Stability, or something more?
Two recent extremely notable positive pieces of news makes me wonder if the “stability” mantra being discussed in different parts of the industry isn’t a bit conservative.
Conservative meaning perhaps the economic doldrums that have largely represented 2010 might just be coming to an end quicker than perhaps we had imagined.
Those two positive pieces of news? First, Polaris Industries reported its core North American ATV sales actually increased in a single-digit percentage for its recent third quarter. It’s the first time Polaris has been able to say that since 2005!
Secondly, same store sales as reported by ADP Lightspeed for Powersports Business found September sales to have actually increased over the year-ago quarter. It was a pretty slight increase, but increases are increases, right? Especially when you consider it’s just the second month in all of 2010 where we could report an increase.
For you economic naysayers — you industry curmudgeons — a third piece of good news: Polaris reports industry UTV sales are up in the single digit percentages for this year. Now, the naysayers will point out no official UTV retail sales numbers are kept, which is true. But if the market share leader is reporting a better than 30 percent improvement over the year-ago quarter in UTV retail sales, it’s time to rethink that whole “hunker down until the economy recovers” theory.
I probably talk to 40 Polaris dealers every week, and they report to me business is flat. They are not selling units like they hoped, however, any positive comments are usually on UTVs. I like good news, but I need 3 months of positive economic results before I say we are beyond stable and seeing a recovery. So I can’t wait to see what the next few months will bring.