FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012, AT 8:30 A.M. EDT 

Chris Savage or Adriana Stoica 

Manufacturing and Construction Division 

(301) 763-4832 

M3-1 (12)-4 

CB12-96

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

April 2012 

New Orders 

 New orders for manufactured durable goods in April 

increased $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $215.5 billion, 

the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, 

up two of the last three months, followed a 3.7 percent 

March decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders 

decreased 0.6 percent. Excluding defense, new orders 

increased 1.2 percent. 

 

 Transportation equipment, also up two of the last three 

months, had the largest increase, $1.3 billion or 2.1 

percent to $62.2 billion. This was due to motor vehicles 

and parts, which increased $2.3 billion. 

Shipments 

 Shipments of manufactured durable goods in April, up 

four of the last five months, increased $1.5 billion or 0.7 

percent to $222.7 billion. This followed a 1.0 percent 

March increase. 

 Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five 

months, had the largest increase, $1.9 billion or 3.1 

percent to $63.8 billion. This followed a 2.3 percent 

March increase. 

 

Unfilled Orders 

 Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in 

April, down following twenty-seven consecutive 

monthly increases, decreased $0.7 billion or 0.1 percent 

to $985.3 billion. This followed a slight March increase. 

 Transportation equipment, down two consecutive 

months, had the largest decrease, $1.6 billion or 0.3 

percent to $566.4 billion. 

Inventories 

 Inventories of manufactured durable goods in April, up 

twenty-seven of the last twenty-eight months, increased 

$1.1 billion or 0.3 percent to $364.1 billion. This was at 

the highest level since the series was first published on a 

NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.4 percent March 

increase. 

 Machinery, up twenty-five of the last twenty-six 

months, had the largest increase, $1.1 billion or 1.7 

percent to $65.2 billion. This was also at the highest 

level since the series was first published on a NAICS 

basis. 

Capital Goods 

 Nondefense new orders for capital goods in April 

decreased $0.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $70.0 billion. 

Shipments decreased $0.3 billion or 0.5 percent to $69.6 

billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.4 billion or 0.1 

percent to $584.5 billion. Inventories increased $1.3 

billion or 0.8 percent to $166.3 billion. 

 Defense new orders for capital goods in April 

decreased $1.8 billion or 21.5 percent to $6.6 billion. 

Shipments decreased $0.8 billion or 9.0 percent to $7.7 

billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.1 billion or 0.7 

percent to $164.0 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 

billion or 1.6 percent to $20.7 billion. 

Revised and Recently Benchmarked March Data 

 Revised and recently benchmarked seasonally adjusted 

March figures for all manufacturing industries were: 

new orders, $470.1 billion (revised from $469.7 billion); 

shipments, $476.0 billion (revised from $475.7 billion); 

unfilled orders, $986.0 billion (revised from $986.3 

billion); and total inventories, $607.9 billion (revised 

from $608.1 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 June 4, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The advance report on durable goods for May is scheduled for release on June 27, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. See back page for survey 

description. 
 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

Apr Mar Feb Mar - Feb - Jan - Apr Mar Apr Change

2012 2 2012 r 2012 Apr 2 Mar r Feb 2012 2 2012 r 2011 2012 2011 12/11

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Shipments................................ 222,659 221,173 219,081 0.7 1.0 -0.5 221,146 238,905 203,120 871,735 798,338 9.2

 New Orders4

.............................. 215,527 215,198 223,578 0.2 -3.7 2.0 208,785 237,769 196,429 876,135 806,835 8.6

 Excluding transportation:

 Shipments................................ 158,841 159,279 158,606 -0.3 0.4 0.4 159,473 169,133 148,713 625,347 574,461 8.9

 New Orders4

.............................. 153,356 154,324 155,543 -0.6 -0.8 1.8 152,797 167,843 143,560 620,500 572,804 8.3

 Excluding defense:

 Shipments................................ 212,560 210,166 208,897 1.1 0.6 -0.1 211,650 226,429 192,206 830,723 752,833 10.3

 New Orders4

.............................. 206,836 204,390 212,733 1.2 -3.9 1.4 201,786 222,649 185,514 833,167 752,484 10.7

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Shipments................................ 155,652 156,931 154,992 -0.8 1.3 -1.0 152,753 171,553 142,021 615,265 562,614 9.4

 New Orders.............................. 154,977 156,983 166,059 -1.3 -5.5 2.5 148,747 174,710 143,446 645,894 597,951 8.0

 Primary metals:

 Shipments................................ 28,601 28,448 28,935 0.5 -1.7 0.7 29,591 30,667 24,674 117,335 93,687 25.2

 New Orders.............................. 28,756 28,271 28,179 1.7 0.3 0.3 29,472 30,210 23,157 118,088 95,607 23.5

 Fabricated metal products:

 Shipments................................ 27,477 27,523 27,581 -0.2 -0.2 -1.2 27,266 28,508 25,863 107,724 100,058 7.7

 New Orders.............................. 27,762 28,333 28,213 -2.0 0.4 0.5 27,856 31,147 26,652 113,606 105,471 7.7

