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Annual Capital Expenditures: 2016

Summary of Findings

General highlights

In 2016, U.S. nonfarm businesses invested $1,575.7 billion in new and used structures and equipment, a decrease of $66.3 billion (4.0 percent) from the revised 2015 total of $1,642.0 billion (See Summary Table A below, and Tables 1a and 1b). Total spending on new structures and new equipment was $1,462.4 billion, a decrease of $68.6 billion (4.5 percent) from the revised 2015 total of $1,531.0 billion.

Expenditures on new and used structures totaled $599.8 billion in 2016, down $43.0 billion (6.7 percent) from 2015 (See Figure 1). Of this amount, $543.4 billion (90.6 percent) was spent for new structures, a decrease of $46.3 billion (7.9 percent) from 2015. Expenditures for used structures totaled $56.5 billion.

Spending on new and used equipment totaled $975.8 billion in 2016, down $23.3 billion (2.3 percent) from 2015. Of this amount, $919.1 billion (94.2 percent) was for new equipment, a decrease of $22.2 billion (2.4 percent) from 2015. Expenditures for used equipment totaled $56.8 billion.

Summary Table A. Capital Expenditures and Relative Standard Errors (RSE) for New and Used Structures and Equipment: 2016 and 2015 Revised
(Billions of current dollars)

Capital Expenditures

2016

2016 RSE
(Percent)

2015

2015 RSE
(Percent)

Difference

% Change

Total

1,575.7

1.1

1,642.0

1.2

-66.3

-4.0


New

1,462.4

1.0

1,531.0

1.0

-68.6

-4.5

 

Used

113.3

7.8

111.0

9.7

2.3

2.0

 NS

Structures

599.8

1.9

642.9

2.7

-43.0

-6.7

 

New

543.4

1.3

589.7

2.0

-46.3

-7.9

 

Used

56.5

14.6

53.2

18.8

3.3

6.2

 NS

Equipment

975.8

1.0

999.1

0.9

-23.3

-2.3


New

919.1

1.0

941.3

1.0

-22.2

-2.4


Used

56.8

3.0

57.8

3.0

-1.0

-1.8

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.

The Annual Capital Expenditures Survey collects data from companies with and without
employees. Companies with employees accounted for $1,480.3 billion (93.9 percent) of total
capital spending in 2016. These companies invested $552.8 billion in structures, down $48.0
billion (8.0 percent) from 2015. Expenditures on equipment totaled $927.5 billion, down $19.8 billion (2.1 percent) from 2015 (See Figure 2).

Companies without employees accounted for $95.4 billion (6.1 percent) of capital spending in
2016, with $47.1 billion spent on structures and $48.3 billion spent on equipment (See Summary Table B below).

Summary Table B. Capital Expenditures and Relative Standard Errors (RSE) for Structures and Equipment: 2016 and 2015 Revised
(Billions of current dollars)

Capital Expenditures

2016

2016 RSE
(Percent)

2015

2015 RSE
(Percent)

Difference

% Change

Total

1,575.7

1.1

1,642.0

1.2

-66.3

-4.0


Companies with employees

1,480.3

1.0

1,548.1

1.2

-67.8

-4.4

 

Companies without employees

95.4

8.2

93.9

4.7

1.5

1.6

 NS

Structures

599.8

1.9

642.9

2.7

-43.0

-6.7


Companies with employees

552.8

2.0

600.8

2.8

-48.0

-8.0


Companies without employees

47.1

9.2

42.1

8.6

5.0

11.8

 NS

Equipment

975.8

1.0

999.1

0.9

-23.3

-2.3


Companies with employees

927.5

0.9

947.3

0.8

-19.8

-2.1


Companies without employees

48.3

9.1

51.8

5.1

-3.5

-6.7

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.

Highlights by business sector for companies with employees (See Tables 2, 3, and 4)

(Data in this section is based on the 2012 North American Industry Classification System. Data
is only for companies with employees because companies without employees are not asked to
report capital expenditures by sector or industry.)

Of the 19 NAICS major industry sectors covered in this report, 4 had a statistically significant
increase in capital spending in 2016 compared with 2015, 2 had a statistically significant
decrease, and 13 showed no statistically significant change. The values of structures and
equipment may not sum to the values of total capital expenditures due to rounding (See
Summary Chart A below, Figure 3, and Figure 4).

