Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL 15-1695
8:30 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Technical information: (202) 691-5606 dprweb@bls.gov www.bls.gov/lpc
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 PressOffice@bls.gov
PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS
Second Quarter 2015, Revised
Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased at a 3.3-percent annual
rate during the second quarter of 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today, as output increased 4.7 percent and hours worked increased
1.4 percent. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally
adjusted annual rates.) From the second quarter of 2014 to the second quarter
of 2015, productivity increased 0.7 percent, reflecting increases in output
and hours worked of 3.3 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively. (See table A.)
Labor productivity, or output per hour, is calculated by dividing an index of
real output by an index of hours worked of all persons, including employees,
proprietors, and unpaid family workers. The measures released today are based
on more recent source data than were available for the preliminary report.
Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector decreased 1.4 percent in the
second quarter of 2015, reflecting a 1.8-percent increase in hourly
compensation and a 3.3-percent increase in productivity. Unit labor costs
increased 1.7 percent over the last four quarters. (See tables A and 2.)
BLS calculates unit labor costs as the ratio of hourly compensation to labor
productivity. Increases in hourly compensation tend to increase unit labor
costs, and increases in output per hour tend to reduce them.
Manufacturing sector labor productivity increased 2.3 percent in the second
quarter of 2015, as output increased 1.3 percent, and hours worked decreased
0.9 percent. Productivity increased 2.8 percent in the durable manufacturing
sector and 1.2 percent in the nondurable goods sector. (See tables A, 3, 4,
and 5.) Over the last four quarters, manufacturing productivity increased 1.0
percent, as output increased 2.3 percent, and hours increased 1.2 percent.
Unit labor costs in manufacturing decreased 2.2 percent in the second quarter
of 2015 and increased 0.2 percent from the same quarter a year ago. (See
tables A and 3.)
The concepts, sources, and methods used for the manufacturing output series
differ from those used in the business and nonfarm business output series;
these output measures are not directly comparable. See Technical Notes for a
more detailed explanation.
Preliminary second quarter 2015 measures of productivity and costs were
announced for the nonfinancial corporate sector. Productivity decreased 0.6
percent in the second quarter of 2015, as output decreased 0.2 percent, and
hours worked increased 0.3 percent. Unit labor costs increased 2.8 percent,
reflecting both a 2.2 percent increase in hourly compensation and a 0.6
percent decrease in productivity. (See tables C and 6.)
Revised measures
The measures released today are based on more recent source data than were
available for the preliminary report. Table B presents previous and revised
productivity and related measures for the major sectors: nonfarm business,
business, and manufacturing.
In the second quarter of 2015, nonfarm business productivity growth was
revised up to 3.3 percent from 1.3 percent, mainly due to a 1.9-percentage
point upward revision to output; hours were revised down slightly. The 3.3-
percent increase in labor productivity reverses the declines in the measure
during the previous two quarters, restoring the index of output per hour to
its third quarter 2014 level. Unit labor costs declined 1.4 percent rather
than increasing 0.5 percent as reported August 11, due to an upward
revision to productivity; hourly compensation was not revised. In the
manufacturing sector, productivity growth was revised down slightly to 2.3
percent from the preliminary estimate of 2.5 percent. Unit labor costs
decreased at a 2.2-percent rate, a slightly smaller decline than was
previously reported.
In the first quarter of 2015, nonfarm business productivity decreased at the
same 1.1-percent rate reported in the preliminary estimate. Hourly
compensation, and therefore unit labor costs, increased more than previously
reported. Manufacturing sector productivity was also unrevised, decreasing
0.6 percent. Hourly compensation and unit labor costs were revised downward.
In the nonfinancial corporate sector, first quarter 2015 productivity was not
revised. (See table C.)
Full historical annual and quarterly measures can be found on the
productivity and costs home page: www.bls.gov/lpc/#data.
______________
The preliminary Productivity and Costs news release for third quarter 2015 is
scheduled to be released on Thursday, November 5, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. (EST).
