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 2,700 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 21-22 workers, and generates $12 million in annual revenue.
- The RV dealer industry consists of 2,700 establishments that employ about 46,600 workers and generate over $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 over 160 locations. Most companies are small and serve a limited geographical market.
Industry Forecast
RV Dealers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Mar 7, 2023 - RV Shipments Fall in January
- Total RV shipments ended January with 20,405 units, a decrease of 61.8% compared to the record 53,351 units shipped in December 2022, according to the RV Industry Association’s (RVIA) January 2023 survey of manufacturers. The RVIA said the first half of 2022 was a record year for RV production, making year-over-year comparisons difficult. “With record high RV production through the first half of 2022, the year-over-year decrease we are seeing in this report was expected. We are encouraged by the positive news and high attendance at RV shows across the country and the strong reservation numbers reported by campgrounds,” according to RVIA’s CEO Craig Kirby. Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, ended the month down by 66.8% compared to December 2022, with 16,117 shipments. Motorhomes finished the month 10.1% lower than the same month last year with 4,288 units.
- Consumer confidence levels declined in February 2023 for the second consecutive month, according to data from The Conference Board. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index fell to 102.9 in February 2023 from 106 in January 2023, as high prices and rising interest rates affected consumers’ willingness to spend. According to Ataman Ozyildirim, a senior director of economics at The Conference Board, “Consumer confidence declined again in February. The decrease reflected large drops in confidence for households aged 35 to 54 and for households earning $35,000 or more.” Plans to purchase homes, vehicles, and appliances have cooled, in addition to a drop in vacation intentions, per Ozyildirim.
- Nearly 40% of US leisure travelers, representing 67 million Americans, plan to take an RV trip in 2023, according to a survey of leisure travelers by the RV Industry Association (RVIA). The top reasons for RV travel are an increased interest in exploring the outdoors and expanded flexibility through remote work or school. The number of respondents who cited flexibility in work rose by 12% from the previous year, and one in five leisure travelers reported working remoting from an RV during the past two years. Younger leisure travelers also embrace RV travel; 49% of Gen Z travelers and 48% of Millennials are planning an RV trip next year. Half of RVers, defined as those who have taken a trip in an RV they rent, own, or borrow in the past 12 months, plan to purchase an RV in the next year, up 14% from the prior year.
- According to the Kampgrounds of America December Monthly Research Report, a record-breaking 58 million households in the US went camping in 2022, with nearly 90% of campers adding camping as a New Year’s resolution. The report also examined the reasons for camping pre- and post-COVID-19 and found some differences. About 86% of campers say they camp to escape the stress of everyday life (an 11% increase over pre-COVID-19), about 85% camp to relax and not feel like they have to be somewhere (a rise of 9% over pre-COVID-19), and 73% camp to let loose and blow off steam (an increase of 16% over pre-COVID-19). Winter camping is also rising, with an additional 830,000 households trying winter camping in 2022. According to the report, 7.7 million campers went winter camping in 2022 compared to the 6.8 million who went winter camping in 2021.
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