 Machinery:

 Shipments................................ 31,736 32,593 31,108 -2.6 4.8 2.9 32,107 36,251 29,001 125,207 112,236 11.6

 New Orders.............................. 31,018 31,921 33,572 -2.8 -4.9 5.8 32,263 35,199 33,395 132,129 126,602 4.4

 Computers and electronic products4

:

 Shipments................................ 27,784 27,544 28,239 0.9 -2.5 0.9 27,637 28,544 27,956 108,142 109,272 -1.0

 New Orders.............................. 22,469 22,614 22,786 -0.6 -0.8 4.2 20,203 25,789 18,990 87,791 83,418 5.2

 Computers and related products:

 Shipments................................ 2,844 2,886 3,071 -1.5 -6.0 0.0 2,196 3,525 2,442 10,409 10,378 0.3

 New Orders.............................. 2,840 2,930 3,041 -3.1 -3.7 0.4 2,192 3,569 2,409 10,378 10,292 0.8

 Communications equipment:

 Shipments................................ 3,017 3,074 3,131 -1.9 -1.8 0.9 2,603 3,533 2,972 11,452 12,620 -9.3

 New Orders.............................. 3,185 3,833 3,631 -16.9 5.6 13.3 2,710 4,293 2,503 13,405 11,631 15.3

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Shipments................................ 9,953 10,018 9,881 -0.6 1.4 -0.8 9,782 10,832 9,488 38,821 37,290 4.1

 New Orders.............................. 10,048 10,063 9,806 -0.1 2.6 -2.1 9,648 10,791 9,231 39,786 38,720 2.8

 Transportation equipment: 

 Shipments................................ 63,818 61,894 60,475 3.1 2.3 -2.8 61,673 69,772 54,407 246,388 223,877 10.1

 New Orders.............................. 62,171 60,874 68,035 2.1 -10.5 2.6 55,988 69,926 52,869 255,635 234,031 9.2

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Shipments................................ 44,014 41,620 40,842 5.8 1.9 -0.1 43,486 45,946 36,789 169,617 151,922 11.6

 New Orders.............................. 43,971 41,644 40,946 5.6 1.7 0.4 43,286 45,739 36,683 169,438 151,980 11.5

 Nondefense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 9,387 8,929 9,178 5.1 -2.7 -6.7 8,307 10,813 6,611 34,781 27,687 25.6

 New Orders.............................. 9,545 8,908 16,672 7.2 -46.6 2.7 5,398 10,404 5,253 45,796 32,288 41.8

 Defense aircraft and parts:

 Shipments................................ 4,164 5,063 4,208 -17.8 20.3 -17.3 3,758 5,910 4,287 17,482 17,991 -2.8

 New Orders.............................. 3,864 5,855 4,900 -34.0 19.5 15.4 3,118 7,611 4,006 19,697 20,558 -4.2

 All other durable goods: 

 Shipments................................ 33,290 33,153 32,862 0.4 0.9 -0.6 33,090 34,331 31,731 128,118 121,918 5.1

 New Orders.............................. 33,303 33,122 32,987 0.5 0.4 0.0 33,355 34,707 32,135 129,100 122,986 5.0

 Capital goods3

:

 Shipments................................ 77,343 78,453 76,855 -1.4 2.1 -0.5 74,455 87,577 70,488 302,104 280,785 7.6

 New Orders.............................. 76,601 78,559 87,903 -2.5 -10.6 3.1 70,328 90,144 71,879 328,088 307,306 6.8

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 69,601 69,944 69,034 -0.5 1.3 0.3 67,047 78,019 61,580 270,197 243,647 10.9

 New Orders.............................. 69,969 70,107 79,777 -0.2 -12.1 1.9 65,042 78,148 62,856 294,658 261,802 12.5

 Excluding aircraft:

 Shipments........................... 63,429 64,336 63,132 -1.4 1.9 1.4 61,557 71,151 57,713 248,155 228,099 8.8

 New Orders.......................... 63,803 65,044 66,512 -1.9 -2.2 2.9 62,453 72,184 60,787 262,109 243,108 7.8

 Defense capital goods:

 Shipments................................ 7,742 8,509 7,821 -9.0 8.8 -7.6 7,408 9,558 8,908 31,907 37,138 -14.1

 New Orders.............................. 6,632 8,452 8,126 -21.5 4.0 16.2 5,286 11,996 9,023 33,430 45,504 -26.5

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

Apr Mar Feb Mar - Feb - Jan - Apr Mar Apr 2012/

2012 2 2012 r 2012 Apr 2 Mar r Feb 2012 2 2012 r 2011 2011

DURABLE GOODS

 Total: 

 Unfilled Orders4......................... 985,311 985,986 985,934 -0.1 0.0 1.1 996,552 1,000,558 911,611 9.3

 Total Inventories....................... 364,112 363,041 361,622 0.3 0.4 0.3 366,446 361,635 343,184 6.8

 Excluding transportation:

 Unfilled Orders4

......................... 418,911 417,939 416,867 0.2 0.3 0.8 426,639 424,960 387,188 10.2