======================================================================================================
Table A. Revised second-quarter 2015 measures: percent change from previous quarter at annual rate
(Q to Q) and from same quarter a year ago (Y to Y)
Sector Nonfarm Durable Nondurable
Business Business Manufacturing Manufacturing Manufacturing
Q to Q Y to Y Q to Q Y to Y Q to Q Y to Y Q to Q Y to Y Q to Q Y to Y
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Labor productivity 3.3 0.7 3.5 0.6 2.3 1.0 2.8 1.0 1.2 1.0
Output 4.7 3.3 4.6 3.3 1.3 2.3 1.2 2.2 1.4 2.3
Hours worked 1.4 2.6 1.1 2.8 -0.9 1.2 -1.6 1.2 0.2 1.3
Hourly compensation 1.8 2.5 2.1 2.2 0.1 1.2 -0.1 0.9 0.5 1.7
Real hourly
compensation -1.1 2.4 -0.8 2.2 -2.8 1.1 -3.0 0.8 -2.4 1.7
Unit labor costs -1.4 1.7 -1.3 1.7 -2.2 0.2 -2.9 -0.1 -0.7 0.7
======================================================================================================
Table B. Revised and previous measures: second quarter and first quarter 2015
Sector Nonfarm Durable Nondurable
Business Business Manufacturing Manufacturing Manufacturing
Revised Previous Revised Previous Revised Previous Revised Previous Revised Previous
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change, annual rate, second quarter 2015
Labor
productivity 3.3 1.3 3.5 1.7 2.3 2.5 2.8 3.4 1.2 1.2
Output 4.7 2.8 4.6 2.8 1.3 1.5 1.2 1.7 1.4 1.3
Hours worked 1.4 1.5 1.1 1.1 -0.9 -1.0 -1.6 -1.6 0.2 0.1
Hourly
compensation 1.8 1.8 2.1 2.1 0.1 0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.5 0.5
Real hourly
compensation -1.1 -1.1 -0.8 -0.8 -2.8 -2.7 -3.0 -2.9 -2.4 -2.4
Unit labor
costs -1.4 0.5 -1.3 0.5 -2.2 -2.3 -2.9 -3.3 -0.7 -0.6
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change, annual rate, first quarter 2015
Labor
productivity -1.1 -1.1 -1.3 -1.3 -0.6 -0.6 -2.3 -2.2 1.2 1.2
Output 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 -0.5 -0.5 -2.4 -2.3 1.7 1.6
Hours worked 1.6 1.6 1.9 1.9 0.1 0.1 -0.1 -0.1 0.4 0.4
Hourly
compensation 1.5 1.1 1.3 0.9 -2.2 -1.7 -3.4 -2.9 0.2 0.5
Real hourly
compensation 4.6 4.2 4.4 4.0 0.8 1.3 -0.4 0.1 3.2 3.6
Unit labor
costs 2.6 2.3 2.6 2.3 -1.6 -1.1 -1.1 -0.6 -1.1 -0.6
======================================================================================================
Table C. Nonfinancial corporations: preliminary second-quarter and revised first-quarter 2015
productivity and cost measures
Real
Labor Hourly hourly Unit Implicit
produc- Hours compen- compen- labor Unit price
tivity Output worked sation sation costs profits deflator
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change, annual rate, second quarter 2015
Q to Q -0.6 -0.2 0.3 2.2 -0.7 2.8 5.6 2.3
Y to Y 0.8 3.0 2.2 1.4 1.4 0.7 -1.7 -0.2
Percent change, annual rate, first quarter 2015
Q to Q Revised -2.1 -0.3 1.8 0.5 3.6 2.6 -19.3 -0.8
Q to Q Previous -2.1 -0.4 1.8 0.4 3.5 2.6 -19.3 -0.8
======================================================================================================
TECHNICAL NOTES
Labor Hours: Hours data for the labor productivity and cost measures include
hours worked for all persons working in the sector—wage and salary workers,
the self-employed and unpaid family workers. The primary source of hours and
employment data is the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) program, which
provides monthly survey data on the number of jobs held by wage and salary
workers in nonfarm establishments, counting a person who is employed by two
or more establishments at each place of employment. The CES also provides
average weekly paid hours of production and nonsupervisory workers in these
establishments. Weekly paid hours are adjusted to hours at work using data
from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) for 2001 forward and data from
the BLS Hours at Work survey, conducted for this purpose, for earlier years.
The Office of Productivity and Technology estimates average weekly hours at
work for nonproduction and supervisory workers using information from the
Current Population Survey (CPS), the CES, and the NCS.
Data from the CPS are used to estimate hours worked for farm labor,
nonfarm proprietors, and nonfarm unpaid family workers. Using CPS information
on employment and hours worked at primary jobs and all other jobs,
separately, the BLS productivity measures assign all hours worked to the
correct industrial sector. Hours for government enterprises are derived from
the CPS, the CES, and the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA)
prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the Department of
Commerce.
