RV Dealers
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 2,900 recreational vehicle dealerships in the US sell new and used RVs, replacement parts, accessories, and services. Dealers may provide rental services for RVs and also earn fees for facilitating financing and insurance purchases through third party providers.
Seasonal Sales
Summer is the peak season for RV travel and demand drops quickly in the late fall/winter.
Vulnerability to Economic Conditions
The RV industry as a whole is vulnerable to downturns in the economy.
Industry size & Structure
The average recreational vehicle dealer operates out of a single location, employs 19 workers, and generates $9 million in annual revenue.
- The RV dealer industry consists of 2,900 establishments that employ some 56,000 workers and generate about $26 billion annually.
- The industry is relatively fragmented, as the top 50 companies account for about 47% of industry revenue.
- Camping World (Freedom Roads) is the largest RV dealer in the US with about 200 locations. Most companies are small and serve a limited geographical market.
Industry Forecast
RV Dealers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Jul 10, 2024 - Prices Tumble, Wages Up
- Producer prices for RV dealers continued their third consecutive month of year-over-year declines in May 2024, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Producer prices fell 13.8% in May 2024 compared to a year ago. Employment by RV dealers has fallen consecutively on a YOY basis for nearly a year, as demand has weakened. Employment dropped by 7.4% in May 2024 compared to a year ago. Meanwhile, wages at other motor vehicle dealers, which includes RV dealers, increased 2.4% to $27.43 per hour in May 2024 compared to a year ago.
- RV shipments were up 7.2% in May 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year, according to a report from the RV Industry Association (RVIA). The May 2024 shipments increased to 31,150 units shipped through the end of the month, continuing a stretch of “moderate increases” over last year, per RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby. The uptick is a positive signal for the industry, which has faced headwinds due to falling consumer demand and higher interest rates. Year to date, total RV shipments were up 8.9% through May compared to the same period a year ago. The towables category grew 14.9% year to date while motorhomes saw a decline of 31.2%.
- RV retail registrations declined by 16.2% in May 2024 year over year, reaching 37,523, according to a Statistical Surveys report in RV Business. Year to date, RV retail registrations declined 10.4% to 150,945 compared to the same period in 2023. Weaker categories in May included camping trailers (down 29.4%), Class A (down 20%), and Class B (29.8%).
- Consumer confidence levels fell in June 2024, after an uptick in May, according to data from The Conference Board. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index was 100.4 in June 2024 from 101.3 in May 2024. Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board, noted that confidence was the highest among those under age 35 and those in the income category of over $100,000. Plans for large appliance and smart phone purchases rose on a six-month basis, while plans for car purchases stalled.
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