Shipments
These are the latest figures available for wholesale shipments.
The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association
(RVIA) reports that April wholesale shipments were at 26,800 units as reported
by manufacturers, slightly lower than the month before but were off 16.8% from
this same month last year. Shipments of towable RVs did better than the
motorhome segment but both were well below the strong April totals of last year.
The Index of Consumer Sentiment slipped again in April, dipping to 88.4 from 91.5 of the prior month, but made significant improvement in the weeks following the Federal Reserve's 4th rate cut this year. Testifying before Congress, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan hinted more rate cuts may lie ahead as the greater risk to the economy was a sharper slowdown in activity than concerns for rising inflation.
Retail sales of RVs
continue to outperform wholesale shipments indicating dealer inventory adjusting
hasn't yet run its course. Although lower than this same period last year,
retail sales haven't declined as rapidly as wholesale shipments.
Towable RVs
All towable RVs were reported as 22,000
units in April, up slightly from last month but off 15.1% compared to this same
month last year. Year to date, shipments were at 75,300 units, off 19.5%
compared to the first 4 months of 2000. Clearly the decline has begun to
slacken, raising prospects for improved shipments sometime soon.
Shipments of 11,100
conventional travel trailers reported in April were off just 9.8% compared to
this same month last year and raised the year-to-date total to 36,500 units.
Conventional travel trailers represent nearly half of all towables and
improvements here may have already begun.
Motorhomes
Wholesale shipments of all motorhomes
totaled 4,800 units in April, off 23.8% from this same month one-year ago. Year
to date, shipments of 17,200 motorhomes are off 31.2% through April and at an
annual rate of 47,500 units.
Conventional type A
motorhomes were off 26.8% compared to April last year on shipments of 3,000
units. Type B motorhomes were off the most, down 33.3% on shipments of 200
units. Type C motorhomes were down 15.8% in April on shipments of 1,600 units.
Conversion Vehicles
Wholesale deliveries of all
conversion vehicle products struggled through another poor month, dropping 55%
in April to just 5,900 units. Van conversions, off 50% were down the least on
shipments of 3,900 units.
Year to date, all
conversion vehicle shipments were at 21,200 units through April, off 52.7%
compared to last year. Van conversion and pickup truck conversion shipments have
been reduced by half compared to the same period one year ago.
Total RV Shipments
New - Only Recreation Vehicles
Source: RVIA
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