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September U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +3.4%; Six Consecutive Months of Growth Versus 2009
September U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +3.4%; Six Consecutive Months of Growth Versus 2009

Published: November 4, 2010

September 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.58 billion, up $248 million (+3.4%) compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were up +2.2%. “This continues the consecutive gain in current dollar shipments for six months, a welcome change for commercial printers,” explained Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center. Full Analysis

Q3 2010 Real GDP on Quarter/Quarter and Year/Year Basis
Q3 2010 Real GDP on Quarter/Quarter and Year/Year Basis

Published: November 1, 2010

Dr. Joe looks at the advance report for GDP in 2010's third quarter and explains what it means, what it doesn't, and why it might be worth ignoring. Full Analysis

Change in Commercial Printing Segments 1997-2008
Change in Commercial Printing Segments 1997-2008

Published: October 18, 2010

Dr. Joe updates his look at the recent trends in printing industry employment and the last five months of increased sales are playing out. Full Analysis

August U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +3.3%
August U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +3.3%

Published: October 11, 2010

August 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.3 billion, up $235 million (+3.3%) compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were up +2.2. Full Analysis

ISM Manufacturing Index - Selected Components Since December 2007
ISM Manufacturing Index - Selected Components Since December 2007

Published: October 4, 2010

Dr. Joe explains the latest Institute for Supply Management manufacturing report in terms of its key components of new orders, prices paid, employment, and imports. The manufacturing side of the economy is still growing, but it looks like it's slowing down, and inflation is starting to creep into the system. Full Analysis

Major Investment Areas Commerical Sheetfed vs. Commercial Digital Color
Major Investment Areas Commerical Sheetfed vs. Commercial Digital Color

Published: September 20, 2010

As we head into GraphExpo, what does our latest survey show that commercial sheetfed and commercial color digital printers are looking for? Dr. Joe explains it all Full Analysis

U.S. Commercial Printing Businesses Produce Estimated $1.1 Billion in Profits in Second Quarter 2010
U.S. Commercial Printing Businesses Produce Estimated $1.1 Billion in Profits in Second Quarter 2010

Published: September 15, 2010

The second quarter of 2010 continued a welcome continuation of mild profitability for the industry. Much of the industry is still recovering from a very difficult 2009, and two quarters of profits can't really make up for that. But we're on the right track, even though there are still challenges ahead. Full Analysis

July U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +0.3%
July U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +0.3%

Published: September 7, 2010

July 2010 commercial printing shipments were $6.87 billion, up $18 million (+0.3%) compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were down -1%. This continues the consecutive gain in current dollar shipments for four months, the first time we have had a period of that extent since November 2007. Full Analysis

How magazine circulation, ad pages and mailed by piece has changed since 2000
How magazine circulation, ad pages and mailed by piece has changed since 2000

Published: August 16, 2010

How have magazines changed over the last 10 years? Dr. Joe looks at subscription circulation, ad pages, postal shipments and weight, and what they tell us about this critical segment of our industry. Full Analysis

Second Quarter U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +2.8%
Second Quarter U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +2.8%

Published: August 3, 2010

June 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.2 billion, up +2.4% compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were up +1.3%. “This is the first three month gain in shipments on an inflation-adjusted basis since the period of October 2006 through April 2007. Full Analysis

More printers interested in buying than selling books of business customer base
More printers interested in buying than selling books of business customer base

Published: August 2, 2010

Who's buying and who's selling? The print business has been consolidating, and we're certain there is more to go, especially with the popularity of "tuck-ins." Dr. Joe explains why "tuck-ins" are not about what you should do with your shirt, but how it has slowly been creating a more efficient industry. Full Analysis

Change in Commerical Printing Segments 1997-2008
Change in Commerical Printing Segments 1997-2008

Published: July 19, 2010

Dr. Joe discusses how commercial printing segments have changed their share of industry shipments from 1997 through 2008, and why digital printing's share might be even larger than the data indicate. Full Analysis

May U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +3.6%
May U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +3.6%