 Total Inventories....................... 257,610 256,403 255,364 0.5 0.4 0.2 259,100 255,210 245,270 5.6

 Excluding defense:

 Unfilled Orders4........................... 797,366 796,633 796,382 0.1 0.0 1.3 805,081 806,590 717,812 12.2

 Total Inventories....................... 338,587 337,801 335,900 0.2 0.6 0.3 340,793 336,278 316,817 7.6

 Manufacturing with unfilled orders:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 985,311 985,986 985,934 -0.1 0.0 1.1 996,552 1,000,558 911,611 9.3

 Total Inventories....................... 295,068 294,357 293,703 0.2 0.2 0.6 297,396 293,014 277,049 7.3

 Primary metals:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 35,411 35,256 35,433 0.4 -0.5 -2.1 36,755 36,874 35,070 4.8

 Total Inventories....................... 34,777 35,187 35,511 -1.2 -0.9 0.9 35,357 34,901 34,102 3.7

 Fabricated metal products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 81,183 80,898 80,088 0.4 1.0 0.8 83,253 82,663 76,813 8.4

 Total Inventories....................... 45,817 45,708 45,591 0.2 0.3 0.4 45,978 45,563 43,931 4.7

 Machinery: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 139,285 140,003 140,675 -0.5 -0.5 1.8 141,384 141,228 117,292 20.5

 Total Inventories....................... 65,234 64,164 63,958 1.7 0.3 0.9 65,873 64,336 57,728 14.1

 Computers and electronic products4:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 134,344 133,202 132,105 0.9 0.8 0.9 135,990 135,069 131,898 3.1

 Total Inventories....................... 46,387 46,166 45,385 0.5 1.7 -0.2 46,303 45,342 45,603 1.5

 Computers and related products:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 1,125 1,129 1,085 -0.4 4.1 -2.7 1,125 1,129 1,178 -4.5

 Total Inventories....................... 4,136 4,141 4,019 -0.1 3.0 -2.3 4,092 3,963 3,891 5.2

 Communications equipment:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 32,604 32,436 31,677 0.5 2.4 1.6 32,914 32,807 31,413 4.8

 Total Inventories....................... 8,573 8,605 8,592 -0.4 0.2 0.6 8,516 8,463 8,857 -3.9

 Electrical equipment, appliances, 

 and components: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 21,508 21,413 21,368 0.4 0.2 -0.3 21,693 21,827 18,559 16.9

 Total Inventories....................... 15,429 15,361 15,409 0.4 -0.3 -0.5 15,607 15,331 15,130 3.2

 Transportation equipment: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 566,400 568,047 569,067 -0.3 -0.2 1.3 569,913 575,598 524,423 8.7

 Total Inventories....................... 106,502 106,638 106,258 -0.1 0.4 0.4 107,346 106,425 97,914 9.6

 Motor vehicles and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 16,680 16,723 16,699 -0.3 0.1 0.6 16,939 17,139 16,601 2.0

 Total Inventories....................... 24,177 24,612 24,520 -1.8 0.4 -1.4 24,353 24,490 23,247 4.8

 Nondefense Aircraft and parts:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 395,978 395,820 395,841 0.0 0.0 1.9 396,772 399,681 346,155 14.6

 Total Inventories....................... 56,675 56,540 55,924 0.2 1.1 1.1 57,268 56,487 49,278 16.2

 Defense Aircraft and parts: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 60,236 60,536 59,744 -0.5 1.3 1.2 61,571 62,211 58,704 4.9

 Total Inventories....................... 13,028 12,838 13,333 1.5 -3.7 1.6 12,994 12,745 12,860 1.0

 All other durable goods: 

 Unfilled Orders......................... 7,180 7,167 7,198 0.2 -0.4 1.8 7,564 7,299 7,556 0.1

 Total Inventories....................... 49,966 49,817 49,510 0.3 0.6 -0.8 49,982 49,737 48,776 2.5

 Capital goods3:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 748,493 749,235 749,129 -0.1 0.0 1.5 755,430 759,557 680,736 11.0

 Total Inventories....................... 186,980 185,370 184,581 0.9 0.4 0.5 188,286 184,789 171,981 9.5

 Nondefense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 584,487 584,119 583,956 0.1 0.0 1.9 588,576 590,581 510,840 15.2

 Total Inventories....................... 166,293 165,001 163,862 0.8 0.7 0.6 167,437 164,210 150,730 11.1

 Excluding aircraft: 

 Unfilled Orders.................... 243,610 243,236 242,528 0.2 0.3 1.4 247,361 246,465 216,119 14.5

 Total Inventories................... 118,899 117,804 117,231 0.9 0.5 0.3 119,459 116,963 109,674 8.9

 Defense capital goods:

 Unfilled Orders......................... 164,006 165,116 165,173 -0.7 0.0 0.2 166,854 168,976 169,896 -1.8

 Total Inventories....................... 20,687 20,369 20,719 1.6 -1.7 0.2 20,849 20,579 21,251 -1.9

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.