories....................... 24,832 25,103 25,389 -1.1 -1.1 -0.9 24,377 25,264 24,490 -0.5

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 419,072 420,012 411,320 -0.2 2.1 -0.1 424,690 427,222 399,681 6.3

 Total Inventories....................... 65,512 65,073 63,858 0.7 1.9 2.7 65,270 65,065 56,487 15.5

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 60,597 62,992 64,848 -3.8 -2.9 -2.1 62,285 64,380 62,211 0.1

 Total Inventories....................... 14,274 14,539 13,840 -1.8 5.1 0.2 14,239 14,510 12,745 11.7

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 7,111 7,187 7,237 -1.1 -0.7 -0.6 7,180 6,881 7,305 -1.7

 Total Inventories....................... 51,300 51,175 50,993 0.2 0.4 0.5 51,248 51,615 49,765 3.0

 Capital goods3

:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 757,311 762,231 754,829 -0.6 1.0 -0.1 769,936 773,487 759,543 1.4

 Total Inventories....................... 198,070 197,780 196,091 0.1 0.9 1.1 197,035 198,511 184,773 6.6

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 593,680 595,201 586,898 -0.3 1.4 0.5 602,822 604,577 590,567 2.1

 Total Inventories....................... 176,064 175,449 174,472 0.4 0.6 1.1 174,814 176,049 164,194 6.5

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 234,379 234,941 235,445 -0.2 -0.2 1.5 238,540 237,823 246,451 -3.2

 Total Inventories................... 120,832 120,655 120,862 0.1 -0.2 0.2 119,680 121,369 116,947 2.3

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 163,631 167,030 167,931 -2.0 -0.5 -1.9 167,114 168,910 168,976 -1.1

 Total Inventories....................... 22,006 22,331 21,619 -1.5 3.3 0.8 22,221 22,462 20,579 8.0

See footnotes at end of Table 1 
4 

Survey Description 

This report is compiled from results of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, 

and Orders (M3) survey. This survey provides statistics on manufacturers' value of shipments, new 

orders (net of cancellations), end-of-month order backlog (unfilled orders), end-of-month total inventory 

(at current cost or market value), and inventories by stage of fabrication (materials and supplies, work-inprocess, and finished goods). The M3 includes approximately 4,300 reporting units. Units may be 

divisions of diversified large companies, large homogenous companies, or single-unit manufacturers in 89 

industry categories. Due to the small monthly sample, these 89 categories have been combined into 65 

publication levels. The survey methodology assumes that the month-to-month changes of the total 

operations of those companies in the monthly survey effectively represent the month-to-month 

movements of all establishments that make up the category. The current coverage levels in the survey 

show that reported data in the monthly survey represent approximately 60 percent of the shipments 

estimates at the total manufacturing level. Data published represent manufacturing in a calendar month. 

The data collection is based on a voluntary survey authorized by Title 13 of the United States Code. 

The data presented in this release are based on data obtained from a panel of 4,300 reporting units and 

provide an indication of the activity within the manufacturing sector. The results differ from what would 

be obtained from a complete enumeration of all manufacturing companies. In addition, a different panel 

of 4,300 companies would yield different results. The M3 panel is comprised of companies with $500 

million or more in shipments and a limited number of smaller companies. From a statistical perspective, 

the panel is not a probability sample; therefore, the sampling errors that are normally provided with 

sample surveys cannot be measured. Nonsampling errors are attributable to many sources. The use of 

company or divisional reports to estimate the monthly change for establishments is one source of 

nonsampling error. The use of primarily large companies to represent the month-to-month movement of 

all companies is another potential source. Any corrections will be published in the full report. 

Corrections received after the full report will be released in the next month’s advance report. Any 

revisions made later than two months will be reflected in the annual benchmark publication. 

Additional survey documentation can be found on our web site: http://www.census.gov/m3. 

Benchmark Notice 

Revised historical data for Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders will be issued on May 17, 

2013. These revisions reflect: 

 benchmarking the shipments and inventories data to the 2011 Annual Survey of Manufactures 

(ASM) data, as well as revised ASM benchmarks for prior years; 

 incorporating the unfilled orders to shipments ratios obtained from the 2010/2011 Manufacturers’ 

Unfilled Orders Survey by applying these ratios to the respective ASM shipments data, as well as 

incorporating revised unfilled orders to shipments ratios for prior years; 

 adjusting the new orders data to be consistent with the benchmarked shipments and unfilled orders 

data; 

 correcting monthly data for late receipts, reclassifications of reported data, and revisions to 

previously reported data; 

 migrating the data processing environment from a server having a Linux Red Hat 4 operating system 

that supports SAS® 9.1.3 to a server having a Linux Red Hat 5 operating system that supports SAS® 

9.2; and 

 updating the seasonally adjusted data, based on the results of benchmarking and the recent annual 

review of the seasonal adjustment models. 

An accompanying press release will include the revised 2013 January through March data. Please call 

Jessica Young on (301) 763-4832 with any questions.