FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013, AT 8:30 A.M. EST 

Chris Savage or Adriana Stoica 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1 (13)-11 

CB13-219

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

November 2013 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in 

November increased $8.2 billion or 3.5 percent to 

$241.6 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced 

today. This increase, up three of the last four months, 

followed a 0.7 percent October decrease. Excluding 

transportation, new orders increased 1.2 percent. 

Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.5 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, also up three of the last four 

months, led the increase, $6.3 billion or 8.4 percent to 

$81.2 billion. This was led by nondefense aircraft and 

parts, which increased $3.9 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in 

November, up four consecutive months, increased $4.1 

billion or 1.8 percent to $238.3 billion. This was at the 

highest level since the series was first published on a 

NAICS basis in 1992, and followed a 0.6 percent 

October increase. 

 Machinery, also up four consecutive months, led the 

increase, $1.5 billion or 4.5 percent to $35.6 billion. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

November, up nine of the last ten months, increased 

$10.5 billion or 1.0 percent to $1,058.5 billion. This was 

at the highest level since the series was first published on 

a NAICS basis, and followed a 0.6 percent October 

increase. 

 Transportation equipment, up three consecutive 

months, led the increase, $8.4 billion or 1.3 percent to 

$654.3 billion.

Inventories 

 Inventories of manufactured durable goods in 

November, up seven of the last eight months, increased 

$1.2 billion or 0.3 percent to $384.7 billion. This was at 

the highest level since the series was first published on a 

NAICS basis, and followed a 0.3 percent October 

increase. 

 Transportation equipment, up eighteen of the last 

nineteen months, led the increase, $0.5 billion or 0.4 

percent to $120.8 billion. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in November 

increased $7.5 billion or 9.4 percent to $88.0 billion. 

Shipments increased $1.0 billion or 1.3 percent to $75.0 

billion. Unfilled orders increased $13.0 billion or 2.1 

percent to $636.6 billion. Inventories increased $1.0 

billion or 0.5 percent to $175.1 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in November 

increased $0.5 billion or 6.3 percent to $9.2 billion. 

Shipments increased $0.9 billion or 9.6 percent to $10.8 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.6 billion or 0.9 

percent to $165.3 billion. Inventories decreased $0.5 

billion or 2.1 percent to $22.5 billion. 

Revised October Data 

 Revised seasonally adjusted October figures for all 

manufacturing industries were: new orders, $489.1 

billion (revised from $486.9 billion); shipments, $489.8 

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

$1,048.0 billion (revised from $1,046.2 billion); and 

total inventories $633.6 billion (revised from $633.5 

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 January 6, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. EST. The advance report on durable goods for December is 

scheduled for release on January 28, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. EST. 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

Nov Oct Sep Oct - Sep - Aug - Nov Oct Nov Change

2013 2 2013 r 2013 Nov 2 Oct r Sep 2013 2 2013 r 2012 2013 2012 2013/2012

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Shipments................................ 238,325 234,183 232,854 1.8 0.6 0.5 228,594 242,353 218,491 2,533,775 2,450,030 3.4

 New Orders4

.............................. 241,648 233,474 235,179 3.5 -0.7 4.2 228,584 233,880 207,906 2,504,660 2,378,612 5.3

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 165,547 162,864 162,674 1.6 0.1 0.6 157,689 167,635 153,294 1,779,503 1,752,036 1.6

 New Orders4

.............................. 160,460 158,559 157,523 1.2 0.7 0.3 149,534 159,702 142,597 1,725,220 1,665,361 3.6

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 225,234 222,132 220,452 1.4 0.8 0.6 215,276 230,708 205,692 2,400,700 2,317,087 3.6

 New Orders4

.............................. 230,846 222,966 222,541 3.5 0.2 3.6 220,003 224,751 197,544 2,392,345 2,248,366 6.4

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 164,760 163,899 163,239 0.5 0.4 0.6 157,963 166,592 155,609 1,771,476 1,741,148 1.7

 New Orders.............................. 175,257 169,822 172,403 3.2 -1.5 5.6 165,300 166,339 151,825 1,819,496 1,750,925 3.9

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 26,355 26,239 25,912 0.4 1.3 1.2 24,473 26,684 23,556 280,863 279,801 0.4

 New Orders.............................. 26,533 26,801 26,358 -1.0 1.7 3.3 24,739 27,303 23,499 283,964 273,816 3.7

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 29,270 29,082 28,902 0.6 0.6 0.0 27,747 30,784 27,393 320,544 316,572 1.3

 New Orders.............................. 28,986 28,933 29,442 0.2 -1.7 -2.7 25,950 28,555 26,468 326,690 320,064 2.1

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 35,644 34,101 33,970 4.5 0.4 0.6 33,219 34,254 32,538 375,771 364,660 3.0

 New Orders.............................. 36,014 34,687 34,340 3.8 1.0 -1.7 33,193 34,939 30,201 381,423 355,206 7.4

