2010-10-07 ISM - ISM Report - September 2010 …

Home > ISM Report On Business® > Latest Manufacturing ROB

FOR RELEASE: October 1, 2010

Contact: Rose Marie Goupil

ISM, ROB Media Relations
Tempe, Arizona
800/888-6276, Ext. 3015
E-mail: rgoupil@ism.ws

September 2010 Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®

PMI at 54.4%

DO NOT CONFUSE THIS NATIONAL REPORT with the various regional purchasing reports released across
the country. The national report's information reflects the entire United States, while the regional
reports contain primarily regional data from their local vicinities. Also, the information in the regional
reports is not used in calculating the results of the national report. The information compiled in this
report is for the month of September 2010.

New Orders, Production and Employment Growing

Supplier Deliveries Slower
Inventories Growing

(Tempe, Arizona) — Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in September for the
14th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 17th consecutive month, say the
nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®.

The report was issued today by Norbert J. Ore, CPSM, C.P.M., chair of the Institute for Supply
Management™ Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. "While the headline number shows relative
strength this month as the PMI reading of 54.4 percent is still quite positive, the overall picture is less
encouraging. The growth of new orders continued to slow, as the index is down significantly from its
cyclical high of 65.9 percent (January 2010). Production is currently growing at a faster rate than new
orders, but it typically lags and would be expected to weaken further in the fourth quarter.
Manufacturing has enjoyed a stronger recovery than other sectors of the economy, but it appears that
weaker growth is the expectation for the fourth quarter. Both the Inventories and Backlog of Orders
Indexes are sending strong negative signals of weakening performance in the sector."

PERFORMANCE BY INDUSTRY

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 13 are reporting growth in September, in the following order:
Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances &
Components; Primary Metals; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment; Computer &
Electronic Products; Furniture & Related Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Chemical Products;
Paper Products; Machinery; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products. The three industries reporting
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contraction in September are: Wood Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; and Nonmetallic
Mineral Products.

WHAT RESPONDENTS ARE SAYING ...

"Business results (top and bottom line) continue to meet or exceed our operating plan and exceed
prior year performance by double digits." (Chemical Products)
"Business continues flat relative to prior month and is expected to remain flat. Commodities
continue to be the main concern heading into 2011." (Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products)
"Our business is softening due to seasonal considerations. Overall, our situation is much better
than 2009." (Machinery)
"Customers seem to be pulling back on orders. I suspect that they are trying to reduce their
inventory for the approaching year-end." (Transportation Equipment)
"Strategic customers reducing order quantities." (Computer & Electronic Products)

MANUFACTURING AT A GLANCE
SEPTEMBER 2010

Series Series Percentage Rate

Index Index Point of Trend*
Index September August Change Direction Change (Months)

PMI 54.4 56.3 -1.9 Growing Slower 14

New Orders 51.1 53.1 -2.0 Growing Slower 15

Production 56.5 59.9 -3.4 Growing Slower 16

Employment 56.5 60.4 -3.9 Growing Slower 10

Supplier Deliveries 52.3 56.6 -4.3 Slowing Slower 16

Inventories 55.6 51.4 +4.2 Growing Faster 3

Customers' Inventories 42.5 43.5 -1.0 Too Low Slower 18

Prices 70.5 61.5 +9.0 Increasing Faster 15

Backlog of Orders 46.5 51.5 -5.0 C ontracting From Growing 1

Exports 54.5 55.5 -1.0 Growing Slower 15

Imports 56.5 56.5 0.0 Growing Same 13

OVERALL ECONOMY Growing Slower 17

Manufacturing Sector Growing Slower 14

*Number of months moving in current direction

COMMODITIES REPORTED UP/DOWN IN PRICE and IN SHORT SUPPLY

Commodities Up in Price

Aluminum; Caustic Soda (2); Copper (2); Corn; Corrugate; Corrugated Containers (7); Lubricants;
Plastic Resins; Polyethylene; Polypropylene; Rubber Products; Stainless Steel; Stainless Steel Sheets;
Steel*; Sugar; and Wheat.

