In 2009, U.S. nonfarm businesses with employees spent a total of $253.8 billion on noncapitalized and capitalized information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, including computer software. This represents a decrease of 14.8 percent from the revised 2008 estimate of $297.9 billion.¹ (See Table A below, and appended Tables 1a and 1b.)

Noncapitalized ICT spending in 2009 was $89.7 billion (35.3 percent of total spending), which is not statistically different from 2008.2 Capitalized ICT spending in 2009 decreased by 20.4 percent to $164.2 billion (64.7 percent of total spending). (Note: If an increase or decrease compared with 2008 is not stated in the text, then there was no statistically significant difference between 2009 and 2008 data.)

Noncapitalized expenditures. Of total noncapitalized ICT spending in 2009 ($89.7 billion), purchases of ICT equipment accounted for $17.4 billion (19.4 percent), a decrease of 4.7 percent from 2008. Operating leases and rental payments accounted for $15.7 billion (17.5 percent), a decrease of 8.7 percent from 2008. Computer software expenditures accounted for $56.5 billion (63.0 percent).

Purchases of ICT equipment. Of the $17.4 billion spent on noncapitalized ICT purchases, computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $11.4 billion, a decrease of 6.2 percent from 2008. ICT equipment excluding computers and peripherals accounted for $5.8 billion. Electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatuses accounted for $0.2 billion, a decrease of 36.4 percent from 2008.

Operating leases and rental payments. Of the $15.7 billion spent on noncapitalized operating leases and rental payments, computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $10.5 billion, a decrease of 11.0 percent from 2008. ICT equipment excluding computers and peripherals accounted for $4.2 billion. Electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus accounted for $1.0 billion.

Computer software expenditures. Of the $56.5 billion spent on noncapitalized computer software, $26.4 billion was for purchases and payroll for developing software, a decrease of 7.9 percent from 2008. $30.1 billion was for software licensing and service/maintenance agreements, an increase of 9.2 percent from 2008.

Capitalized expenditures. Of total capitalized ICT spending in 2009 ($164.2 billion), purchases of ICT equipment accounted for $97.2 billion (59.2 percent). This is a decrease of 27.3 percent from 2008. Capitalized purchases and payroll for developing software accounted for $67.0 billion (40.8 percent), a decrease of 7.6 percent from 2008.

Purchases of ICT equipment. Of the $97.2 billion spent on capitalized ICT purchases, computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $48.4 billion, a decrease of 26.4 percent from 2008. ICT equipment excluding computers and peripherals accounted for $43.3 billion, a decrease of 29.2 percent from 2008. Electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus accounted for $5.5 billion, a decrease of 19.1 percent from 2008.

Selected sector highlights

Complete sector level data are provided in Table A below and in the publication Tables 2a-4d. Also see Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Information. In 2009 the information sector spent $66.4 billion for ICT equipment and computer software, a decrease of 21.3 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $13.9 billion (20.9 percent) was for noncapitalized expenditures. Capitalized expenditures totaled $52.5 billion (79.1 percent), a decrease of 26.3 percent from 2008. The information sector accounted for 26.2 percent of all 2009 ICT spending.

Finance and insurance. Spending in this sector for ICT equipment and computer software totaled $46.7 billion in 2009, a decrease of 7.1 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $20.7 billion (44.4 percent) was for noncapitalized spending. $26.0 billion (55.6 percent) was for capitalized spending, a decrease of 11.0 percent from 2008. The finance and insurance sector accounted for 18.4 percent of all 2009 ICT spending.

Manufacturing. The manufacturing sector spent $29.9 billion for ICT equipment and computer software in 2009, a decrease of 15.6 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $14.1 billion was for noncapitalized expenditures, a decrease of 13.3 percent from 2008. Capitalized spending represented $15.8 billion, a decrease of 17.6 percent from 2008. In 2009, manufacturing accounted for 11.8 percent of all ICT spending.

Durable goods industries spent $18.5 billion on ICT equipment and computer software in 2009, a decrease of 14.6 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $9.4 billion was for noncapitalized ICT expenditures, a decrease of 12.8 percent from 2008; $9.1 billion was for capitalized expenditures, a decrease of 16.4 percent from 2008.

Nondurable goods industries spent $11.4 billion on ICT equipment and computer software in 2009, a decrease of 17.2 percent from 2008. Noncapitalized expenditures totaled $4.7 billion, a decrease of 14.3 percent from 2008; capitalized expenditures were $6.7 billion, a decrease of 19.1 percent from 2008.

Professional, scientific, and technical services. ICT equipment and computer software spending in this sector totaled $22.0 billion in 2009, a decrease of 19.2 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $10.7 billion was for noncapitalized spending; $11.3 billion was for capitalized spending, a decrease of 28.1 percent from 2008. In 2009, this sector accounted for 8.7 percent of all ICT spending.

Health care and social assistance. This sector spent $21.6 billion on ICT equipment and computer software in 2009, a decrease of 10.0 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $7.1 billion was for noncapitalized expenditures, an increase of 19.1 percent from 2008; $14.5 billion was for capitalized expenditures, a decrease of 19.6 percent from 2008. The health care sector accounted for 8.5 percent of all ICT spending in 2009.