 Computers and electronic products4

:

 Shipments................................ 27,880 27,438 27,950 1.6 -1.8 0.8 27,487 28,044 27,173 301,469 311,930 -3.4

 New Orders.............................. 22,389 22,007 21,499 1.7 2.4 5.0 20,733 20,774 19,489 230,624 236,082 -2.3

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 2,319 2,207 2,458 5.1 -10.2 5.4 2,004 1,772 2,086 24,123 25,985 -7.2

 New Orders.............................. 2,350 2,231 2,445 5.3 -8.8 8.5 2,035 1,796 2,406 24,283 26,551 -8.5

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 3,723 3,961 4,012 -6.0 -1.3 -0.5 3,622 3,696 3,792 42,603 40,826 4.4

 New Orders.............................. 4,778 4,228 4,213 13.0 0.4 5.0 4,185 4,000 3,601 47,106 43,872 7.4

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 10,306 10,243 10,062 0.6 1.8 -0.8 10,053 10,412 10,110 113,010 113,450 -0.4

 New Orders.............................. 10,343 10,469 10,101 -1.2 3.6 -0.3 10,088 10,723 10,375 114,242 113,831 0.4

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 72,778 71,319 70,180 2.0 1.6 0.5 70,905 74,718 65,197 754,272 697,994 8.1

 New Orders.............................. 81,188 74,915 77,656 8.4 -3.5 13.1 79,050 74,178 65,309 779,440 713,251 9.3

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 48,672 47,239 46,068 3.0 2.5 0.5 47,077 51,713 41,669 501,766 454,785 10.3

 New Orders.............................. 48,554 47,001 45,914 3.3 2.4 0.0 47,212 51,424 41,907 500,986 453,301 10.5

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 11,291 12,202 11,989 -7.5 1.8 4.0 11,116 11,448 11,343 120,577 111,668 8.0

 New Orders.............................. 21,997 18,063 19,070 21.8 -5.3 59.2 23,029 13,655 13,142 166,269 132,094 25.9

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 5,565 4,767 4,837 16.7 -1.4 -0.6 5,668 4,467 4,984 51,856 51,560 0.6

 New Orders.............................. 4,007 3,638 5,078 10.1 -28.4 14.0 3,413 3,990 5,131 42,414 53,719 -21.0

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 36,092 35,761 35,878 0.9 -0.3 0.6 34,710 37,457 32,524 387,846 365,623 6.1

 New Orders.............................. 36,195 35,662 35,783 1.5 -0.3 0.3 34,831 37,408 32,565 388,277 366,362 6.0

 Capital goods3

:

 Shipments................................ 85,765 83,833 84,153 2.3 -0.4 0.0 82,310 82,592 81,166 909,609 891,442 2.0

 New Orders.............................. 97,144 89,056 91,500 9.1 -2.7 8.2 91,192 81,018 75,187 954,923 903,801 5.7

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 75,009 74,018 74,184 1.3 -0.2 0.5 71,337 73,138 70,849 801,584 784,910 2.1

 New Orders.............................. 87,973 80,430 81,178 9.4 -0.9 7.0 84,055 74,506 68,193 864,559 801,117 7.9

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 67,300 65,474 65,735 2.8 -0.4 -0.1 63,774 65,103 62,996 718,376 708,559 1.4

 New Orders.......................... 69,668 66,696 67,169 4.5 -0.7 -1.2 64,554 65,203 60,722 739,251 708,628 4.3

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 10,756 9,815 9,969 9.6 -1.5 -3.0 10,973 9,454 10,317 108,025 106,532 1.4

 New Orders.............................. 9,171 8,626 10,322 6.3 -16.4 19.1 7,137 6,512 6,994 90,364 102,684 -12.0

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 equipmen

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

Nov Oct Sep Oct - Sep - Aug - Nov Oct Nov 2013/

2013 2 2013 r 2013 Nov 2 Oct r Sep 2013 2 2013 r 2012 2012

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Unfilled Orders4......................... 1,058,499 1,048,002 1,042,079 1.0 0.6 0.9 1,038,884 1,031,547 964,751 7.7

 Total Inventories....................... 384,738 383,534 382,308 0.3 0.3 0.8 385,727 384,494 375,349 2.8

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 404,194 402,107 399,780 0.5 0.6 0.4 394,187 394,995 371,689 6.1

 Total Inventories....................... 263,927 263,250 263,305 0.3 0.0 0.5 264,483 263,516 263,183 0.5

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4........................... 863,394 850,608 843,142 1.5 0.9 1.1 849,290 837,216 768,293 10.5

 Total Inventories....................... 357,059 355,475 354,303 0.4 0.3 0.7 357,957 356,539 348,399 2.7

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 1,058,499 1,048,002 1,042,079 1.0 0.6 0.9 1,038,884 1,031,547 964,751 7.7