Commodities Down in Price

Natural Gas; and Steel* (3).

Commodities in Short Supply

Capacitors (3); Cocoa Powder; Electronic Components; Lubricants; and Titanium Dioxide.
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Note: The number of consecutive months the commodity is listed is indicated after each item.
*Reported as both up and down in price.

SEPTEMBER 2010 MANUFACTURING INDEX SUMMARIES

PMI

Manufacturing continued to grow in September, but at a slower rate as the PMI registered 54.4
percent, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points when compared to August's reading of 56.3 percent. A
reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50
percent indicates that it is generally contracting.

A PMI in excess of 42 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall
economy. Therefore, the PMI indicates growth for the 17th consecutive month in the overall economy,
as well as expansion in the manufacturing sector for the 14th consecutive month. Ore stated, "The past
relationship between the PMI and the overall economy indicates that the average PMI for January
through September (57.4 percent) corresponds to a 5.2 percent increase in real gross domestic product
(GDP). In addition, if the PMI for September (54.4 percent) is annualized, it corresponds to a 4.2
percent increase in real GDP annually."

THE LAST 12 MONTHS

Month PMI Month PMI

Sep 2010 54.4 Mar 2010 59.6

Aug 2010 56.3 Feb 2010 56.5

Jul 2010 55.5 Jan 2010 58.4

Jun 2010 56.2 Dec 2009 54.9

May 2010 59.7 Nov 2009 53.7

Apr 2010 60.4 Oct 2009 55.2

Average for 12 months – 56.7

High – 60.4
Low –53.7

New Orders

ISM's New Orders Index registered 51.1 percent in September, which is a decrease of 2 percentage
points when compared to the 53.1 percent reported in August. This is the 15th consecutive month of
growth in the New Orders Index. A New Orders Index above 50.2 percent, over time, is generally
consistent with an increase in the Census Bureau's series on manufacturing orders (in constant 2000
dollars).

The seven industries reporting growth in new orders in September — listed in order — are: Furniture &
Related Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Primary Metals; Electrical Equipment, Appliances &
Components; Paper Products; Transportation Equipment; and Computer & Electronic Products. The
seven industries reporting decreases in new orders in September — listed in order — are: Wood
Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Machinery; Chemical Products; Miscellaneous
Manufacturing; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products.

New % % %
Orders Better Same Worse Net Index

Sep 2010 26 52 22 +4 51.1

Aug 2010 29 49 22 +7 53.1

Jul 2010 27 53 20 +7 53.5

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Jun 2010 36 50 14 +22 58.5

Production

ISM's Production Index registered 56.5 percent in September, which is a decrease of 3.4 percentage
points from the August reading of 59.9 percent. An index above 51 percent, over time, is generally
consistent with an increase in the Federal Reserve Board's Industrial Production figures. This is the 16th
consecutive month the Production Index has registered above 50 percent.

The 11 industries reporting growth in production during the month of September — listed in order — are:
Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Transportation Equipment; Fabricated Metal Products; Furniture &
Related Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Primary Metals; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products;
Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Computer & Electronic Products; Machinery; and
Chemical Products. The four industries reporting a decrease in production in September are: Petroleum
& Coal Products; Wood Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; and Printing & Related Support
Activities.

% % %
Production Better Same Worse Net Index

Sep 2010 31 54 15 +16 56.5

Aug 2010 33 53 14 +19 59.9

Jul 2010 31 50 19 +12 57.0

Jun 2010 40 47 13 +27 61.4

Employment

ISM's Employment Index registered 56.5 percent in September, which is 3.9 percentage points lower
than the 60.4 percent reported in August. This is the 10th consecutive month of growth in
manufacturing employment. An Employment Index above 49.8 percent, over time, is generally consistent
with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on manufacturing employment.

Eight of the 18 manufacturing industries reported growth in employment in September in the following
order: Petroleum & Coal Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Electrical Equipment, Appliances &
Components; Fabricated Metal Products; Paper Products; Chemical Products; Machinery; and
Transportation Equipment. The three industries reporting a decrease in employment during September
are: Wood Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products.

