# What Is CWT (Hundredweight) and How Do You Calculate It?

![CWT (Hundredweight)](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/cUugYM-qZNydfxaeFdfWYbgE264=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hundredweight.asp-Final-efef4207c4f14dfdbb8f0009d8ac3f41.png)

*— Investopedia / Dennis Madamba*

> **Definition**
>
> A hundredweight (CWT) is a unit of weight used for measuring certain agricultural commodities.

## What Is a Hunderweight (CWT)?

A hundredweight (CWT) is a unit of measurement used for some [commodities trading](https://www.investopedia.com/investing/commodities-trading-overview/) contracts. Pricing by hundredweight is also a standard option for shipping packages that take up less than an entire truckload. Usage of hundredweight more generally has declined in favor of contract specifications in pounds or kilograms.

The value of a hundredweight differs in its American and British usages. In the United States, a hundredweight is equal to 100 pounds. In the United Kingdom, a hundredweight is equal to 112 pounds. The two values are sometimes distinguished by referring to the American hundredweight as a "short hundredweight" and the British hundredweight as a "long hundredweight." The short hundredweight is also sometimes called a "cental."

### Key Takeaways

*   A hundredweight (abbreviated as CWT) is a standard unit of weight or mass used in certain commodities markets. It also may be used to price smaller shipments of goods.
*   In North America, a hundredweight is equal to 100 pounds; in the United Kingdom, a hundredweight is 112 pounds. These may be referred to as a "short" or a "long" hundredweight.
*   The hundredweight was originally introduced as a standard unit of measurement to simplify the trading of certain goods between countries.
*   The use of the hundredweight as a measurement has declined in recent years in favor of the metric system.
*   Steel, cattle, oil, seeds, and grains are examples of products measured using the hundredweight.

## Understanding Hundredweight (CWT)

The abbreviation "CWT" refers to centum or cental weight, meaning hundredweight. The hundredweight has been used as a measurement of mass in Europe since the late Medieval era. Traders bought and sold goods like wax, sugar, and pepper in hundredweights, although the precise amount that was meant at the time could be 100 pounds or 108 pounds. Since 1340, when King Edward III changed the official definition of one stone to 14 pounds, one hundredweight has equaled eight stones or 112 pounds.

This was set in law in 1878 when the Weights and Measures Act established one hundredweight as 112 pounds. In the U.S. and Canada, one hundredweight, then and now, is 100 pounds.  

### 100 lbs (45.4 kg) / 112 lbs. (50.8 kg)

In the United States and Canada, 1 hundredweight count (CWT) is equal to 100 lbs., or 45.4 kilograms.

In Great Britain, 1 hundredweight count (CWT) is equal to 112 lbs., or 50.8 kilograms.

### When a Hundredweight Is Not 100 Pounds

In 1824, it became illegal for British merchants to use the term hundredweight to refer to a unit of 100 pounds, and merchants who did could be sued for fraudulent activity. In 1879, it became legal again to use of measurement of 100 pounds in Britain, but only when it was labeled a "cental."

The term hundredweight is derived from the French _avoirdupois_ weight system which was established in England in the late Medieval period. It provided a standard for measurement, simplifying the trading of certain goods among countries.

This was especially helpful when dealing with commodities that were traded in large quantities. It was accepted that 20 hundredweights were one ton. A short ton weighed 2,000 pounds and a long ton weighed 2,240 pounds.

> **Important**
>
> The abbreviation "CWT" stands for centum or cental weight, meaning one hundredweight.

## Examples of Hundredweight (CWT)

The hundredweight is most often used as a unit of measure for trading large quantities of commodities. It also is used when referring to products that are exceptionally heavy, such as steel.

Many food items such as cattle, oil, seeds, and grains are measured using the hundredweight, along with products sold in bulk including paper and some chemicals or additives.

> **Important**
>
> One problem with using the hundredweight for global trade is that it has two standard definitions: It's 100 pounds in the U.S. and Canada and 112 pounds in the U.K.

### Cattle by Hundredweight

In the futures markets, prices for cattle and other livestock are quoted in hundredweights, while prices for foods like coffee and sugar are priced by cents per pound.

Prices of [futures](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/futures.asp), including livestock and rice, may be measured and traded in hundredweights.

Anvils were commonly measured in hundredweights, using a decimal designation to state the number of hundredweights, quarter-hundredweights, and pounds the anvil weighed. The formula can still be used to indicate anvil weight.

> **Fast Fact**
>
> Shipping by hundredweight is the preferred option for many businesses that frequently ship small packages that add up to less than a full truckload.

## Rise of the Metric System

With the increased use of the metric system across Europe, the hundredweight generally fell out of favor. As the metric system created a more universally accepted standard, dealing in hundredweights became less common. The potential for confusion between the British and North American definitions helped make it unpopular for international trade.

Even though it is not as commonly used as it once was, it is still an accepted unit of measurement. The hundredweight is used within certain U.S. sectors, especially those related to agriculture, even though most trade is conducted in pounds or kilograms.

