May EMS Shipments Rise as North American Book-to-Bill Signals Ongoing Strength

The Global Electronics Association announced today the May 2026 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.36.

Total North American EMS shipments in May 2026 were up 5.2% compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, May shipments were up 3.4%. May's year-to-date (YTD) shipments increased by 9.6% year-over-year (YOY).

EMS bookings in May increased 28.7% year-over-year and decreased 42.9% from the previous month. May's YTD bookings increased by 3.8% compared to the same period last year.

"EMS book-to-bill has now held above parity for nine consecutive months. The monthly numbers are choppy, but the direction is steady, shipments are growing, and the industry continues to benefit from broader investment in the tech sector," said Dr. Shawn DuBravac, Global Electronics Association's chief economist.

Detailed Data Available

Companies that participate in the Global Electronics Association's North American EMS Statistical Program have access to detailed findings on EMS sales growth by type of production and company size tier, order growth and backlogs by company size tier, vertical market growth, the EMS book-to-bill ratio, 3-month and 12-month sales outlooks, and other timely data.

Interpreting the Data

The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in the Global Electronics Association's survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to 12 months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse.

Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they reflect seasonal effects and short-term volatility. Because bookings tend to be more volatile than shipments, changes in the book-to-bill ratios from month to month might not be significant unless a trend of more than three consecutive months is apparent. It is also important to consider changes in both bookings and shipments to understand what is driving changes in the book-to-bill ratio.

The Global Electronics Association's monthly EMS industry statistics are based on data provided by a representative sample of assembly equipment manufacturers selling in the USA and Canada. The Association publishes the EMS book-to-bill ratio by the end of each month.

NOTE: Starting with the May 2026 Statistical Program report, book-to-bill ratio calculations incorporate updated survey methodologies. Because of this change, May ratios may vary substantially from previously reported monthly figures, and comparisons with prior periods should be made with caution. The updated methodology is intended to provide a more accurate reflection of current market activity. For questions, please reach out to [email protected].