% % %
Employment Higher Same Lower Net Index

Sep 2010 25 62 13 +12 56.5

Aug 2010 26 69 5 +21 60.4

Jul 2010 26 66 8 +18 58.6

Jun 2010 26 63 11 +15 57.8

Supplier Deliveries

The delivery performance of suppliers to manufacturing organizations was slower in September as the
Supplier Deliveries Index registered 52.3 percent, which is 4.3 percentage points lower than the 56.6
percent registered in August. This is the 16th consecutive month the Supplier Deliveries Index has been
above 50 percent. A reading above 50 percent indicates slower deliveries.

The eight industries reporting slower supplier deliveries in September — listed in order — are: Plastics &
Rubber Products; Primary Metals; Chemical Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Fabricated Metal
Products; Machinery; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; and Transportation Equipment.
The two industries reporting faster deliveries in September are: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; and
Printing & Related Support Activities.

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Supplier % % %
Deliveries Slower Same Faster Net Index

Sep 2010 17 76 7 +10 52.3

Aug 2010 19 78 3 +16 56.6

Jul 2010 28 66 6 +22 58.3

Jun 2010 23 71 6 +17 57.3

Inventories

Manufacturers' inventories grew in September as the Inventories Index registered 55.6 percent. The
index is 4.2 percentage points higher than the 51.4 percent reported in August. An Inventories Index
greater than 42.6 percent, over time, is generally consistent with expansion in the Bureau of Economic
Analysis' (BEA) figures on overall manufacturing inventories (in chained 2000 dollars).

The seven industries reporting higher inventories in September — listed in order — are: Apparel, Leather
& Allied Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Transportation Equipment; Fabricated Metal
Products; Machinery; Chemical Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing. The four industries reporting
decreases in inventories in September are: Wood Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Paper Products;
and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products.

% % %
Inventories Higher Same Lower Net Index

Sep 2010 27 58 15 +12 55.6

Aug 2010 19 68 13 +6 51.4

Jul 2010 19 60 21 -2 50.2

Jun 2010 13 66 21 -8 45.8

Customers' Inventories*

The ISM Customers' Inventories Index registered 42.5 percent in September, 1 percentage point lower
than in August when the index registered 43.5 percent. This is the 18th consecutive month the
Customers' Inventories Index has been below 50 percent, indicating that respondents believe their
customers' inventories are too low at this time.

Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products is the only manufacturing industry reporting customers' inventories
as being too high during September. The nine industries reporting customers' inventories as too low
during September — listed in order — are: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing;
Printing & Related Support Activities; Transportation Equipment; Electrical Equipment, Appliances &
Components; Paper Products; Machinery; Fabricated Metal Products; and Plastics & Rubber Products.

Customers' % %Too %About %Too

Inventories Reporting High Right Low Net Index

Sep 2010 79 13 59 28 -15 42.5

Aug 2010 65 11 65 24 -13 43.5

Jul 2010 81 6 66 28 -22 39.0

Jun 2010 67 4 68 28 -24 38.0

Prices*

The ISM Prices Index registered 70.5 percent in September, 9 percentage points higher than the 61.5
percent reported in August. This is the 15th consecutive month the Prices Index has registered above
50 percent. While 45 percent of respondents reported paying higher prices and 4 percent reported
paying lower prices, 51 percent of supply executives reported paying the same prices as in August. A
Prices Index above 49.3 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of
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Labor Statistics (BLS) Index of Manufacturers Prices.

The 13 industries reporting paying increased prices during the month of September — listed in order —
are: Wood Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Primary Metals; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products;
Machinery; Fabricated Metal Products; Transportation Equipment; Paper Products; Computer &
Electronic Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Printing & Related Support Activities; Chemical
Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components. There were no industries reporting
paying lower prices on average during September.

