FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2005, AT 8:30 A.M. EDT 

Chris Savage or Patrick Kent 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1(05)-03 

CB05-57

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

March 2005 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in March 

decreased $5.6 billion or 2.8 percent to $194.0 billion, 

the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This 

followed a 0.2 percent February decrease. Excluding 

transportation, new orders decreased 1.0 percent. 

Excluding defense, new orders decreased 3.0 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, down four consecutive 

months, had the largest decrease, $4.1 billion or 7.8 

percent to $48.5 billion. This was due to nondefense 

aircraft and parts, which decreased $1.6 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, 

down two consecutive months, decreased $0.3 billion or 

0.2 percent to $204.0 billion. This followed a 1.8 

percent February decrease. 

 Machinery, down two consecutive months, had the 

largest decrease, $0.7 billion or 2.8 percent to $25.5 

billion. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

March, down two of the last three months, decreased 

$2.7 billion or 0.5 percent to $551.9 billion. This 

followed a 0.5 percent February increase. 

 Transportation equipment, down two of the last three 

months, had the largest decrease, $4.0 billion or 1.5 

percent to $258.6 billion. 

Inventories 

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up 

sixteen consecutive months, increased $1.2 billion or 0.4 

percent to $291.0 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent 

February increase. 

 Primary metals, up seventeen consecutive months, had 

the largest increase, $0.6 billion or 2.6 percent to $23.5 

billion. This was at the highest level since the series was 

first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 1.7 

percent February increase. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March 

decreased $4.3 billion or 6.2 percent to $65.4 billion. 

Shipments increased $0.1 billion or 0.1 percent to $66.7 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.2 billion or 0.5 

percent to $248.4 billion. Inventories increased $0.4 

billion or 0.4 percent to $113.6 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in March 

increased $0.4 billion or 5.2 percent to $7.3 billion. 

Shipments decreased $0.2 billion or 1.9 percent to $8.2 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.9 billion or 0.6 

percent to $144.5 billion. Inventories decreased $0.3 

billion or 1.6 percent to $19.7 billion. 

Revised February Data 

 Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all 

manufacturing industries are: new orders, $378.6 billion 

(revised from $380.4 billion); shipments, $383.2 billion 

(revised from $384.3 billion); unfilled orders, $554.7 

billion (revised from $555.5 billion); and total 

inventories, $481.3 billion (revised from $481.0 billion). 

Figures in text, other than year-to-date, are in seasonally adjusted current dollars. 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, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The 

advance report on durable goods for April is scheduled for release on May 25, 2005, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. See back page for 

survey description. 
 2

Table 1. Durable Goods Manufacturers' Shipments and New Orders

[Millions of Dollars]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 1

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Year to Date

Item Percent

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

2005 2 2005 r 2005 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2005 2 2005 r 2004 2005 2004 05/04

DURABLE GOODS

 Total:

 Shipments................................ 203,966 204,274 208,112 -0.2 -1.8 0.8 222,939 195,351 218,053 602,431 568,304 6.0

 New Orders 4

.............................. 194,030 199,660 200,024 -2.8 -0.2 -1.2 213,981 194,927 220,088 593,921 571,754 3.9

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 151,499 151,689 153,955 -0.1 -1.5 1.6 163,562 142,260 153,639 442,654 401,117 10.4

 New Orders 4.............................. 145,526 147,067 147,310 -1.0 -0.2 0.8 157,900 141,581 152,709 435,300 400,618 8.7

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 194,020 194,232 198,190 -0.1 -2.0 0.6 212,123 185,799 207,288 574,063 539,189 6.5

 New Orders 4.............................. 185,653 191,408 191,741 -3.0 -0.2 -1.0 202,495 186,807 205,843 565,655 535,802 5.6

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 140,510 140,516 143,256 0.0 -1.9 2.0 153,493 134,177 146,469 415,165 383,757 8.2