 Total Inventories....................... 315,112 314,304 313,195 0.3 0.4 0.9 315,639 314,889 305,331 3.4

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 36,710 36,532 35,970 0.5 1.6 1.3 35,228 34,962 31,972 10.2

 Total Inventories....................... 35,167 35,131 35,297 0.1 -0.5 0.9 34,917 34,881 35,864 -2.6

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 90,255 90,539 90,688 -0.3 -0.2 0.6 85,098 86,895 77,095 10.4

 Total Inventories....................... 48,018 47,758 47,652 0.5 0.2 0.4 47,591 47,518 46,774 1.7

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 108,707 108,337 107,751 0.3 0.5 0.3 107,442 107,468 104,992 2.3

 Total Inventories....................... 66,029 66,259 66,309 -0.3 -0.1 0.6 66,609 66,331 67,601 -1.5

 Computers and electronic products4

:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 138,663 136,980 135,779 1.2 0.9 0.3 136,952 136,359 128,762 6.4

 Total Inventories....................... 46,958 46,644 46,865 0.7 -0.5 1.1 47,685 47,232 46,869 1.7

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 3,387 3,356 3,332 0.9 0.7 -0.4 3,387 3,356 3,309 2.4

 Total Inventories....................... 4,587 4,473 4,449 2.5 0.5 -1.0 4,837 4,620 4,615 4.8

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 35,287 34,232 33,965 3.1 0.8 0.6 34,933 34,370 29,585 18.1

 Total Inventories....................... 7,509 7,443 7,565 0.9 -1.6 1.8 7,750 7,515 7,785 -0.4

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 22,567 22,530 22,304 0.2 1.0 0.2 22,206 22,171 21,414 3.7

 Total Inventories....................... 16,825 16,777 16,738 0.3 0.2 -0.6 16,682 16,737 16,500 1.1

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 654,305 645,895 642,299 1.3 0.6 1.2 644,697 636,552 593,062 8.7

 Total Inventories....................... 120,811 120,284 119,003 0.4 1.1 1.5 121,244 120,978 112,166 8.1

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 16,292 16,410 16,648 -0.7 -1.4 -0.9 16,005 15,870 16,393 -2.4

 Total Inventories....................... 25,221 25,448 25,463 -0.9 -0.1 1.0 25,571 26,044 26,375 -3.0

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 482,517 471,811 465,950 2.3 1.3 1.5 477,048 465,135 417,734 14.2

 Total Inventories....................... 67,447 66,269 65,164 1.8 1.7 1.5 67,421 66,379 57,921 16.4

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 64,437 65,995 67,124 -2.4 -1.7 0.4 62,917 65,172 67,681 -7.0

 Total Inventories....................... 12,961 13,381 13,450 -3.1 -0.5 0.1 12,996 13,431 13,200 -1.5

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 7,292 7,189 7,288 1.4 -1.4 -1.3 7,261 7,140 7,454 -2.6

 Total Inventories....................... 50,930 50,681 50,444 0.5 0.5 0.1 50,999 50,817 49,575 2.9

 Capital goods3

:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 801,861 790,482 785,259 1.4 0.7 0.9 786,528 777,646 718,302 9.5

 Total Inventories....................... 197,651 197,173 196,203 0.2 0.5 1.0 199,250 197,892 191,455 4.1

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 636,557 623,593 617,181 2.1 1.0 1.1 626,246 613,528 553,693 13.1

 Total Inventories....................... 175,143 174,189 173,191 0.5 0.6 0.7 176,686 175,062 169,754 4.1

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 234,236 231,868 230,646 1.0 0.5 0.6 228,714 227,934 210,124 8.8

 Total Inventories................... 119,702 119,663 119,715 0.0 0.0 0.3 121,332 120,512 122,791 -1.2

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 165,304 166,889 168,078 -0.9 -0.7 0.2 160,282 164,118 164,609 -2.6

 Total Inventories....................... 22,508 22,984 23,012 -2.1 -0.1 4.0 22,564 22,830 21,701 4.0

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. 

 

2014 Release Dates for the M3 Survey 

Survey month Advance Report 

(8:30 a.m. release time) 

Full Report 

(10:00 a.m. release time) 

October 2013 November 27, 2013 December 5, 2013 

November 2013 December 24, 2013 January 6, 2014 

December 2013 January 28, 2014 February 4, 2014 

January 2014 February 27, 2014 March 6, 2014 

February 2014 March 26, 2014 April 2, 2014 

March 2014 April 24, 2014 May 2, 2014 

April 2014 May 27, 2014 June 3, 2014 

May 2014 June 25, 2014 July 2, 2014 

June 2014 July 25, 2014 August 5, 2014 

July 2014 August 26, 2014 September 3, 2014 

August 2014 September 25, 2014 October 2, 2014 

September 2014 October 28, 2014 November 4, 2014 

October 2014 November 26, 2014 December 5, 2014 

November 2014 December 23, 2014 Not available at this time