% % %
Prices Higher Same Lower Net Index

Sep 2010 45 51 4 +41 70.5

Aug 2010 35 53 12 +23 61.5

Jul 2010 33 49 18 +15 57.5

Jun 2010 32 50 18 +14 57.0

Backlog of Orders*

ISM's Backlog of Orders Index registered 46.5 percent in September, 5 percentage points lower than the
51.5 percent reported in August. Of the 86 percent of respondents who reported their backlog of
orders, 19 percent reported greater backlogs, 26 percent reported smaller backlogs, and 55 percent
reported no change from August.

The four industries reporting increased order backlogs in September are: Electrical Equipment,
Appliances & Components; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Furniture & Related Products; and
Miscellaneous Manufacturing. The eight industries reporting decreases in order backlogs during
September — listed in order — are: Wood Products; Machinery; Computer & Electronic Products;
Printing & Related Support Activities; Transportation Equipment; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products;
Fabricated Metal Products; and Chemical Products.

Backlog of % % % %
Orders Reporting Greater Same Less Net Index

Sep 2010 86 19 55 26 -7 46.5

Aug 2010 84 25 53 22 +3 51.5

Jul 2010 86 28 53 19 +9 54.5

Jun 2010 85 31 52 17 +14 57.0

New Export Orders*

ISM's New Export Orders Index registered 54.5 percent in September, which is 1 percentage point lower
than the 55.5 percent reported in August. This is the 15th consecutive month of growth in the New
Export Orders Index.

The seven industries reporting growth in new export orders in September — listed in order — are:
Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Furniture & Related Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Miscellaneous
Manufacturing; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Chemical Products; and Computer &
Electronic Products. The three manufacturing industries reporting a decrease in export orders during
September are: Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Machinery; and Transportation Equipment.

New Export % % % %
Orders Reporting Higher Same Lower Net Index

Sep 2010 79 19 71 10 +9 54.5

Aug 2010 80 16 79 5 +11 55.5

Jul 2010 78 20 73 7 +13 56.5

Jun 2010 78 19 74 7 +12 56.0

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Imports*

Imports of materials by manufacturers continued to expand in September as the Imports Index

registered 56.5 percent, which is the same rate of growth as reported in August. This is the 13th
consecutive month of growth in imports.

The eight industries reporting growth in imports during the month of September — listed in order — are:
Plastics & Rubber Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances &
Components; Machinery; Transportation Equipment; Chemical Products; Computer & Electronic
Products; and Fabricated Metal Products. The two industries reporting a decrease in imports during
September are: Paper Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products.

% % % %
Imports Reporting Higher Same Lower Net Index

Sep 2010 82 22 69 9 +13 56.5

Aug 2010 80 18 77 5 +13 56.5

Jul 2010 78 14 77 9 +5 52.5

Jun 2010 77 20 73 7 +13 56.5

* The Backlog of Orders, Prices, Customers' Inventories, Imports and New Export Orders Indexes do not
meet the accepted criteria for seasonal adjustments.

Buying Policy

Average commitment lead time for Capital Expenditures decreased 19 days to 108 days. Average lead
time for Production Materials decreased 2 days to 50 days. Average lead time for Maintenance, Repair
and Operating (MRO) Supplies increased 3 days to 24 days.

Percent Reporting

Hand-
Capital to- 30 60 90 6 1 Average
Expenditures Mouth Days Days Days Months Year+ Days

Sep 2010 27 7 12 20 24 10 108

Aug 2010 26 4 10 14 33 13 127

Jul 2010 30 7 11 13 28 11 112

Jun 2010 28 8 9 16 29 10 112

Hand-
Production to- 30 60 90 6 1 Average
Materials Mouth Days Days Days Months Year+ Days

Sep 2010 16 44 22 13 4 1 50

Aug 2010 23 34 25 13 2 3 52

Jul 2010 23 35 24 11 5 2 52

Jun 2010 25 36 22 11 4 2 50

Hand-
MRO to- 30 60 90 6 1 Average
Supplies Mouth Days Days Days Months Year+ Days

Sep 2010 49 36 13 1 1 0 24

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Aug 2010 54 35 8 3 0 0 21

Jul 2010 50 38 7 5 0 0 23

Jun 2010 48 38 11 3 0 0 23

About this Report

The data presented herein is obtained from a survey of manufacturing supply managers based on
information they have collected within their respective organizations. ISM makes no representation,
other than that stated within this release, regarding the individual company data collection procedures.
Use of the data is in the public domain and should be compared to all other economic data sources
when used in decision-making.

