North American EMS Book-to-Bill Ratio Reaches 1.36 in May 2026 Amid Rising Shipments

The Global Electronics Association has released the May 2026 results from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio for the period stands at 1.36.

Total North American EMS shipments in May 2026 increased 5.2% compared to May 2025 and rose 3.4% from April 2026. Year-to-date (YTD) shipments through May were up 9.6% year-over-year.

EMS bookings in May 2026 grew 28.7% year-over-year but decreased 42.9% from the previous month. YTD bookings increased 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.

May 2026 Key Metrics

| Metric                  | Value      |
|-------------------------|------------|
| 1-Month Book-to-Bill    | 1.36      |
| 3-Month Book-to-Bill    | 1.08      |
| Shipments (3-Month MA)  | 1.6%      |
| Bookings (3-Month MA)   | -0.8%     |
| Shipments YTD         &nb...