 New Orders 4.............................. 137,771 143,188 143,073 -3.8 0.1 -0.3 152,017 140,903 155,785 428,500 407,334 5.2

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 15,160 15,132 15,458 0.2 -2.1 0.8 16,293 14,951 14,270 46,147 38,094 21.1

 New Orders.............................. 15,039 14,890 14,810 1.0 0.5 -2.9 16,266 15,364 15,150 46,624 41,151 13.3

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 23,702 23,497 23,725 0.9 -1.0 1.1 24,722 22,540 23,793 69,057 63,318 9.1

 New Orders.............................. 24,108 24,130 24,224 -0.1 -0.4 2.5 25,866 23,972 25,398 72,876 68,448 6.5

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 25,531 26,268 27,155 -2.8 -3.3 1.6 28,395 24,828 27,286 76,946 68,484 12.4

 New Orders.............................. 25,345 27,436 27,660 -7.6 -0.8 1.5 28,326 26,713 28,771 80,643 73,309 10.0

 Computers and electronic products:

 Shipments................................ 41,449 41,320 42,082 0.3 -1.8 3.7 46,246 37,619 43,078 120,246 110,378 8.9

 New Orders 4.............................. 35,681 34,897 34,775 2.2 0.4 -0.8 39,974 32,581 37,784 104,109 95,566 8.9

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 10,017 10,028 10,193 -0.1 -1.6 7.5 11,430 8,279 9,881 28,684 23,905 20.0

 New Orders.............................. 9,284 10,067 10,021 -7.8 0.5 -2.3 10,481 8,483 9,631 27,421 23,132 18.5 

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 7,099 7,150 7,078 -0.7 1.0 2.2 8,157 6,337 7,870 20,442 19,729 3.6

 New Orders.............................. 7,740 7,366 7,477 5.1 -1.5 -1.3 8,853 7,116 7,734 23,425 20,868 12.3

 Semiconductors:

 Shipments................................ 7,197 7,286 7,905 -1.2 -7.8 13.0 7,482 7,150 7,281 21,845 20,127 8.5

 New Orders 4.............................. (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 9,146 9,270 9,381 -1.3 -1.2 4.2 9,831 8,731 9,447 26,625 24,823 7.3

 New Orders.............................. 9,011 9,327 9,868 -3.4 -5.5 13.6 9,501 9,216 9,643 27,469 25,832 6.3

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 52,467 52,585 54,157 -0.2 -2.9 -1.3 59,377 53,091 64,414 159,777 167,187 -4.4

 New Orders.............................. 48,504 52,593 52,714 -7.8 -0.2 -6.3 56,081 53,346 67,379 158,621 171,136 -7.3

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 36,145 37,060 38,100 -2.5 -2.7 -4.2 40,302 38,317 46,403 113,148 121,539 -6.9

 New Orders.............................. 36,091 36,989 37,820 -2.4 -2.2 -4.5 40,119 38,448 46,480 113,238 122,514 -7.6 

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 6,459 5,552 5,977 16.3 -7.1 1.2 8,256 5,182 7,219 18,001 16,750 7.5

 New Orders.............................. 5,409 6,998 5,432 -22.7 28.8 -32.2 6,353 6,515 7,413 17,921 16,308 9.9

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 3,653 3,608 3,792 1.2 -4.9 19.6 3,899 3,263 4,232 10,239 11,609 -11.8

 New Orders.............................. 1,957 3,009 2,949 -35.0 2.0 53.4 3,005 2,982 4,205 9,008 10,584 -14.9

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 36,511 36,202 36,154 0.9 0.1 -0.9 38,075 33,591 35,765 103,633 96,020 7.9

 New Orders.............................. 36,342 36,387 35,973 -0.1 1.2 -0.9 37,967 33,735 35,963 103,579 96,312 7.5

 Capital goods:3

 Shipments................................ 74,902 74,998 76,685 -0.1 -2.2 2.3 83,993 69,714 80,199 219,613 203,914 7.7