Published: July 6, 2010

May's shipments were up compared to 2009, and April's were revised significantly upward. This is the first time since early 2008 that the industry produced two consecutive months with shipment increases. For complete details see this month's printing shipments report. Full Analysis

Dr. Joe reviews the latest economic data
Dr. Joe reviews the latest economic data

Published: June 21, 2010

Dr. Joe reviews the latest economic data and explains where we're headed for the third and fourth quarters and why. Full Analysis

April 2010 commercial printing shipments
April 2010 commercial printing shipments

Published: June 7, 2010

April 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.05 billion, down -1.9% compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were down -4.1%. For the first four months of 2010, shipments were down -4.7% on a current dollar basis. Full Analysis

Commerce Department Revises Printing Shipments Data
Commerce Department Revises Printing Shipments Data

Published: May 17, 2010

The Department of Commerce revised almost 10 years of printing industry shipments data last week. The WhatTheyThink economic data elves dug into the data and explain what those revisions mean, what years were revised up, and which ones were revised down. Full Analysis

Year/Year Changes in Real GDP vs. Real Proprietors Income
Year/Year Changes in Real GDP vs. Real Proprietors Income

Published: May 3, 2010

The first quarter GDP showed that the economy is growing, but that was compared to the fourth quarter. How is GDP changing on a year-to-year comparison? The GDP data are about the whole economy, but how is small business doing? Dr. Joe explains how a rarely reported part of the quarterly GDP data helps us judge the health of small businesses. Full Analysis

Inflation-adjusted and Annualized Publishing and Advertising Revenues
Inflation-adjusted and Annualized Publishing and Advertising Revenues

Published: April 19, 2010

The trends in industry revenues of advertising and publishing sectors each tell an interesting story. They get more interesting once iPhones, Kindles, and iPads are added to the mix. Dr. Joe explains it all, but may have more questions than answers, which might spell opportunities for print businesses. Full Analysis

ISM Manufacturing Index Shows Eight Months of Growth
ISM Manufacturing Index Shows Eight Months of Growth

Published: April 5, 2010

The ISM Manufacturing Index is one of the most watched economic indicators. It's up for 8 consecutive months, and the latest release was one of the strongest of this decade. Dr. Joe gives some background and explains what this latest reading means. Full Analysis

As The Industry Churns
As The Industry Churns

Published: March 15, 2010

The Census Bureau publishes printing industry births and deaths data, but the data take years to be published. The latest data are from 2006, but Dr. Joe estimates what's happened since,especially 2008 and 2009. Full Analysis

Broadband hours and the statistical relationship with printing volumes
Broadband hours and the statistical relationship with printing volumes

Published: February 15, 2010

Broadband use by adults has been increasing and the number of households with broadband service has almost doubled since 2005. What's the relationship with commercial printing volume? Last year, there were about 48 billion hours of broadband use by households, and every additional hour of use decreases commercial print volume by about $2. Full Analysis

Year/Year US Gross Domestic Product
Year/Year US Gross Domestic Product

Published: February 1, 2010

Why was Q4-09 GDP +5.7% met with a stock market decline and more handwringing about the economy? Dr. Joe looks at the yearly change in GDP, and explains it all. Full Analysis

Newspaper Industry Woes Not Being Cured By Online Revenues
Newspaper Industry Woes Not Being Cured By Online Revenues

Published: January 25, 2010

Newspapers were supposed to survive the new media age because of their highly educated, high income audience, and then when that didn't work, their superior content would make news websites into Internet advertising magnets. Now, even online advertising is shrinking for newspapers. What's next? Full Analysis

Commerical Printing and Services Shipments 2003-2015
Commerical Printing and Services Shipments 2003-2015

Published: December 14, 2009

Full Analysis

Number of US Commercial Printing and Print Services Establishments 2003-2015
Number of US Commercial Printing and Print Services Establishments 2003-2015

Published: December 7, 2009

Full Analysis

Change In Number Of Employees For Commerical Printing & Services
Change In Number Of Employees For Commerical Printing & Services

Published: November 30, 2009

Full Analysis

Canada's Printing Industry as a Percentage of GDP
Canada's Printing Industry as a Percentage of GDP

