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BUSINESS EXPENSES

PUBLICATIONS

Business Expenses 1997

Business Expenses 1992:
   Retail Trade
   Service Industries
   Wholesale Trade

Press Releases

Business Expenses
Census Press Releases
Economic Census Releases

EXCEL FILES

1997 Merchant Wholesale
1997 Retail Trade
1997 Service Industries

DOWNLOADABLE EXCERPTS

1997 Merchant Wholesale
1997 Retail Trade
1997 Service Industries

RELATED SURVEYS

Economic Surveys
Communications
Construction
Manufacturing
Mining
Retail Trade
Service Industries
Transportation
Wholesale Trade
Annual Capital Expenditures

QUESTIONS

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Contacts

Source:
U.S. Census Bureau,

Company Statistics Division
Revised
February 2003.

301.763.3315

Maintained by Melody Atkinson



BUSINESS EXPENSES SURVEY
(previously the BUSINESS EXPENDITURES SURVEY)

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PURPOSE

To provide periodic estimates on operating expenses for retail, merchant wholesale, and selected service firms. The United States Code, Title 13, authorizes this survey and provides for mandatory responses.

COVERAGE

Firms and legal entities classified as wholesale merchants, retail trade, or selected service industries. For 2002, the scope was expanded to include transportation, finance, insurance and real estate industries.

CONTENT

Data are collected on operating expenses including payroll and fringe benefits, contract labor costs, taxes and license fees, depreciation and amortization charges, software and other computer expenses, office supplies, repair and maintenanace expenses, lease and rental payments, utilities, advertising, accounting, and legal services.

FREQUENCY

Every 5 years since 1958, for years ending in "2" and "7." Firms are contacted early in the year following the reporting period. Data are requested for activities taking place during the census calendar year.

METHODS

A mail-out/mail-back survey of firms and Employer Identification Numbers (EINs)selected in samples for the Service Annual Survey; the Annual Trade Survey; and the Annual Retail Trade Survey. EINs may represent one or more establishments and firms may have one or more EINs. Samples for each of the component programs are stratified probability samples of employer businesses drawn after the preceding 5-year censuses, supplemented by administrative records for nonemployers in retail trade and selected service industries. Samples are revised to reflect known changes in business and organization structure.

National estimates are developed to supplement 5-year census data. Estimates are developed from the summation of weighted information adjusted by a process that benchmarks them to the corresponding annual surveys. The weights are the inverse of the probability of selection (or sampling rate) of sampling units in the survey.

PRODUCTS

Data are published 3 to 4 years after the census year with various levels of industry detail. For 1997, the Company Statistics Series of the Economic Census included the report Business Expenses, covering expenses data compiled in the Business Expenditures Survey and other Census Bureau programs. Prior to 1997, wholesale and retail reports were published in the wholesale and retail Subject Series, Measures of Value Produced, Capital Expenditures, Depreciable Assets, and Operating Expenses; the service report was published in the census of service industries Subject Series, Capital Expenditures, Depreciable Assets, and Operating Expenses. Measures of value produced are estimated only for retail trade and merchant wholesale trade. For 1997, data covering manufacturing, mining,and construction are presented on a NAICS basis, and all other covered industries on an SIC basis. All data for the 2002 Business Expenses report will be presented on a NAICS basis.

USES

The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the estimates for benchmarking the national income and product accounts, and input-output tables. The Department of Health and Human Services uses the expense estimates to forecast medical costs.

Market research firms use the estimates for market research and analysis. Trade and professional associations use the estimates for trade analysis.

SPECIAL FEATURES

The most comprehensive source of periodic industry statistics on major economic inputs by type.

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