Output: Business sector output is a chain-type, current-weighted index
constructed after excluding from gross domestic product (GDP) the following
outputs: general government, nonprofit institutions, and private households
(including owner-occupied housing). Corresponding exclusions also are made in
labor inputs. Business output accounted for about 76 percent of the value of
GDP in 2014. Nonfarm business, which excludes farming, accounted for about 75
percent of GDP in 2014.
Annual indexes for manufacturing and its durable and nondurable goods
components are constructed by deflating current-dollar industry value of
production data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census with deflators from the
BLS. These deflators are based on data from the BLS producer price program
and other sources. The industry shipments are aggregated using annual
weights, and intrasector transactions are removed. Quarterly manufacturing
output measures are based on the indexes of industrial production prepared
monthly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, adjusted to
be consistent with annual indexes of manufacturing sector output prepared by
BLS.
Nonfinancial corporate output is a chain-type, current-weighted index
calculated on the basis of the costs incurred and the incomes earned from
production. The output measure excludes the following outputs from GDP:
general government; nonprofit institutions; private households;
unincorporated business; and those corporations classified as offices of bank
holding companies, offices of other holding companies, or offices in the
finance and insurance sector. Nonfinancial corporations accounted for about
49 percent of the value of GDP in 2014.
Labor Productivity: The measure describes the relationship between real
output and the labor time involved in its production. Measures of labor
productivity growth show the changes from period to period in the amount of
goods and services produced per hour worked. They reflect the joint effects
of many influences, including changes in technology; capital investment;
level of output; utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; the
organization of production; managerial skill; and the characteristics and
effort of the work force.
Labor Compensation: The measure includes accrued wages and salaries,
supplements, employer contributions to employee benefit plans, and taxes.
Estimates of labor compensation by major sector, required for measures of
hourly compensation and unit labor costs, are based primarily on employee
compensation data from the NIPA, prepared by the BEA. The compensation of
employees in general government, nonprofit institutions and private
households are subtracted from compensation of domestic employees to derive
employee compensation for the business sector. The labor compensation of
proprietors cannot be explicitly identified and must be estimated. This is
done by assuming that proprietors have the same hourly compensation as
employees in the same sector. The quarterly labor productivity and cost
measures do not contain estimates of compensation for unpaid family workers.
Unit Labor Costs: These measures describe the relationship between
compensation per hour and labor productivity, or real output per hour, and
can be used as an indicator of inflationary pressure on producers. Increases
in hourly compensation increase unit labor costs; labor productivity
increases offset compensation increases and lower unit labor costs.
Presentation of the data: The quarterly data in this release are presented in
three ways: as percent changes from the previous quarter presented at a
compound annual rate, as percent changes from the corresponding quarter of
the previous year, and as index number series where 2009=100. Annual data are
presented both as index number series and percent changes from the previous
year.
The index numbers and rates of change reported in the productivity and
costs news release are rounded to one decimal place. All percent changes in
this release and on the BLS web site are calculated using index numbers to
three decimal places. A complete historical series of these index numbers are
available at the BLS web site, www.bls.gov/data/home.htm, or by contacting
the BLS Division of Major Sector Productivity (Telephone 202-691-5606 or
email DPRWEB@BLS.GOV).