 New Orders.............................. 72,740 76,696 77,044 -5.2 -0.5 0.1 82,758 73,369 86,205 227,594 216,787 5.0

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 66,682 66,623 68,610 0.1 -2.9 2.6 75,042 61,656 71,187 196,016 178,966 9.5

 New Orders.............................. 65,447 69,762 70,286 -6.2 -0.7 1.1 72,611 66,637 73,524 203,713 184,686 10.3

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 63,859 64,543 66,396 -1.1 -2.8 3.6 71,232 59,659 67,723 188,905 171,727 10.0

 New Orders......................... 63,412 66,510 68,231 -4.7 -2.5 4.4 70,442 63,581 70,758 196,308 178,876 9.7

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 8,220 8,375 8,075 -1.9 3.7 0.0 8,951 8,058 9,012 23,597 24,948 -5.4

 New Orders.............................. 7,293 6,934 6,758 5.2 2.6 -9.8 10,147 6,732 12,681 23,881 32,101 -25.6

NA Not Available r Revised

1

 Shipments and new orders are the totals for the period and are adjusted for trading-day and calendar-month variations; unfilled orders and total inventories are as of the end of the period and are not 

adjusted for trading-day or calendar-month variations.

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. Further details on survey design, 

methodology, and data limitations are contained in our most recent annual benchmark publication, Current Industrial Reports: M3-1(02), "Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders: 1992-2002."

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 Data on new and unfilled orders are not available for the semiconductor industry. Estimates and percent changes for new orders and unfilled orders exclude semiconductor industry data. 

Inventories for semiconductor industry data are included in computers and electronic products and total durable goods industries, but are not shown separately.
 3

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

[Millions of Dollars]

Seasonally Adjusted Not Seasonally Adjusted 1

Monthly Percent Change Monthly Percent

Item Change

Mar Feb Jan Feb - Jan - Dec - Mar Feb Mar 2005/

2005 2 2005 r 2005 Mar 2 Feb r Jan 2005 2 2005 r 2004 2004

DURABLE GOODS

 Total:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................ 551,948 554,687 552,015 -0.5 0.5 0.0 560,179 561,655 525,993 6.5

 Total Inventories....................... 291,048 289,824 287,835 0.4 0.7 1.6 290,162 292,652 264,981 9.5

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................ 293,390 292,166 289,502 0.4 0.9 0.4 297,536 295,716 270,763 9.9

 Total Inventories....................... 219,523 218,444 217,429 0.5 0.5 1.6 219,120 220,631 197,679 10.8

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................ 391,198 392,368 387,906 -0.3 1.2 0.4 395,437 397,583 361,199 9.5

 Total Inventories....................... 266,566 264,993 262,790 0.6 0.8 1.7 266,008 267,554 241,013 10.4

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................ 551,948 554,687 552,015 -0.5 0.5 0.0 560,179 561,655 525,993 6.5

 Total Inventories....................... 228,161 227,337 225,598 0.4 0.8 1.5 227,035 229,113 206,055 10.2

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 18,673 18,794 19,036 -0.6 -1.3 -3.3 19,342 19,369 19,059 1.5

 Total Inventories....................... 23,521 22,915 22,538 2.6 1.7 3.9 23,418 22,966 17,951 30.5

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 47,610 47,204 46,571 0.9 1.4 1.1 48,437 47,293 43,151 12.3

 Total Inventories....................... 36,863 36,626 36,131 0.6 1.4 1.5 37,168 36,990 31,882 16.6

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 53,005 53,191 52,023 -0.3 2.2 1.0 54,098 54,167 47,707 13.4

 Total Inventories....................... 47,171 47,088 46,860 0.2 0.5 1.7 47,381 47,934 42,788 10.7

 Computers and electronic products:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................ 144,986 143,557 142,694 1.0 0.6 0.4 146,594 145,384 134,471 9.0

 Total Inventories....................... 49,573 49,527 49,838 0.1 -0.6 1.1 48,281 49,654 46,126 4.7

