Industry Statistics Sampler: NAICS 42

Industry Statistics Sampler:
NAICS 42
Wholesale trade

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2002 Economic Census Industry Series Reports

NAICS Hierarchy: 1997

Introductory text includes scope and methodology. For descriptions of column headings and rows (industries), click on the appropriate underlined element in the table.

Indus-
try
Detail NAICS
code NAICS Title
(and link to definition) Estab-
lish-
ments Sales
($1,000) Annual
payroll
($1,000) Paid
employees

42 Wholesale trade 453,470 4,059,657,778 214,915,405 r 5,796,557

421 Wholesale trade, durable goods 290,629 2,179,717,376 133,236,997 r 3,398,261

422 Wholesale trade, nondurable goods 162,841 1,879,940,402 81,678,408 r 2,398,296

NAICS code	NAICS Title (and link to definition)	Estab- lish- ments	Sales ($1,000)	Annual payroll ($1,000)	Paid employees
42	Wholesale trade	453,470	4,059,657,778	214,915,405	r 5,796,557
421	Wholesale trade, durable goods	290,629	2,179,717,376	133,236,997	r 3,398,261
422	Wholesale trade, nondurable goods	162,841	1,879,940,402	81,678,408	r 2,398,296

Table includes only establishments with payroll.

NAICS Sector: 42 Wholesale trade . The Wholesale trade sector comprises establishments engaged in wholesaling merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise.

The wholesaling process is an intermediate step in the distribution of merchandise. Wholesalers are organized to sell or arrange the purchase or sale of (a) goods for resale (i.e., goods sold to other wholesalers or retailers), (b) capital or durable nonconsumer goods, and (c) raw and intermediate materials and supplies used in production.

Wholesalers sell merchandise to other businesses and normally operate from a warehouse or office. These warehouses and offices are characterized by having little or no display of merchandise. In addition, neither the design nor the location of the premises is intended to solicit walk-in traffic. Wholesalers do not normally use advertising directed to the general public. Customers are generally reached initially via telephone, in-person marketing, or by specialized advertising that may include Internet and other electronic means. Follow-up orders are either vendor-initiated or client-initiated, generally based on previous sales, and typically exhibit strong ties between sellers and buyers. In fact, transactions are often conducted between wholesalers and clients that have long-standing business relationships.

This sector comprises two main types of wholesalers: those that sell goods on their own account and those that arrange sales and purchases for others for a commission or fee.

(1) Establishments that sell goods on their own account are known as wholesale merchants, distributors, jobbers, drop shippers, import/export merchants, and sales branches. These establishments typically maintain their own warehouse, where they receive and handle goods for their customers. Goods are generally sold without transformation, but may include integral functions, such as sorting, packaging, labeling, and other marketing services.

(2) Establishments arranging for the purchase or sale of goods owned by others or purchasing goods on a commission basis are known as agents and brokers, commission merchants, import/export agents and brokers, auction companies, and manufacturers' representatives. These establishments operate from offices and generally do not own or handle the goods they sell.

Some wholesale establishments may be connected with a single manufacturer and promote and sell the particular manufacturers' products to a wide range of other wholesalers or retailers. Other wholesalers may be connected to a retail chain or a limited number of retail chains and only provide a variety of products needed by that particular retail operation(s). These wholesalers may obtain the products from a wide range of manufacturers. Still other wholesalers may not take title to the goods, but act as agents and brokers for a commission.

Although, in general, wholesaling normally denotes sales in large volumes, durable nonconsumer goods may be sold in single units. Sales of capital or durable nonconsumer goods used in the production of goods and services, such as farm machinery, medium and heavy duty trucks, and industrial machinery, are always included in wholesale trade.

Geographic Distribution -- Wholesale trade: 1997

Data for the Wholesale trade sector are published for the U.S., states, metropolitan areas, counties, and places.

For descriptions of column headings and rows (industries), click on the appropriate underlined element in the table.