For a more detailed explanation of methodology see "Technical Information
About the Major Sector Productivity and Costs Methods" at
www.bls.gov/lpc/lpcmethods.pdf.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory-impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5606; Federal Relay Service
number: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Business sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Output Compen- compen- Unit Implicit
Year per hour Hours sation sation Unit nonlabor price
and of all of all per hour per hour labor payments deflator
quarter persons Output persons (1) (2) costs (3) (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2015 II 3.5 r 4.6 r 1.1 2.1 -0.8 -1.3 r 7.1 r 2.2
I -1.3 0.6 1.9 1.3 r 4.4 r 2.6 r -3.7 r -0.1
2014 ANNUAL 0.6 3.0 2.4 2.6 1.0 2.0 0.6 1.4
2014 IV -2.4 2.6 5.2 3.0 3.9 5.6 -8.2 -0.6
III 2.5 5.5 2.9 2.5 1.3 0.0 2.9 1.2
II 2.9 5.7 2.7 -0.9 -3.2 -3.7 10.6 2.3
I -3.6 -1.7 2.0 5.9 3.7 9.9 -8.5 1.5
2013 ANNUAL 0.4 2.0 1.6 1.2 -0.2 0.8 2.4 1.5
2013 IV 3.4 5.1 1.7 2.1 0.7 -1.2 4.4 1.2
III 1.3 3.9 2.5 0.5 -1.8 -0.9 5.3 1.7
II 0.6 1.6 1.0 6.3 6.5 5.7 -5.6 0.6
I 1.2 2.5 1.3 -8.6 -9.9 -9.7 18.8 1.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2015 II 0.6 r 3.3 r 2.8 2.2 r 2.2 r 1.7 r -0.7 r 0.7
I 0.4 3.6 3.2 1.5 r 1.5 1.1 r 0.2 r 0.7
2014 ANNUAL 0.6 3.0 2.4 2.6 1.0 2.0 0.6 1.4
2014 IV -0.2 3.0 3.2 2.6 1.4 2.8 -1.1 1.1
III 1.3 3.6 2.3 2.4 0.6 1.1 2.1 1.5
II 1.0 3.2 2.2 1.9 -0.2 0.9 2.7 1.7
I 0.4 2.2 1.8 3.7 2.2 3.3 -1.3 1.3
2013 ANNUAL 0.4 2.0 1.6 1.2 -0.2 0.8 2.4 1.5
2013 IV 1.6 3.3 1.6 -0.1 -1.3 -1.7 5.4 1.3
III 0.3 2.0 1.7 2.0 0.5 1.7 0.9 1.3
II -0.3 1.2 1.5 2.0 0.6 2.3 0.4 1.5
I 0.1 1.4 1.3 1.1 -0.6 1.0 3.1 1.9
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2015 II 105.8 r 117.1 r 110.7 r 113.0 r 102.3 r 106.8 r 112.3 r 109.1 r
I 104.9 115.8 110.4 112.4 r 102.5 r 107.1 r 110.4 r 108.5
2014 ANNUAL 105.2 113.9 108.3 111.1 100.7 105.6 112.2 108.4
2014 IV 105.2 115.6 109.9 112.0 101.4 106.5 111.4 108.5
III 105.9 114.8 108.5 111.2 100.4 105.0 113.9 108.7
II 105.2 113.3 107.7 110.5 100.1 105.0 113.1 108.4
I 104.5 111.8 107.0 110.7 100.9 106.0 110.2 107.8
2013 ANNUAL 104.6 110.6 105.7 108.3 99.7 103.6 111.5 106.9
2013 IV 105.4 112.2 106.5 109.2 100.0 103.6 112.7 107.4
III 104.6 110.9 106.0 108.6 99.9 103.9 111.5 107.1
II 104.2 109.8 105.4 108.5 100.3 104.1 110.1 106.6
I 104.1 109.4 105.1 106.8 98.7 102.7 111.7 106.4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 2, 2015
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 2. Nonfarm business sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Output Compen- compen- Unit Implicit
Year per hour Hours sation sation Unit nonlabor price
and of all of all per hour per hour labor payments deflator
quarter persons Output persons (1) (2) costs (3) (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2015 II 3.3 r 4.7 r 1.4 r 1.8 -1.1 -1.4 r 7.4 r 2.2
I -1.1 0.5 1.6 1.5 r 4.6 r 2.6 r -2.2 r 0.5
2014 ANNUAL 0.7 3.0 2.3 2.7 1.1 2.0 0.9 1.5
2014 IV -2.2 2.6 4.9 3.4 4.2 5.7 -8.1 -0.5