Published: November 16, 2009

Full Analysis

September 2009 Commercial Printing Shipments
September 2009 Commercial Printing Shipments

Published: November 9, 2009

Full Analysis

Use of Social Media Services by Commercial Printers by employee size
Use of Social Media Services by Commercial Printers by employee size

Published: November 2, 2009

Use of Social Media Services by Commercial Printers by employee size Full Analysis

Use of Social Media Services by U.S. Commercial Printers
Use of Social Media Services by U.S. Commercial Printers

Published: October 26, 2009

Full Analysis

Federal Reserve NAICS 323 Capacity Utilization Data
Federal Reserve NAICS 323 Capacity Utilization Data

Published: October 19, 2009

Full Analysis

Newspaper Industry Woes Not Being Cured by Online Revenues
Newspaper Industry Woes Not Being Cured by Online Revenues

Published: October 12, 2009

Full Analysis

Percentage of Printers That Promote Themselves as Marketing Services, Communications Graphics or Media Management Businesses
Percentage of Printers That Promote Themselves as Marketing Services, Communications Graphics or Media Management Businesses

Published: October 5, 2009

Full Analysis

Effects of a 2-percentage point difference in mailing list decay rates
Effects of a 2-percentage point difference in mailing list decay rates

Published: September 28, 2009

Full Analysis

Price Changes in Paper, Commerical Printing, Computers, Cellular, ISPs
Price Changes in Paper, Commerical Printing, Computers, Cellular, ISPs

Published: September 21, 2009

Full Analysis

Public Relations Employees as a Percentage of Total Advertising Agency Employment
Public Relations Employees as a Percentage of Total Advertising Agency Employment

Published: September 14, 2009

Full Analysis

E-Commerce as a Percentage of US Total Retail Sales and Inflation-adjusted US Commercial Printing Shipments
E-Commerce as a Percentage of US Total Retail Sales and Inflation-adjusted US Commercial Printing Shipments

Published: September 7, 2009

Full Analysis

Capital Expenditures as a Percentage of Shipments by Printing Industry Segment
Capital Expenditures as a Percentage of Shipments by Printing Industry Segment

Published: August 31, 2009

Full Analysis

Capital Expenditures by Printing Industry Segment
Capital Expenditures by Printing Industry Segment

Published: August 24, 2009

Full Analysis

Shipments of Secondary Products & Misc. Receipts by Printing Industry
Shipments of Secondary Products & Misc. Receipts by Printing Industry

Published: August 17, 2009

Full Analysis

Change in Number of U.S. Commercial Printing Employees Per Establishment
Change in Number of U.S. Commercial Printing Employees Per Establishment

Published: August 10, 2009

Full Analysis

Change in Number of U.S. Commercial Printing Employees
Change in Number of U.S. Commercial Printing Employees

Published: August 3, 2009

Full Analysis

Change in Number of U.S. Commercial Printing Establishments
Change in Number of U.S. Commercial Printing Establishments

Published: July 27, 2009

Full Analysis

US Commercial Printing Annual Payroll Per Employee
US Commercial Printing Annual Payroll Per Employee

Published: July 20, 2009

Full Analysis

Commerical Printing Shipments, 2002 vs. 2007
Commerical Printing Shipments, 2002 vs. 2007

Published: July 13, 2009

Full Analysis

Net new businesses, 12-month moving average
Net new businesses, 12-month moving average

Published: June 29, 2009

Full Analysis

Change in Newspaper Advertising Revenue
Change in Newspaper Advertising Revenue

Published: June 22, 2009

Full Analysis

Current Dollar/Year Change in Corporate Cash Flow
Current Dollar/Year Change in Corporate Cash Flow

Published: June 15, 2009

Full Analysis

AIGA Designer Confidence Index
AIGA Designer Confidence Index

Published: June 8, 2009

Full Analysis

Change in Real GDP, CPI-adjusted Print Shipments & Paper Shipments
Change in Real GDP, CPI-adjusted Print Shipments & Paper Shipments

Published: June 1, 2009

Full Analysis