Other
Indus-
tries State Estab-
lish-
ments Sales
($1,000) Sales
% of
U.S. Annual
payroll
($1,000) Paid
employees

United States 453,470 4,059,657,778 100.00 214,915,405 r 5,796,557

California 57,841 548,864,451 13.52 29,874,996 r 757,294

Texas 33,346 323,111,661 7.96 15,504,899 r 425,750

New York 37,499 319,697,562 7.87 17,185,807 414,249

Illinois 21,951 275,968,383 6.80 13,324,491 r 325,752

New Jersey 17,812 227,309,002 5.60 11,886,143 266,944

Florida 31,214 187,079,940 4.61 9,678,165 296,139

Georgia 13,978 163,782,649 4.03 7,519,730 r 191,087

Ohio 17,322 160,415,587 3.95 9,192,220 254,226

Michigan 13,936 159,432,288 3.93 7,629,585 189,057

Pennsylvania 17,138 159,354,185 3.93 8,588,178 237,567

Massachusetts 9,993 112,792,386 2.78 6,484,762 146,827

Minnesota 9,348 99,444,542 2.45 5,023,965 131,787

North Carolina 12,284 98,080,086 2.42 5,574,093 157,774

Missouri 9,522 91,411,852 2.25 4,639,845 125,929

Tennessee 8,234 82,626,370 2.04 3,975,440 120,228

Connecticut 5,283 76,167,938 1.88 3,595,313 77,716

Washington 10,039 75,397,750 1.86 4,375,979 118,810

Indiana 8,896 66,350,132 1.63 3,737,837 112,705

Virginia 7,868 61,046,705 1.50 3,784,428 106,365

Colorado 7,383 60,310,393 1.49 3,282,007 88,364

Wisconsin 8,025 57,192,863 1.41 3,764,944 110,309

Maryland 6,283 54,906,650 1.35 3,656,274 92,458

Oregon 5,943 53,679,098 1.32 2,578,675 74,790

Louisiana 6,390 46,972,265 1.16 2,375,165 76,350

Arizona 6,689 45,899,068 1.13 2,748,880 80,155

Kansas 5,085 42,209,864 1.04 1,946,842 59,954

Alabama 6,315 40,986,328 1.01 2,394,682 79,229

Nebraska 3,157 38,015,440 0.94 1,170,201 41,002

Kentucky 5,051 37,242,872 0.92 2,071,234 69,309

Iowa 5,399 35,453,705 0.87 1,820,112 63,596

South Carolina 5,035 34,179,799 0.84 1,866,764 58,910

Oklahoma 5,191 32,132,263 0.79 1,756,086 59,641

Arkansas 3,619 27,515,382 0.68 1,136,569 41,385

Utah 3,277 21,271,857 0.52 1,420,376 r 44,312

Mississippi 3,173 18,445,224 0.45 1,012,079 36,520

Nevada 2,253 12,806,893 0.32 918,454 27,251

Delaware 906 12,585,529 0.31 619,458 13,509

New Hampshire 2,033 11,371,112 0.28 875,025 22,631

West Virginia 1,956 10,290,356 0.25 681,067 23,805

Idaho 1,980 10,127,777 0.25 628,027 22,828

North Dakota 1,604 8,618,382 0.21 454,381 16,992

South Dakota 1,402 7,874,169 0.19 389,837 15,509

Rhode Island 1,590 7,602,702 0.19 635,178 18,762

Montana 1,574 7,596,802 0.19 371,642 r 14,356

New Mexico 2,182 7,397,572 0.18 601,143 21,344

Maine 1,726 7,305,592 0.18 616,202 19,932

Hawaii 1,872 7,147,462 0.18 575,955 18,532

Vermont 941 4,731,383 0.12 330,573 10,987

District of Columbia 348 3,918,622 0.10 222,998 5,008

Alaska 784 2,989,820 0.07 256,844 6,860

Wyoming 800 2,547,065 0.06 161,855 5,761

State	Estab- lish- ments	Sales ($1,000)	Sales % of U.S.	Annual payroll ($1,000)	Paid employees
United States	453,470	4,059,657,778	100.00	214,915,405	r 5,796,557
California	57,841	548,864,451	13.52	29,874,996	r 757,294
Texas	33,346	323,111,661	7.96	15,504,899	r 425,750