III 3.1 5.5 2.3 3.2 2.0 0.1 4.1 1.8
II 2.8 5.4 2.5 -0.8 -3.1 -3.5 9.5 1.9
I -3.5 -1.2 2.3 5.5 3.4 9.3 -8.4 1.3
2013 ANNUAL 0.0 1.7 1.7 1.1 -0.4 1.1 2.1 1.5
2013 IV 3.5 5.2 1.7 2.3 0.9 -1.2 5.7 1.7
III 1.4 3.5 2.1 0.9 -1.4 -0.5 5.8 2.2
II 0.1 1.1 1.1 6.3 6.5 6.2 -5.0 1.2
I -0.1 1.7 1.8 -9.2 -10.5 -9.1 16.8 1.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2015 II 0.7 r 3.3 r 2.6 2.5 r 2.4 r 1.7 r 0.1 r 1.0
I 0.6 3.5 2.8 1.8 r 1.9 r 1.2 r 0.6 r 0.9
2014 ANNUAL 0.7 3.0 2.3 2.7 1.1 2.0 0.9 1.5
2014 IV 0.0 3.0 3.0 2.8 1.6 2.8 -1.0 1.1
III 1.4 3.7 2.2 2.5 0.7 1.1 2.5 1.7
II 1.0 3.2 2.2 1.9 -0.1 0.9 2.9 1.8
I 0.3 2.1 1.8 3.7 2.3 3.4 -0.7 1.6
2013 ANNUAL 0.0 1.7 1.7 1.1 -0.4 1.1 2.1 1.5
2013 IV 1.2 2.9 1.7 -0.1 -1.3 -1.3 5.5 1.6
III -0.2 1.6 1.9 1.9 0.3 2.1 0.5 1.4
II -0.8 1.0 1.8 1.7 0.3 2.5 -0.1 1.4
I -0.2 1.4 1.6 0.8 -0.9 1.0 2.5 1.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2015 II 105.9 r 117.1 r 110.6 r 113.1 r 102.4 r 106.8 r 111.9 r 109.0 r
I 105.0 115.8 110.2 112.6 r 102.7 r 107.2 r 109.9 r 108.3
2014 ANNUAL 105.2 114.0 108.4 111.1 100.7 105.7 111.1 107.9
2014 IV 105.3 115.6 109.8 112.2 101.6 106.5 110.5 108.2
III 105.9 114.9 108.5 111.3 100.5 105.1 112.9 108.3
II 105.1 113.4 107.9 110.4 100.0 105.0 111.8 107.8
I 104.4 111.9 107.2 110.6 100.8 106.0 109.3 107.4
2013 ANNUAL 104.4 110.6 105.9 108.2 99.6 103.6 110.1 106.3
2013 IV 105.3 112.2 106.6 109.1 100.0 103.7 111.7 107.0
III 104.4 110.8 106.2 108.5 99.8 104.0 110.2 106.5
II 104.0 109.9 105.6 108.3 100.1 104.1 108.6 106.0
I 104.0 109.6 105.3 106.6 98.6 102.5 110.0 105.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 2, 2015
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 3. Manufacturing sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Output Compen- compen-
Year per hour Hours sation sation Unit
and of all of all per hour per hour labor
quarter persons Output persons (1) (2) costs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2015 II 2.3 r 1.3 r -0.9 r 0.1 r -2.8 r -2.2 r
I -0.6 -0.5 0.1 -2.2 r 0.8 r -1.6 r
2014 ANNUAL 1.3 2.9 1.6 2.7 1.0 1.4
2014 IV -0.4 4.0 4.4 4.3 5.1 4.7
III 2.9 4.4 1.4 2.7 1.5 -0.2
II 2.8 6.3 3.4 -1.8 -4.2 -4.4
I 2.0 1.0 -1.0 8.7 6.5 6.5
2013 ANNUAL 0.7 1.5 0.8 0.2 -1.2 -0.5
2013 IV -0.5 3.4 3.9 -0.3 -1.6 0.2
III -0.9 0.6 1.5 1.0 -1.3 1.9
II 2.5 0.1 -2.3 4.1 4.3 1.6
I 1.1 3.5 2.3 -5.4 -6.7 -6.4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2015 II 1.0 r 2.3 1.2 1.2 r 1.1 r 0.2
I 1.2 3.5 2.3 0.7 r 0.8 r -0.4 r
2014 ANNUAL 1.3 2.9 1.6 2.7 1.0 1.4
2014 IV 1.8 3.9 2.0 3.4 2.2 1.5
III 1.8 3.7 1.9 2.2 0.5 0.4
II 0.8 2.8 2.0 1.8 -0.2 1.0
I 0.8 1.3 0.5 3.3 1.9 2.5
2013 ANNUAL 0.7 1.5 0.8 0.2 -1.2 -0.5
2013 IV 0.5 1.9 1.3 -0.2 -1.4 -0.7
III 1.1 1.5 0.4 0.9 -0.6 -0.2
II 1.0 1.2 0.2 0.4 -0.9 -0.6
I 0.1 1.2 1.2 -0.3 -2.0 -0.4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2015 II 121.1 r 130.7 r 107.9 r 108.4 r 98.1 r 89.5 r
I 120.4 r 130.2 r 108.2 108.4 r 98.8 r 90.0 r
2014 ANNUAL 120.0 128.3 106.9 107.9 97.8 89.9
2014 IV 120.6 130.4 108.2 109.0 98.6 90.4