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 8,268 9,001 8,962 -8.1 0.4 -1.9 8,012 8,961 8,032 -0.2

 Total Inventories....................... 6,719 6,586 6,554 2.0 0.5 1.3 6,348 6,580 5,609 13.2 

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 56,317 55,676 55,460 1.2 0.4 0.7 56,975 56,279 50,908 11.9

 Total Inventories....................... 10,617 10,798 11,141 -1.7 -3.1 0.5 10,324 10,847 10,319 0.0

 Semiconductors:

 Unfilled Orders4

........................ (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 Total Inventories4...................... (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 15,618 15,753 15,696 -0.9 0.4 3.2 15,696 16,026 14,424 8.8

 Total Inventories....................... 13,309 13,175 13,136 1.0 0.3 1.0 13,482 13,478 12,535 7.6

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 258,558 262,521 262,513 -1.5 0.0 -0.5 262,643 265,939 255,230 2.9

 Total Inventories....................... 71,525 71,380 70,406 0.2 1.4 1.7 71,042 72,021 67,302 5.6

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 14,243 14,297 14,368 -0.4 -0.5 -1.9 14,755 14,938 14,595 1.1

 Total Inventories....................... 22,666 22,369 22,194 1.3 0.8 2.2 22,750 22,586 21,067 8.0 

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 116,273 117,323 115,877 -0.9 1.2 -0.5 117,058 118,961 104,629 11.9

 Total Inventories....................... 24,403 24,423 23,690 -0.1 3.1 2.0 24,116 24,532 23,225 3.8

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 50,500 52,196 52,795 -3.2 -1.1 -1.6 51,442 52,336 59,745 -13.9

 Total Inventories....................... 12,146 12,245 12,336 -0.8 -0.7 0.5 11,915 12,571 11,409 4.4

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 13,498 13,667 13,482 -1.2 1.4 -1.3 13,369 13,477 11,951 11.9

 Total Inventories....................... 49,086 49,113 48,926 -0.1 0.4 1.1 49,390 49,609 46,397 6.5

 Capital goods:3

 Unfilled Orders......................... 392,968 395,130 393,432 -0.5 0.4 0.1 398,896 400,131 370,670 7.6

 Total Inventories....................... 133,217 133,111 132,463 0.1 0.5 1.2 132,076 134,330 124,028 6.5

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 248,427 249,662 246,523 -0.5 1.3 0.7 250,735 253,166 225,267 11.3

 Total Inventories....................... 113,563 113,138 112,372 0.4 0.7 1.3 112,637 114,265 104,517 7.8

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 156,189 156,636 154,669 -0.3 1.3 1.2 157,712 158,502 146,433 7.7

 Total Inventories.................. 95,974 95,716 95,500 0.3 0.2 1.2 95,236 96,708 87,786 8.5

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 144,541 145,468 146,909 -0.6 -1.0 -0.9 148,161 146,965 145,403 1.9

 Total Inventories....................... 19,654 19,973 20,091 -1.6 -0.6 0.8 19,439 20,065 19,511 -0.4

See footnotes at end of Table 1 
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), and end-of-month total inventory (at current cost or market value). 

The M3 includes approximately 4,000 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 59 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 4,000 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 4,000 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-tomonth movement of all companies is another potential source.

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

2005 Release Dates for M3 Survey

Survey Month Advance 8:30 A.M. Preliminary 10:00 A.M.

Dec 2004 1/27/05 2/3/05

Jan 2005 2/24/05 3/4/05

Feb 2005 3/24/05 3/31/05

Mar 2005 4/27/05 5/3/05

Apr 2005 5/25/05 6/2/05

May 2005 6/24/05 7/5/05

Jun 2005 7/27/05 8/2/05

Jul 2005 8/24/05 8/30/05

Aug 2005 9/28/05 10/4/05

Sep 2005 10/27/05 11/3/05

Oct 2005 11/29/05 12/6/05

Nov 2005 12/23/05