New York	37,499	319,697,562	7.87	17,185,807	414,249
Illinois	21,951	275,968,383	6.80	13,324,491	r 325,752
New Jersey	17,812	227,309,002	5.60	11,886,143	266,944
Florida	31,214	187,079,940	4.61	9,678,165	296,139
Georgia	13,978	163,782,649	4.03	7,519,730	r 191,087
Ohio	17,322	160,415,587	3.95	9,192,220	254,226
Michigan	13,936	159,432,288	3.93	7,629,585	189,057
Pennsylvania	17,138	159,354,185	3.93	8,588,178	237,567
Massachusetts	9,993	112,792,386	2.78	6,484,762	146,827
Minnesota	9,348	99,444,542	2.45	5,023,965	131,787
North Carolina	12,284	98,080,086	2.42	5,574,093	157,774
Missouri	9,522	91,411,852	2.25	4,639,845	125,929
Tennessee	8,234	82,626,370	2.04	3,975,440	120,228
Connecticut	5,283	76,167,938	1.88	3,595,313	77,716
Washington	10,039	75,397,750	1.86	4,375,979	118,810
Indiana	8,896	66,350,132	1.63	3,737,837	112,705
Virginia	7,868	61,046,705	1.50	3,784,428	106,365
Colorado	7,383	60,310,393	1.49	3,282,007	88,364
Wisconsin	8,025	57,192,863	1.41	3,764,944	110,309
Maryland	6,283	54,906,650	1.35	3,656,274	92,458
Oregon	5,943	53,679,098	1.32	2,578,675	74,790
Louisiana	6,390	46,972,265	1.16	2,375,165	76,350
Arizona	6,689	45,899,068	1.13	2,748,880	80,155
Kansas	5,085	42,209,864	1.04	1,946,842	59,954
Alabama	6,315	40,986,328	1.01	2,394,682	79,229
Nebraska	3,157	38,015,440	0.94	1,170,201	41,002
Kentucky	5,051	37,242,872	0.92	2,071,234	69,309
Iowa	5,399	35,453,705	0.87	1,820,112	63,596
South Carolina	5,035	34,179,799	0.84	1,866,764	58,910
Oklahoma	5,191	32,132,263	0.79	1,756,086	59,641
Arkansas	3,619	27,515,382	0.68	1,136,569	41,385
Utah	3,277	21,271,857	0.52	1,420,376	r 44,312
Mississippi	3,173	18,445,224	0.45	1,012,079	36,520
Nevada	2,253	12,806,893	0.32	918,454	27,251
Delaware	906	12,585,529	0.31	619,458	13,509
New Hampshire	2,033	11,371,112	0.28	875,025	22,631
West Virginia	1,956	10,290,356	0.25	681,067	23,805
Idaho	1,980	10,127,777	0.25	628,027	22,828
North Dakota	1,604	8,618,382	0.21	454,381	16,992
South Dakota	1,402	7,874,169	0.19	389,837	15,509
Rhode Island	1,590	7,602,702	0.19	635,178	18,762
Montana	1,574	7,596,802	0.19	371,642	r 14,356
New Mexico	2,182	7,397,572	0.18	601,143	21,344
Maine	1,726	7,305,592	0.18	616,202	19,932
Hawaii	1,872	7,147,462	0.18	575,955	18,532
Vermont	941	4,731,383	0.12	330,573	10,987
District of Columbia	348	3,918,622	0.10	222,998	5,008
Alaska	784	2,989,820	0.07	256,844	6,860
Wyoming	800	2,547,065	0.06	161,855	5,761

D = Withheld to avoid disclosure; N = Not available

Other Data from the 1997 Economic Census

Hypertext
tables Link
to pdf Series number Title Contents

EC97W42S-LS Commodity Line Sales ** Includes sales by industry by type of operation by commodity line for the U.S. AFF and CD-ROM include data for the 15 largest states and metropolitan areas.

EC97W42S-SZ Establishment and Firm Size Includes firms by sales size, employment size, legal form of organization, number of units, and concentration in the largest companies for the U.S. Also includes establishments by sales size and by employment size for the U.S.