III 120.7 129.1 107.0 107.8 97.4 89.3
II 119.8 127.8 106.6 107.1 97.0 89.4
I 119.0 125.8 105.7 107.6 98.1 90.4
2013 ANNUAL 118.5 124.6 105.2 105.0 96.8 88.7
2013 IV 118.4 125.5 106.0 105.4 96.5 89.0
III 118.6 124.5 105.0 105.4 96.9 88.9
II 118.8 124.3 104.6 105.2 97.3 88.5
I 118.1 124.2 105.2 104.1 96.2 88.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 2, 2015
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 4. Durable manufacturing sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Output Compen- compen-
Year per hour Hours sation sation Unit
and of all of all per hour per hour labor
quarter persons Output persons (1) (2) costs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2015 II 2.8 r 1.2 r -1.6 -0.1 r -3.0 r -2.9 r
I -2.3 r -2.4 r -0.1 -3.4 r -0.4 r -1.1 r
2014 ANNUAL 1.9 4.2 2.3 2.1 0.5 0.2
2014 IV 0.5 3.9 3.3 5.0 5.9 4.5
III 3.2 6.4 3.1 2.3 1.1 -0.9
II 3.0 8.7 5.5 -2.6 -5.0 -5.5
I 2.6 1.5 -1.1 8.6 6.4 5.8
2013 ANNUAL 0.7 1.8 1.1 -0.4 -1.8 -1.1
2013 IV 0.7 5.5 4.8 -2.5 -3.8 -3.1
III -0.3 1.4 1.7 1.7 -0.6 2.0
II 2.4 -0.3 -2.6 3.5 3.7 1.0
I -0.5 3.4 3.9 -6.7 -8.0 -6.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2015 II 1.0 r 2.2 r 1.2 r 0.9 r 0.8 r -0.1
I 1.1 4.0 r 2.9 0.3 r 0.3 r -0.8 r
2014 ANNUAL 1.9 4.2 2.3 2.1 0.5 0.2
2014 IV 2.3 5.1 2.7 3.2 2.0 0.9
III 2.4 5.5 3.0 1.3 -0.4 -1.0
II 1.5 4.2 2.7 1.2 -0.9 -0.3
I 1.3 2.0 0.7 2.7 1.3 1.4
2013 ANNUAL 0.7 1.8 1.1 -0.4 -1.8 -1.1
2013 IV 0.6 2.5 1.9 -1.1 -2.3 -1.6
III 1.0 1.7 0.7 0.9 -0.6 -0.1
II 0.8 1.1 0.3 -0.1 -1.5 -0.9
I 0.6 2.1 1.5 -1.1 -2.8 -1.8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2015 II 124.8 r 138.9 r 111.2 r 106.7 r 96.6 r 85.4 r
I 124.0 r 138.4 r 111.7 106.7 r 97.3 r 86.1 r
2014 ANNUAL 123.9 136.5 110.2 106.5 96.5 86.0
2014 IV 124.7 139.3 111.7 107.6 97.4 86.3
III 124.5 138.0 110.8 106.3 96.0 85.4
II 123.6 135.9 110.0 105.7 95.8 85.6
I 122.6 133.1 108.5 106.4 97.0 86.8
2013 ANNUAL 121.6 131.0 107.8 104.3 96.1 85.8
2013 IV 121.9 132.6 108.8 104.2 95.5 85.5
III 121.7 130.8 107.5 104.9 96.4 86.2
II 121.8 130.4 107.1 104.5 96.6 85.8
I 121.0 130.4 107.8 103.6 95.7 85.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 2, 2015
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 5. Nondurable manufacturing sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Output Compen- compen-
Year per hour Hours sation sation Unit
and of all of all per hour per hour labor
quarter persons Output persons (1) (2) costs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2015 II 1.2 1.4 r 0.2 r 0.5 -2.4 -0.7 r
I 1.2 1.7 r 0.4 0.2 r 3.2 r -1.1 r
2014 ANNUAL 1.0 1.5 0.5 3.7 2.0 2.6
2014 IV -2.1 4.1 6.3 3.1 3.9 5.3
III 3.6 2.1 -1.4 3.2 2.1 -0.4
II 3.7 3.7 0.0 -0.6 -3.0 -4.2
I 1.4 0.4 -0.9 8.8 6.6 7.3
2013 ANNUAL 0.9 1.1 0.2 1.2 -0.2 0.3
2013 IV -1.4 1.0 2.4 4.0 2.5 5.4
III -1.6 -0.4 1.2 -0.3 -2.6 1.3
II 2.1 0.3 -1.8 5.3 5.5 3.1
I 3.6 3.3 -0.3 -3.2 -4.6 -6.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2015 II 1.0 2.3 1.3 1.7 r 1.7 r 0.7 r
I 1.6 2.9 1.3 1.5 r 1.5 r -0.1 r
2014 ANNUAL 1.0 1.5 0.5 3.7 2.0 2.6
