FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2009, AT 8:30 A.M. EDT 

Chris Savage or Jessica Young 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1 (09)-08 

CB09-149

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

August 2009 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in August 

decreased $4.0 billion or 2.4 percent to $164.4 billion, 

the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This was the 

second decrease in the last three months. This followed 

a 4.8 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, 

new orders were down slightly. Excluding defense, new 

orders decreased 2.4 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, also down two of the last 

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

9.3 percent to $39.5 billion. This was led by nondefense 

aircraft and parts, which decreased $3.7 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in August, 

down following two consecutive monthly increases, 

decreased $2.4 billion or 1.4 percent to $171.3 billion. 

This followed a 2.2 percent July increase. 

 Transportation equipment, also down following two 

consecutive monthly increases, had the largest decrease, 

$0.9 billion or 2.0 percent to $42.1 billion. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

August, down eleven consecutive months, decreased 

$2.8 billion or 0.4 percent to $737.1 billion. This was 

the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases 

since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 

1992 and followed a 0.1 percent July decrease. 

 Transportation equipment, down ten of the last eleven 

months, had the largest decrease, $2.7 billion or 0.6 

percent to $431.4 billion. 

Inventories 

 Inventories of manufactured durable goods in August, 

down eight consecutive months, decreased $4.2 billion 

or 1.3 percent to $308.9 billion. This followed a 1.1 

percent July decrease. 

 Transportation equipment, down following two 

consecutive monthly increases, had the largest decrease, 

$2.8 billion or 2.9 percent to $91.2 billion. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in August 

decreased $4.0 billion or 7.1 percent to $52.7 billion. 

Shipments decreased $1.4 billion or 2.4 percent to $55.5 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $2.7 billion or 0.6 

percent to $422.8 billion. Inventories decreased $2.3 

billion or 1.7 percent to $135.3 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in August 

increased $0.1 billion or 1.1 percent to $9.9 billion. 

Shipments increased $0.3 billion or 2.9 percent to $10.8 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.8 billion or 0.6 

percent to $140.7 billion. Inventories decreased $0.1 

billion or 0.3 percent to $20.2 billion. 

Revised July Data 

 Revised seasonally adjusted July figures for all 

manufacturing industries were: new orders, $354.9 

billion (revised from $355.5 billion); shipments, $360.0 

billion (revised from $359.7 billion); unfilled orders, 

$740.0 billion (revised from $740.6 billion); and total 

inventories, $502.4 billion (revised from $503.1 billion). 

Figures in text 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 October 2, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The 

advance report on durable goods for September is scheduled for release on October 28, 2009, 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

Aug Jul Jun Jul - Jun - May - Aug Jul Aug Change

2009 2 2009 r 2009 Aug 2 Jul r Jun 2009 2 2009 r 2008 2009 2008 09/08

DURABLE GOODS

 Total:

 Shipments................................ 171,256 173,657 169,836 -1.4 2.2 0.8 175,081 164,742 210,847 1,373,189 1,693,270 -18.9

 New Orders4

.............................. 164,442 168,480 160,821 -2.4 4.8 -1.1 165,888 156,300 204,937 1,276,918 1,700,733 -24.9

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 129,115 130,657 127,146 -1.2 2.8 0.6 131,929 129,224 159,714 1,031,285 1,270,804 -18.8

 New Orders4

.............................. 124,989 124,996 123,867 0.0 0.9 2.6 125,674 122,709 152,352 975,052 1,252,967 -22.2

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 157,465 160,020 155,658 -1.6 2.8 0.4 161,424 152,342 199,367 1,269,244 1,602,859 -20.8

 New Orders4

.............................. 151,490 155,183 148,863 -2.4 4.2 0.8 154,305 146,331 194,170 1,181,293 1,608,791 -26.6

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 123,094 124,502 123,467 -1.1 0.8 1.6 125,909 117,826 152,372 989,720 1,214,159 -18.5

 New Orders4

.............................. 120,283 123,768 117,408 -2.8 5.4 -1.4 120,639 115,002 150,721 923,695 1,262,296 -26.8

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 13,326 13,121 12,277 1.6 6.9 1.7 14,363 13,456 23,845 106,555 182,274 -41.5

 New Orders.............................. 13,747 13,491 13,074 1.9 3.2 12.2 14,947 13,917 22,223 103,741 183,408 -43.4

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 23,832 23,823 23,439 0.0 1.6 0.9 25,597 23,952 29,590 192,761 223,557 -13.8

 New Orders.............................. 23,512 23,314 22,516 0.8 3.5 0.5 24,735 23,304 28,545 185,276 226,292 -18.1

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 22,101 22,421 23,327 -1.4 -3.9 0.7 21,592 21,962 27,975 186,655 233,828 -20.2