EC97W42S-SB Miscellaneous Subjects Includes topics that vary from industry to industry

EC97W42S-SM Summary Republication of key tables from other reports

EC97X-CS3 Bridge Between NAICS and SIC (national only) Defines comparability of individual industries.

EC97X-CS2 Comparative Statistics (U.S. and states) 1997 and 1992 data side by side on a comparable SIC basis

EC97X-CS4 Nonemployer Statistics (U.S., states, counties, metros) Nonemployers account for 47 % of establishments and .8 % of receipts in this sector, but are excluded from the reports above.

Series number	Title	Contents
EC97W42S-LS	Commodity Line Sales **	Includes sales by industry by type of operation by commodity line for the U.S. AFF and CD-ROM include data for the 15 largest states and metropolitan areas.
EC97W42S-SZ	Establishment and Firm Size	Includes firms by sales size, employment size, legal form of organization, number of units, and concentration in the largest companies for the U.S. Also includes establishments by sales size and by employment size for the U.S.
EC97W42S-SB	Miscellaneous Subjects	Includes topics that vary from industry to industry
EC97W42S-SM	Summary	Republication of key tables from other reports
EC97X-CS3	Bridge Between NAICS and SIC (national only)	Defines comparability of individual industries.
EC97X-CS2	Comparative Statistics (U.S. and states)	1997 and 1992 data side by side on a comparable SIC basis
EC97X-CS4	Nonemployer Statistics (U.S., states, counties, metros)	Nonemployers account for 47 % of establishments and .8 % of receipts in this sector, but are excluded from the reports above.

Down arrows link to tables in hypertext format for easy navigation. PDF symbols link to reports in Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to view these files, you will need the Adobe(R) Acrobat(R) Reader which is available free from the Adobe web site.

Data from the Other Census Bureau Programs

Hypertext Tables Title (with link to data) Frequency Smallest Geography Contents

Annual Capital Expenditures Survey Annual U.S. Capital expenditures for structures and equipment for companies with paid employees

County Business Patterns Annual County, metro area, ZIP Employees; payroll; number of establishments by employment size of establishment

E-Commerce Statistics Annual U.S. Total sales and e-commerce sales, receipts or value of shipments

Monthly Trade Inventory and Sales Monthly U.S. Monthly ...

Monthly Wholesale Trade Monthly U.S. Monthly sales, inventories, and inventory/sales ratios for merchant wholesalers

Nonemployer Statistics Annual State, metro area, county Number of establishments and sales of firms with no paid employees

Quarterly Financial Report Quarterly U.S. Income, retained earnings, balance sheets, and related financial and operating ratios for the domestic operations of manufacturing corporations with assets over $250,000, and corporations in the mining and trade areas with over $50 million.

Statistics of U.S. Businesses Annual State, metro area Number of firms, employees, payroll, and revenue by employment-size of the enterprise

Title (with link to data)	Frequency	Smallest Geography	Contents
Annual Capital Expenditures Survey	Annual	U.S.	Capital expenditures for structures and equipment for companies with paid employees
County Business Patterns	Annual	County, metro area, ZIP	Employees; payroll; number of establishments by employment size of establishment
E-Commerce Statistics	Annual	U.S.	Total sales and e-commerce sales, receipts or value of shipments
Monthly Trade Inventory and Sales	Monthly	U.S.	Monthly ...
Monthly Wholesale Trade	Monthly	U.S.	Monthly sales, inventories, and inventory/sales ratios for merchant wholesalers
Nonemployer Statistics	Annual	State, metro area, county	Number of establishments and sales of firms with no paid employees
Quarterly Financial Report	Quarterly	U.S.	Income, retained earnings, balance sheets, and related financial and operating ratios for the domestic operations of manufacturing corporations with assets over $250,000, and corporations in the mining and trade areas with over $50 million.
Statistics of U.S. Businesses	Annual	State, metro area	Number of firms, employees, payroll, and revenue by employment-size of the enterprise

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Source: 1997 Economic Census

Last revised: December 02 2004 Questions?

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