2014 IV 1.6 2.6 0.9 3.6 2.4 1.9
III 1.8 1.8 0.0 3.8 2.0 1.9
II 0.5 1.2 0.7 2.9 0.8 2.4
I 0.1 0.4 0.2 4.4 2.9 4.3
2013 ANNUAL 0.9 1.1 0.2 1.2 -0.2 0.3
2013 IV 0.7 1.1 0.4 1.4 0.1 0.7
III 1.3 1.2 -0.1 0.9 -0.6 -0.4
II 1.5 1.5 0.0 1.5 0.1 0.0
I 0.2 0.8 0.6 1.2 -0.5 1.1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2015 II 113.3 r 116.3 r 102.6 r 111.0 r 100.5 r 97.9 r
I 113.0 r 115.9 r 102.6 110.8 r 101.1 r 98.1 r
2014 ANNUAL 112.3 114.0 101.5 109.8 99.5 97.7
2014 IV 112.6 115.4 102.5 110.8 100.3 98.4
III 113.2 114.3 100.9 109.9 99.3 97.1
II 112.2 113.6 101.3 109.1 98.8 97.2
I 111.2 112.6 101.3 109.2 99.6 98.3
2013 ANNUAL 111.2 112.3 101.0 105.9 97.5 95.3
2013 IV 110.8 112.5 101.5 107.0 98.0 96.5
III 111.2 112.2 100.9 105.9 97.4 95.3
II 111.6 112.3 100.6 106.0 98.0 95.0
I 111.0 112.2 101.1 104.7 96.7 94.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 2, 2015
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 6. Nonfinancial corporate sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, unit profits,
and prices, seasonally adjusted
Real Unit
Output Hourly hourly non- Total Unit Implicit
Year per all- compen- compen- Unit labor unit pro- price
and employee Employee sation sation labor costs cost fits deflator
quarter hour Output hours (1) (2) costs (6) (7) (8) (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2015 II -0.6 -0.2 0.3 2.2 -0.7 2.8 -0.3 1.8 5.6 2.3
I -2.1 -0.3 r 1.8 0.5 r 3.6 r 2.6 3.2 r 2.8 -19.3 -0.8
2014 ANNUAL 0.4 3.2 2.8 2.4 0.8 2.0 -1.4 0.9 -0.4 0.7
2014 IV 3.4 7.4 3.9 1.5 2.3 -1.8 -6.4 -3.3 -6.5 -3.8
III 2.4 5.2 2.7 1.6 0.4 -0.8 -1.1 -0.9 17.2 1.6
II 1.7 6.2 4.4 -1.7 -4.1 -3.3 -3.4 -3.4 27.4 0.5
I -1.7 0.2 2.0 8.4 6.2 10.3 -0.8 6.5 -22.0 1.9
2013 ANNUAL 1.0 3.0 2.0 1.3 -0.2 0.3 -0.2 0.1 4.4 0.8
2013 IV -0.2 2.3 2.4 0.9 -0.5 1.1 0.8 1.0 0.9 1.0
III -2.0 0.5 2.6 -0.3 -2.6 1.7 1.2 1.6 -7.5 0.2
II 4.8 6.0 1.1 4.4 4.6 -0.5 -4.0 -1.6 6.9 -0.4
I -0.5 2.8 3.3 -4.2 -5.6 -3.7 1.8 -1.9 14.6 0.3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2015 II 0.8 3.0 2.2 1.4 1.4 0.7 -1.2 0.1 -1.7 -0.2
I 1.3 4.6 3.2 0.5 r 0.5 -0.9 -2.0 r -1.2 3.0 -0.6
2014 ANNUAL 0.4 3.2 2.8 2.4 0.8 2.0 -1.4 0.9 -0.4 0.7
2014 IV 1.4 4.7 3.3 2.4 1.1 0.9 -2.9 -0.3 2.1 0.0
III 0.5 3.4 2.9 2.2 0.4 1.7 -1.1 0.8 4.1 1.3
II -0.6 2.3 2.9 1.7 -0.3 2.3 -0.6 1.4 -1.9 0.9
I 0.2 2.2 2.0 3.3 1.9 3.1 -0.7 1.8 -6.1 0.7
2013 ANNUAL 1.0 3.0 2.0 1.3 -0.2 0.3 -0.2 0.1 4.4 0.8
2013 IV 0.5 2.9 2.4 0.1 -1.1 -0.4 -0.1 -0.3 3.4 0.3
III 2.0 4.2 2.2 1.8 0.3 -0.2 -1.2 -0.5 4.3 0.2
II 1.2 3.1 1.9 1.9 0.5 0.7 -0.4 0.3 4.8 1.0
I 0.1 1.9 1.8 1.3 -0.4 1.1 0.9 1.0 5.2 1.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2015 II 108.7 122.3 112.5 111.8 101.2 102.8 95.8 100.5 145.2 105.2
I 108.8 r 122.4 r 112.4 111.2 r 101.4 r 102.1 r 95.9 r 100.0 r 143.2 r 104.6
2014 ANNUAL 108.3 119.6 110.5 110.6 100.2 102.1 96.6 100.3 148.0 105.3
2014 IV 109.4 122.5 111.9 111.0 100.5 101.5 95.1 99.4 151.1 104.8
III 108.5 120.3 110.9 110.6 99.9 101.9 96.7 100.2 153.7 105.8
II 107.9 118.8 110.1 110.2 99.8 102.1 97.0 100.4 147.7 105.4