 New Orders.............................. 21,621 21,477 23,307 0.7 -7.9 4.6 20,753 21,456 28,759 174,519 249,054 -29.9

 Computers and electronic products:

 Shipments................................ 29,251 30,047 27,879 -2.6 7.8 0.6 28,071 28,493 29,516 221,039 250,409 -11.7

 New Orders4

.............................. 25,387 25,573 25,138 -0.7 1.7 1.5 23,286 22,442 25,042 188,992 211,342 -10.6

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 4,265 4,443 4,366 -4.0 1.8 0.3 3,891 3,965 4,323 33,351 39,526 -15.6

 New Orders.............................. 4,379 4,489 4,660 -2.5 -3.7 0.5 4,005 4,011 4,404 33,231 39,713 -16.3 

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 5,197 5,336 5,114 -2.6 4.3 11.7 4,953 4,510 5,211 37,329 43,902 -15.0

 New Orders.............................. 5,474 5,390 4,923 1.6 9.5 -0.6 4,700 4,420 5,309 37,881 44,684 -15.2

 Semiconductors:

 Shipments................................ 4,003 4,443 2,956 -9.9 50.3 -14.9 3,923 5,618 4,259 30,246 40,674 -25.6

 New Orders4

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

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 8,237 8,523 8,318 -3.4 2.5 0.3 8,514 8,281 10,823 67,241 84,982 -20.9

 New Orders.............................. 8,380 8,424 8,081 -0.5 4.2 1.7 8,509 8,472 10,300 65,996 87,008 -24.1

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 42,141 43,000 42,690 -2.0 0.7 1.5 43,152 35,518 51,133 341,904 422,466 -19.1

 New Orders.............................. 39,453 43,484 36,954 -9.3 17.7 -11.9 40,214 33,591 52,585 301,866 447,766 -32.6

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 23,225 23,600 22,834 -1.6 3.4 0.2 24,590 18,534 31,827 189,906 268,795 -29.3

 New Orders.............................. 23,094 23,003 22,641 0.4 1.6 -0.2 24,249 18,342 31,428 188,143 267,422 -29.6 

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 7,045 7,492 7,304 -6.0 2.6 1.2 6,707 6,384 7,946 59,492 66,140 -10.1

 New Orders.............................. 5,084 8,796 4,437 -42.2 98.2 -30.5 5,172 6,523 7,868 33,351 90,291 -63.1

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 5,583 5,446 6,194 2.5 -12.1 8.8 5,558 4,825 4,669 42,092 34,990 20.3

 New Orders.............................. 5,019 5,613 7,081 -10.6 -20.7 30.3 4,357 4,775 4,557 40,997 36,879 11.2

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 32,368 32,722 31,906 -1.1 2.6 -0.2 33,792 33,080 37,965 257,034 295,754 -13.1

 New Orders.............................. 32,342 32,717 31,751 -1.1 3.0 0.2 33,444 33,118 37,483 256,528 295,863 -13.3

 Capital goods:3

 Shipments................................ 66,224 67,310 67,412 -1.6 -0.2 1.8 64,661 62,580 73,646 529,107 603,871 -12.4

 New Orders.............................. 62,679 66,575 61,502 -5.9 8.2 -5.6 58,935 59,051 73,472 473,359 643,302 -26.4

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 55,470 56,860 56,529 -2.4 0.6 1.1 53,895 52,885 64,611 448,573 533,741 -16.0

 New Orders.............................. 52,735 56,735 53,014 -7.1 7.0 -0.2 49,961 51,927 64,772 400,343 572,449 -30.1

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 51,922 52,937 52,774 -1.9 0.3 1.4 50,546 49,753 60,457 417,418 498,149 -16.2

 New Orders.......................... 51,395 51,576 52,237 -0.4 -1.3 3.8 48,388 48,497 60,479 397,717 514,280 -22.7

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 10,754 10,450 10,883 2.9 -4.0 5.3 10,766 9,695 9,035 80,534 70,130 14.8

 New Orders.............................. 9,944 9,840 8,488 1.1 15.9 -29.5 8,974 7,124 8,700 73,016 70,853 3.1

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: M3-3(07), "Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders: 2004-2007."

