Press release No. 159 of 20 April 2023

Stock of orders in manufacturing, February 2023
+0.5% on the previous month (seasonally and calendar adjusted)
+0.9% on the same month of the previous year (calendar adjusted)

Range of the stock of orders
7.5 months

WIESBADEN – The real (price adjusted) stock of orders in manufacturing was 0.5% higher in February 2023 than in January 2023 on a seasonally and calendar adjusted basis, according to provisional results of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). The stock of orders was 0.9% higher than in February 2022.

The positive development of the stock of orders in February 2023 can be seen across most manufacturing sectors. Due to their significant influence on the overall result, increases are particularly noteworthy in the manufacture of other transport equipment (seasonally and calendar-adjusted +0.4% on the previous month), in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (+1.9%) and in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (+0.7%). The manufacture of other transport equipment includes, among other things, the construction of ships, rail vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft, and the manufacture of militaryfighting vehicles.

Unfilled domestic orders rose by 0.3% in February 2023, while the stock of foreign rose by 0.6% compared to January 2023.

The stock of orders declined by 0.3% for manufacturers of intermediate goods and increased by 0.7% for manufacturers of capital goods. In the consumer goods sector, the stock of orders was 0.2% higher than in the previous month.

Range of the stock of orders rose to 7.5 months

The range of the stock of orders rose to 7.5 months in February 2023 (January 2023: 7.4 months). The range remained unchanged for producers of capital goods by 10.7 months and for producers of intermediate goods by 3.8 months, while the range for producers of consumer goods rose slightly to 3.5 months (January 2023: 3,4 months).

The range indicates for how many months companies would theoretically have to produce goods until all orders on hand are fulfilled – assuming constant turnover and no new orders being received. It is calculated as the ratio of the current stock of orders and average turnover of the last 12 months in the respective branch.

Methodological notes:

The differing comparative periods must be taken into account in all press releases on short-term indicators. Short-term economic monitoring focuses on month-on-month comparisons of seasonally and calendar adjusted figures. These reflect short-term economic trends. Year-on-year comparisons of calendar adjusted results permit long-term comparisons of levels and are not influenced by seasonal fluctuations and calendar effects. The results of month-on-month and year-on-year comparisons may differ considerably because of the Covid-19 crisis and the war in Ukraine.

The stock of orders comprises the sum of new orders at the end of the reporting month that have not yet resulted in sales by that date and that have not been cancelled. The rates of change are based on the price-adjusted index of the stock of orders in the manufacturing sector. The average result in 2015 is used as the basis of the index and is set at 100 index points (2015 = 100). Seasonal and calendar adjustment was performed using the X13 JDemetra+ method. The order backlog is recorded and evaluated based on the German Classification of Economic Activities, 2008 edition (WZ 2008). Like new orders, the stock of orders is only recorded in selected branches of the manufacturing industry.

More information:

Detailed data are available in the GENESIS-Online database (42155-0004 indices of the stock of orders and 42113-0001 ranges of the stock of orders).

A dossier on the Short-term indicators page of the Federal Statistical Office's website provides an analysis of the relationship between material shortages, new orders, production and prices in industry. Detailed information on production in energy-intensive industrial branches is available on the “Industry, manufacturing” page.

Detailed information on production index for energy-intensive industrial branches (only in german) is available on the "Industry, manufacturing" page.