I 107.4 117.0 108.9 110.7 100.9 103.0 97.8 101.3 139.0 105.2
2013 ANNUAL 107.9 116.0 107.5 108.0 99.5 100.1 98.0 99.4 148.5 104.6
2013 IV 107.9 117.0 108.4 108.5 99.4 100.5 98.0 99.7 148.0 104.7
III 107.9 116.3 107.7 108.2 99.5 100.2 97.8 99.4 147.6 104.5
II 108.5 116.1 107.1 108.3 100.1 99.8 97.5 99.1 150.5 104.4
I 107.2 114.5 106.8 107.1 99.0 99.9 98.5 99.5 148.0 104.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 2, 2015
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
SOURCES: Output data are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Census
Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce; the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
U.S. Department of Labor; and the Federal Reserve Board. Hours and
compensation data are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of
Economic Analysis.
RELIABILITY: Productivity and cost measures are regularly revised as more
complete information becomes available. The measures are first published
within 40 days of the close of the reference period; revisions appear 30 days
later, and second revisions after an additional 60 days. In the business
sector, the third publication (second revision) of a quarterly index of
output per hour of all persons has differed from the initial value by between
–1.6 and 1.4 index points approximately 95 percent of the time. This
interval is based on the performance of this measure between the fourth
quarter of 1995 and the first quarter of 2015.
Table Footnotes
(1) Wages and salaries of employees plus employers' contributions for social
insurance and private benefit plans. Except for nonfinancial corporations,
where there are no self-employed, data also include an estimate of wages,
salaries, and supplemental payments for the self-employed.
(2) The change for recent quarters is based on the Consumer Price Index for
all urban consumers (CPI-U). The trend from 1978-2014 is based on the Consumer
Price Index research series (CPI-U-RS).
(3) Unit nonlabor payments include profits, consumption of fixed capital,
taxes on production and imports less subsidies, net interest and
miscellaneous payments, business current transfer payments, rental income of
persons, and the current surplus of government enterprises.
(4) Current dollar output divided by the output index.
(5) Quarterly changes: Percent change compounded at annual rate is
calculated using index numbers to three decimal places. Indexes published in
the news release are rounded to one decimal place for convenience. Annual
changes: Percent change is calculated using annual indexes to three decimal
places.
(6) Unit nonlabor costs include consumption of fixed capital, taxes on
production and imports less subsidies, net interest and miscellaneous
payments, and business current transfer payments.
(7) Total unit costs are the sum of unit labor and nonlabor costs.
(8) Unit profits include corporate profits before tax with inventory
valuation and capital consumption adjustments.
United States Department of Labor