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

Aug Jul Jun Jul - Jun - May - Aug Jul Aug 2009/

2009 2 2009 r 2009 Aug 2 Jul r Jun 2009 2 2009 r 2008 2008

DURABLE GOODS

 Total:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 737,140 739,951 740,685 -0.4 -0.1 -0.8 732,728 737,998 819,953 -10.6

 Total Inventories....................... 308,883 313,089 316,667 -1.3 -1.1 -1.5 310,783 313,946 341,870 -9.1

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 305,764 305,887 307,105 0.0 -0.4 -0.1 304,931 307,263 357,858 -14.8

 Total Inventories....................... 217,651 219,093 223,434 -0.7 -1.9 -2.2 218,693 219,165 251,996 -13.2

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 580,073 582,045 582,439 -0.3 -0.1 -0.7 578,492 581,688 667,113 -13.3

 Total Inventories....................... 282,653 286,839 290,643 -1.5 -1.3 -1.6 284,510 287,647 317,210 -10.3

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 737,140 739,951 740,685 -0.4 -0.1 -0.8 732,728 737,998 819,953 -10.6

 Total Inventories....................... 248,396 252,213 254,527 -1.5 -0.9 -1.6 250,115 253,098 274,853 -9.0

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 15,124 14,703 14,333 2.9 2.6 5.9 15,513 14,929 28,397 -45.4

 Total Inventories....................... 25,260 25,479 26,193 -0.9 -2.7 -3.2 25,602 25,674 35,367 -27.6

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 49,006 49,326 49,835 -0.6 -1.0 -1.8 49,250 50,112 62,154 -20.8

 Total Inventories....................... 37,390 37,896 38,684 -1.3 -2.0 -2.4 37,397 38,007 44,907 -16.7

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 86,133 86,613 87,557 -0.6 -1.1 0.0 85,775 86,614 105,613 -18.8

 Total Inventories....................... 49,602 49,655 50,742 -0.1 -2.1 -1.6 49,488 49,129 54,576 -9.3

 Computers and electronic products:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 124,149 124,010 124,041 0.1 0.0 0.2 122,778 123,640 123,374 -0.5

 Total Inventories....................... 43,501 43,619 44,275 -0.3 -1.5 -2.9 44,239 43,822 47,923 -7.7

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 3,970 3,856 3,810 3.0 1.2 8.4 3,970 3,856 3,904 1.7

 Total Inventories....................... 4,195 4,240 4,330 -1.1 -2.1 -1.7 4,424 4,277 5,311 -16.7

 

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 37,796 37,519 37,465 0.7 0.1 -0.5 37,306 37,559 37,199 0.3

 Total Inventories....................... 9,254 9,303 9,531 -0.5 -2.4 -9.2 9,282 9,226 10,050 -7.6

 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......................... 20,150 20,007 20,106 0.7 -0.5 -1.2 20,354 20,359 25,090 -18.9

 Total Inventories....................... 12,578 12,750 12,917 -1.3 -1.3 -2.1 12,548 12,780 15,199 -17.4

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 431,376 434,064 433,580 -0.6 0.1 -1.3 427,797 430,735 462,095 -7.4

 Total Inventories....................... 91,232 93,996 93,233 -2.9 0.8 0.0 92,090 94,781 89,874 2.5

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 13,840 13,971 14,568 -0.9 -4.1 -1.3 13,886 14,227 17,192 -19.2

 Total Inventories....................... 18,380 18,593 18,760 -1.1 -0.9 -0.9 18,527 18,790 23,407 -20.8 

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 283,773 285,734 284,430 -0.7 0.5 -1.0 281,969 283,504 304,766 -7.5

 Total Inventories....................... 45,978 48,200 47,672 -4.6 1.1 1.2 46,496 48,655 40,720 14.2

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 47,800 48,364 48,197 -1.2 0.3 1.9 47,132 48,333 45,191 4.3

 Total Inventories....................... 15,888 15,794 15,530 0.6 1.7 0.3 15,972 15,873 14,308 11.6

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 11,202 11,228 11,233 -0.2 0.0 -1.4 11,261 11,609 13,230 -14.9

 Total Inventories....................... 49,320 49,694 50,623 -0.8 -1.8 -1.3 49,419 49,753 54,024 -8.5

 Capital goods:3

 Unfilled Orders......................... 563,522 567,067 567,802 -0.6 -0.1 -1.0 558,187 563,913 614,888 -9.2

 Total Inventories....................... 155,471 157,822 159,466 -1.5 -1.0 -1.2 156,536 157,995 160,623 -2.5

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 422,845 425,580 425,705 -0.6 0.0 -0.8 420,040 423,974 477,523 -12.0

 Total Inventories....................... 135,305 137,596 139,419 -1.7 -1.3 -1.2 136,411 137,799 141,549 -3.6

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 174,617 175,144 176,505 -0.3 -0.8 -0.3 173,481 175,639 204,915 -15.3

 Total Inventories................... 98,877 99,317 101,312 -0.4 -2.0 -2.2 99,561 99,114 109,601 -9.2

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 140,677 141,487 142,097 -0.6 -0.4 -1.7 138,147 139,939 137,365 0.6

 Total Inventories....................... 20,166 20,226 20,047 -0.3 0.9 -1.0 20,125 20,196 19,074 5.5

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-in-process, 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 59 publication levels. The survey methodology assumes that the month-tomonth changes of the total operations of those companies in the monthly survey effectively represent the month-tomonth 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 61 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-tomonth 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.