Retail trade. In 2009, the retail trade sector spent $14.8 billion on ICT equipment and computer software, a decrease of 19.0 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $4.1 billion was for noncapitalized ICT; $10.8 billion was for capitalized ICT, a decrease of 24.0 percent from 2008. In 2009, retail trade accounted for 5.8 percent of all ICT spending.

Wholesale trade.In 2009, the wholesale trade sector spent $9.6 billion on ICT equipment and computer software. Of this total, noncapitalized spending accounted for $3.0 billion and capitalized spending accounted for $6.6 billion. Wholesale trade accounted for 3.8 percent of all 2009 ICT spending.

Administrative and support and waste management. In 2009, the administrative and support and waste management sector spent $6.3 billion on ICT equipment and computer software, a decrease of 9.2 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $2.4 billion was for noncapitalized ICT, an increase of 8.6 percent from 2008. Capitalized ICT spending totaled $3.9 billion, a decrease of 17.6 percent from 2008. In 2009, this sector accounted for 2.5 percent of all ICT spending.

Utilities. In 2009, ICT equipment and computer software spending in the utilities sector totaled $5.7 billion. Of this amount, noncapitalized expenditures were $1.5 billion, a decrease of 16.2 percent from 2008. Capitalized expenditures were $4.2 billion, an increase in 11.2 percent from 2008. The utilities sector accounted for 2.2 percent of all ICT spending in 2009.

Transportation and warehousing. This sector spent $4.6 billion on ICT equipment and computer software in 2009, a decrease of 13.1 percent from 2008. Of this amount, $1.7 billion was for noncapitalized expenditures. Capitalized expenditures were $2.9 billion, a decrease of 17.5 percent from 2008. The transportation sector accounted for 1.8 percent of all ICT spending in 2009.

Endnotes

¹The revised total expenditures estimate for 2008 reflects an upward revision of $331 million in noncapitalized expenditures to $91.7 billion and an upward revision of $1.3 billion in capitalized expenditures to $206.1 billion. The revisions reflect additional information and/or corrections submitted by respondents subsequent to the initial published estimates.

² Estimated measures of sampling variability have been calculated for each estimate and are used to construct 90-percent confidence intervals (or ranges) for all estimates of change. If the estimated range of change contains zero (0), then it is uncertain whether there was an increase or a decrease; that is, the change is not statistically different from zero (0), and the current estimate is not statistically different from the prior estimate at the 90-percent confidence level. See the "Reliability of the Estimates" section of the Sampling and Estimation Methodologies appendix for more information on confidence intervals and statistical significance.

Acknowlegments

The Company Statistics Division prepared this report. Charles A. Funk, Assistant Division Chief for Surveys and Programs, was responsible for the overall planning, management, and coordination. Primary assistance for planning and implementation were under the direction of Valerie C. Strang, Chief, Business Investment Branch, assisted by Venita Holland, Sara Prebble, Derrick Roy, and Victor Souphom, Section Chiefs, Business Investment Branch. Primary staff assistance was provided by Ayub Abdallah, Brian Bonner, Larry S. Chomsisengphet, Beth Evans, William Gainor, Ashley Hildebrandt, Carly Johnston, Jungjin Kang, Kimberly Keller, Demetrius Lambeth, Harold Laney Jr., Joshua Lewis, Conrad Munger, Omar Nix, Sherrita Powell, Alan Tominack, and Matt Wills. Additional assistance was provided by Marie Rustin.

General direction for statistical methodology was provided by Carol Caldwell, Assistant Division Chief for Research and Methodology, and Mark S. Sands, Chief, Statistical Research and Methods Branch. Jeffrey L. Dalzell, Tameka Johnson, Justin Smith, and Yarissa Gonzalez developed and implemented the sample design, nonresponse adjustment and estimation methodology.

The Economic Planning and Coordination Division, William Samples, Chief, Mailout and Data Capture Branch, coordinated survey mailout and data collection with Section Chiefs Stephanie Studds, Christopher Berbert, and Amanda Williams. Primary assistance was provided by Loretta Brawner, Bernadette Gray, and Dameka Hemsley.

The staff of the National Processing Center, Angela Feldman-Harkins, Assistant Division Chief for Processing, performed mailout preparation and receipt operations, clerical and analytical review activities, and data entry.

The Economic Statistical Methods and Programming Division, Kenneth Keer, Chief, Current Manufacturing and Company Statistics Annuals Branch, developed and implemented computer processing systems. Nestor Baez Jr., Supervisory Computer Specialist Systems Analyst, supervised the preparation of computer programs. Stephen Potemkin was responsible for frame creation and sample selection. Tony Duong, Barbara Harris, Kavita Khaneja, and Diane Musachio were assigned primary programming responsibilities.

Finally, a special acknowledgment is due to the many businesses whose cooperation was essential to the success of this report.

If you have any questions concerning the statistics in this report, call 301-763-3324.