## CWT Shipping vs. LTL Shipping

CWT shipping

*   Often used by small shippers that need to send packages to several destinations
    
*   Preferred by many businesses shipping small packages that add up to less than a full truckload
    
*   Consistent, standardized system of pricing
    
*   More affordable when shipping lighter items across short distances
    

LTL shipping

*   Used to ship larger items requiring one pallet or more
    
*   Often used to ship items that are large, very heavy or oddly shaped
    
*   Often used when goods are being shipped to the same destination, such as a warehouse
    
*   More affordable when shipping heavier items across a greater distance
    

Shipping companies that handle smaller loads of goods can often choose between two pricing options for transporting their packages: hundredweight (CWT) or less-than-truckload (LTL) pricing. Generally, a shipping company that specializes in carrying small loads from many clients relies on hundredweight pricing.

UPS and FedEx, for example, both offer hundredweight options for shipping packages.

Hundredweight pricing is often used by small shippers that need to send packages to several destinations. It's the more affordable way to ship lighter items across short distances. LTL pricing, on the other hand, is often used to ship large, very heavy items that fit on one pallet or more. It's the more affordable way to ship heavier items across a greater distance.  

According to FreightSnap, a firm that specializes in supply chain management services, both options have advantages and disadvantages:

*   LTL shipping requires that packages be loaded onto a pallet and may include very heavy, large, or oddly shaped goods. This option is often used when all of the goods being shipped are going to the same destination, such as a warehouse.
*   Hundredweight shipping requires less handling, as multiple packages can be sent without loading them onto pallets. It is often used by small shippers sending packages to a number of destinations.

The better shipping choice depends on many factors, including the size, shape, and weight of the products being shipped and the distance being covered.

## Explain Like I'm Five

Along with the furlong and the hogshead, the hundredweight is one of many units of measurement that were once used in the imperial measurement system. Although it has been largely replaced by the metric system, it is still used in a handful of situations, particularly commodities and shipping.

In commodities markets, livestock are still priced in hundredweights. You might also encounter it in the transportation industry, where hundredweight pricing is used by businesses shipping small loads to many clients.

## How Do You Calculate CWT in Cattle?

In the U.S., cattle and all other commodities are weighed in pounds. A hundredweight equals 100 pounds in North America. So, the total weight of the cattle divided by 100 equals the number of hundredweight of cattle.

## How Are Freight Prices Calculated With CWT?

The shipping charge will be quoted as a price per cwt. For example, the quoted price might be $30 per cwt. A 500-pound shipment is five hundredweight. The total price is 30 x 5, or $150.

## How Many Kilograms Are There in a Hundredweight (CWT)?

One pound equals 0.453592 kilograms. A hundredweight in the U.S. measurement of 100 pounds would equal 45.3592 kilograms. A hundredweight in the British measurement of 112 pounds is 50.8023 kilograms.

## How Do You Calculate Hundredweight (CWT)?

In North America, you simply divide the weight in pounds by 100. So something that is one ton (2,000 pounds) would be 20 CWT.

## The Bottom Line

The hundredweight survives as a standard unit of measurement in the 21st century, but only for specific uses. It is used to indicate the quantity of some commodities being bought and sold in the marketplace, and of some commodity futures being traded in the financial markets. It also is used to indicate the quantity of goods being shipped by freight.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Edward Nicholson. "[Men and Measures; A History of Weights and Measures, Ancient and Modern](https://archive.org/details/menandmeasures00nichiala/page/104/mode/2up)," Pages 105-106. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1912.
>     
> 2.  UK Parliament. "[Hansard 1803–2005; Weights and Measures Act—Standard Weights; HC Deb 21 June 1880 vol 253 c420](https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1880/jun/21/weights-and-measures-act-standard-weights)."
>     
> 3.  Pete Hoffman. "[Weights and Measures—U.S. To Metric](https://www.swtc.edu/Ag_Power/diesel_engines/lecture/US%20to%20metric.pdf)." Page 1. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College.
>     
> 4.  Cavalier Transportation Services Inc. "[How to Calculate Freight Charges with CWT Rates](http://cavalier.ca/content/downloads/how%20to%20calculate%20cwt%20rates%20or%20per%20hundred%20weight%20rates.pdf)." Page 1.
>     
> 5.  Edward Nicholson. "[Men and Measures; A History of Weights and Measures, Ancient and Modern](https://archive.org/details/menandmeasures00nichiala/page/108/mode/2up)," Pages 108-109. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1912.
>     
> 6.  Britannica. "[Avoirdupois Weight](https://www.britannica.com/science/avoirdupois-weight)."
>     
> 7.  Edward Nicholson. "[Men and Measures; A History of Weights and Measures, Ancient and Modern](https://archive.org/details/menandmeasures00nichiala/page/108/mode/2up)," Page 108. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1912.
>     
> 8.  Center for Futures Education, Inc. "[Reading Price Quotations](https://www.thectr.com/article.php?article=readingquotes)."
>     
> 9.  Anvil Fire. "[English Hundredweight System](https://www.anvilfire.com/21st-century-blacksmithing/anvils/hundredweight-calculator/)."
>     
> 10.  UPS. "[UPS Hundredweight Service Rates](https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-costs-rates/hundredweight-service-rates.page)."
>      
> 11.  FedEx. "[FedEx Standard List Rates, Effective January 1, 2024](https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/FedEx_Standard_List_Rates_2024.pdf)."
>      
> 12.  Freight Snap: "[LTL vs. Parcel Hundredweight: Which Service Is Right for You](https://www.freightsnap.com/ltl-vs-parcel-hundredweight-which-service-is-right-for-you/)."