Of the 132 industries covered in this report, 28 had a statistically significant increase in
 spending, 28 had a statistically significant decrease, 73 showed no significant change from
 the prior year, and 3 have either a 2015 or 2016 values suppressed and no comparisons can
 be made.

Manufacturing

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Manufacturing

243.6

245.1

-0.6%

 NS

Structures

56.9

54.7

4.0%

 NS

Equipment

186.6

190.4

-2.0%

 NS

Durable Goods Industries

123.1

127.7

-3.6%

 NS

Structures

22.6

22.8

-1.0%

NS

Equipment

100.5

104.9

-4.2%

 NS

Nondurable Goods Industries

120.5

117.4

2.6%

NS

Structures

34.3

31.9

7.6%

 NS

Equipment

86.2

85.5

0.7%

NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Mining

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Mining

92.7

174.1

-46.7%


Structures

75.9

135.6

-44.0%


Equipment

16.9

38.5

-56.2%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Finance and Insurance

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Finance and Insurance

167.1

164.6

1.5%

NS

Structures

19.5

19.8

-1.6%

NS

Equipment

147.6

144.8

1.9%

NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.

 

Information

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Information

142.2

132.7

7.2%

 

Structures

31.9

30.2

5.7%

 NS

Equipment

110.3

102.5

7.6%


Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

145.3

151.9

-4.3%

 NS

Structures

62.9

62.2

1.2%

 NS

Equipment

82.4

89.7

-8.1%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Utilities

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Utilities

133.8

130.5

2.5%


Structures

73.8

71.3

3.6%


Equipment

60.0

59.2

1.3%

NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Transportation and Warehousing

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Transportation and Warehousing

109.7

116.6

-6.0%


Structures

35.7

42.5

-15.9%


Equipment

73.9

74.1

-0.3%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Health Care and Social Assistance

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Health Care and Social Assistance

93.6

93.8

-0.2%

 NS

Structures

48.2

49.2

-2.0%

 NS

Equipment

45.4

44.5

1.9%

NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Retail Trade

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Retail Trade

87.0

86.0

1.2%

NS

Structures

39.1

37.0

5.6%


Equipment

47.9

49.0

-2.2%

NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Wholesale Trade

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Wholesale Trade

43.9

42.4

3.5%

 NS

Structures

13.5

12.6

7.0%

 NS

Equipment

30.4

29.8

2.1%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Accommodation and food services

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Accomodation and food services

29.9

33.1

-9.6%

 NS

Structures

16.8

17.3

-3.1%

 NS

Equipment

13.1

15.7

-16.8%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Professional, scientific, and technical services

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Professional, scientific, and technical services

32.4

33.3

-2.8%

 NS

Structures

8.9 8.4

6.1%

 NS

Equipment

23.5 24.9

-5.8%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Construction

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Construction

36.0

33.3

8.1%

 NS

Structures

4.3
2.6

65.4%

 

Equipment

31.7 30.7

3.3%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Educational services

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Educational services

30.4    

33.2

-8.4%

NS

Structures

24.0 25.9

-7.5%

NS

Equipment

6.4
7.3

-11.6%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Administrative and support and waste management

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Administrative and support and waste management

27.4

26.2

4.7%

 NS

Structures

7.1
6.5

7.7%

 NS

Equipment

20.4
19.6

3.7%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Other Services (except public administration)

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Other Services (except public administration)

27.8

23.2

19.7%

 NS

Structures

16.8 13.1

28.4%

 NS

Equipment

11.0
10.1

8.5%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

22.5

16.1

39.5%

 

Structures

13.5
8.8

53.3%


Equipment

9.0
7.3

23.0%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Management of companies and enterprises

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Management of companies and enterprises

6.2

5.2

19.4%

 

Structures

1.6 1.0

54.5%


Equipment

4.6 4.1

10.5%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Forestry, fishing, and agricultural services

Capital Expenditures for Structures and Equipment for Companies with Employees: 2016 and 2015 Revised

(Billions of current dollars)

Capital expenditures

2016

2015

% Change

Total Forestry, fishing, and agricultural services

4.6

3.3

37.3%

 NS

Structures

0.6 0.6

-6.5%

 NS

Equipment

4.0
2.7

46.9%

 NS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey
Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
NS: Not Statistically Significant

See Technical Documentation Methodology Data Quality for information on sampling variability, confidence intervals and statistical significance.


Tables

Related Information


Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
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