Data and Method of Presentation

The Manufacturing ISM Report On Business® is based on data compiled from purchasing and supply
executives nationwide. Membership of the Manufacturing Business Survey Committee is diversified by
NAICS, based on each industry's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP). Manufacturing Business
Survey Committee responses are divided into the following NAICS code categories: Food, Beverage &
Tobacco Products; Textile Mills; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Wood Products; Paper Products;
Printing & Related Support Activities; Petroleum & Coal Products; Chemical Products; Plastics & Rubber
Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Primary Metals; Fabricated Metal Products; Machinery;
Computer & Electronic Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Transportation
Equipment; Furniture & Related Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing (products such as medical
equipment and supplies, jewelry, sporting goods, toys and office supplies).

Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month. For
each of the indicators measured (New Orders, Backlog of Orders, New Export Orders, Imports,
Production, Supplier Deliveries, Inventories, Customers' Inventories, Employment and Prices), this report
shows the percentage reporting each response, the net difference between the number of responses in
the positive economic direction (higher, better and slower for Supplier Deliveries) and the negative
economic direction (lower, worse and faster for Supplier Deliveries), and the diffusion index. Responses
are raw data and are never changed. The diffusion index includes the percent of positive responses plus
one-half of those responding the same (considered positive).

The resulting single index number for those meeting the criteria for seasonal adjustments (PMI, New
Orders, Production, Employment, Supplier Deliveries and Inventories) is then seasonally adjusted to
allow for the effects of repetitive intra-year variations resulting primarily from normal differences in
weather conditions, various institutional arrangements, and differences attributable to non-moveable
holidays. All seasonal adjustment factors are supplied by the U.S. Department of Commerce and are
subject annually to relatively minor changes when conditions warrant them. The PMI is a composite
index based on the seasonally adjusted diffusion indexes for five of the indicators with equal weights:
New Orders, Production, Employment, Supplier Deliveries and Inventories.

Diffusion indexes have the properties of leading indicators and are convenient summary measures
showing the prevailing direction of change and the scope of change. A PMI reading above 50 percent
indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is
generally declining. A PMI in excess of 42 percent, over a period of time, indicates that the overall
economy, or gross domestic product (GDP), is generally expanding; below 42 percent, it is generally
declining. The distance from 50 percent or 42 percent is indicative of the strength of the expansion or
decline. With some of the indicators within this report, ISM has indicated the departure point between
expansion and decline of comparable government series, as determined by regression analysis.

Responses to Buying Policy reflect the percent reporting the current month's lead time, the approximate
weighted number of days ahead for which commitments are made for Production Materials; Capital
Expenditures; and Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO) Supplies, expressed as hand-to-mouth
(five days), 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, six months (180 days), a year or more (360 days), and the
weighted average number of days. These responses are raw data, never revised, and not seasonally
adjusted since there is no significant seasonal pattern.

The Manufacturing ISM Report On Business® is published monthly by the Institute for Supply
Management™. The Institute for Supply Management™, established in 1915, is the largest supply
management organization in the world as well as one of the most respected. ISM's mission is to lead the
supply management profession through its standards of excellence, research, promotional activities and
education. This report has been issued by the association since 1931, except for a four-year
interruption during World War II.

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The full text version of the Manufacturing ISM Report On Business® is posted on ISM's Web site at
www.ism.ws on the first business day of every month after 10:10 a.m. (ET).

The next Manufacturing ISM Report On Business® featuring the October 2010 data will be released
at 10:00 a.m. (ET) on Monday, November 1, 2010.

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