Purchases and sales by enterprises

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Short-term Statistics, Business Statistics
Lina Pedersen
+45 51 68 72 80

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Purchases and sales by enterprises 2024

The purpose of the statistics Purchases and sales by enterprises is to monitor business cycles in Denmark, based on sales of enterprises. The statistics is based on information on value added tax (VAT) reported by the enterprises to the Danish Tax Authorities.

The statistics is compiled and disseminated monthly and provides a short-term status of Danish business economy. The statistics have been published with variation in calculation methods and frequencies, since value added tax (VAT) was introduces in Denmark in 1967. In its current form, the statistics is comparable from 2011 onwards.

Statistical presentation

Purchases and sales by enterprises is a monthly statement of purchases and sales of goods and services. The Statement is calculated in millions (Danish kroner). The statement is calculated at industry level defined in the Danish Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities 2007 (DB07). In addition, the statistics are divided into domestic purchases and sales.

Statistical processing

Data originates from the Danish Tax Agency’s VAT registers plus information from the Central Business Register (CVR). Missing reports are replaced with imputed values, which are values estimated for each missing report. Imputed values are provisional and removed when the enterprise has reported VAT to the Tax Agency or the enterprise's business status in the CVR register is updated as inactive. The report follows the enterprise's main industry.

Relevance

Users of the statistics are ministries, researchers, students and organizations. Used for e.g. analysis of business trends and market research. In Statistics Denmark, the statistic provides supporting information to e.g. the National Accounts and statistics on foreign trade. Data contribute to the Danish compliance with requirements in the European business statistics regulation regarding turnover on industries on service and trade. In order to comply with requirements, monthly turnover must be distributed to Kind of Activity Units (KAU). A model is used to split legal units into KAU.

Accuracy and reliability

The statistics is based on VAT, reported by enterprises to the Tax Agency. The precision is strengthened by the fact that all companies subject to VAT are included. It is weakened by too little information sales not subject to VAT, e.g. train tickets and recycled clothes. The reliability increases as the enterprises report and revise values. It's possible to revise up to three years after submission. Values are considered final after three years. The sales are used as an estimate for turnover. Please notes that turnover includes more than sales, e.g. revenue from investments.

Timeliness and punctuality

The statistics are published approximate 40 days after the end of the reference period. The statistics contain a statement of sales that are subject to VAT. A statement of an enterprise's sales subject to VAT can be used as an estimate of the enterprise's turnover, which is why the statistics are used for short-term statistics on turnover. The publication date is announced at least 6 months in advance, and it is rare that a publication of the statistics is delayed.

Comparability

From 2010, the statistics are based on register data, the information on VAT that enterprise report to the Tax Agency. From the year 2010, data is comparable year to year, as it includes all enterprises that report VAT. The variable "salg i alt" can be used as estimate for the enterprises' net turnover and can be compared with the net turnover in other statistics, e.g. General Enterprise Statistics. When comparing, take into account the differences, for example which types of sales or revenue are included, whether excise duties are included, and whether smaller companies are included.

Accessibility and clarity

The statistics are published on the webpage StatBank Denmark under the topic Purchases and sales by Enterprises. Until December 2023, the statistics was published monthly in a Danish newsletter called NYT.