Tag: BMO Capital Markets

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Business Growth

Prepare for Profit in 2021

While the country is slowly emerging from the effects of the pandemic, the powersports industry started 2021 with a bang! So, what should powersports dealers do now to prepare for the coming months?

According to composite data from more than 1,650 dealerships in the U.S. that use the CDK Lightspeed DMS, revenue from new and pre-owned Major Unit Sales continued to rise 46% in the January 2021 period vs. January 2020.

There are several factors contributing to continued strength in powersports sales. Temperatures are warming, vaccine distribution is rolling out, and COVID-19 cases are trending down across much of the country. A third round of stimulus checks plus income tax returns will hit consumer bank accounts in coming months. Potentially flush with cash and improved consumer confidence, there is a good chance for steady traffic – both online and in the showroom. But will you have what these customers are looking for?

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Categories
Business Growth

The Outcome Is In Your Hands

The third quarter of this year ended with a bang for both new and used powersports dealers, with unit sales growth up 27.3 percent. The 3Q Powersports Business/BMO Capital Markets dealer survey showed 69 percent of dealers were above plan for the year. Of the survey respondents, 83 percent are single-store operators and the majority carry a wide variety of powersports products. Both new and pre-owned unit sales were strong, with 1 in 5 dealers reporting that F&I sales were very strong.

What happens when those strong sales aren’t so strong? According to the survey results, 84 percent of respondents were concerned about the US political climate and another 63 percent were most concerned about the pandemic. When asked specifically about the presidential election, write-in comments reflected that dealers believe a Democratic win would negatively affect business.

So let’s take a quick check on our current situation. The US continues to suffer from the coronavirus. In fact, the number of new cases recorded each day has ballooned from fewer than 40,000 in September to over 100,000 in early November. And scientists are cautioning against a larger winter surge, as people are forced inside due to cold weather. Clearly, COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon.

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Categories
Compliance Powersports Market

Don’t Skip Steps

While the country is still in the grips of the pandemic, sales of powersports vehicles, led by ATVs and other recreational units, have been going gangbusters. In May, the average major unit sales were up 60.7 percent and overall revenue increased 51.2 percent.

Going into the third quarter, inventory constraints could put a significant damper on sales gains. Polaris and other companies were forced to close manufacturing facilities due to COVID-19 outbreaks. Analysts from BMO Capital Markets report that inventory shortages across all brands could impact sales for the remainder of the year. However, with more consumers entering the market, and more units being financed, the overall forecast for sales remains cautiously optimistic.

With many powersports dealers surpassing sales records throughout the summer, one could surmise it is Christmas in July, except for one small data point. Identity fraud has reared its ugly head. While fraud has always been an area of focus in the powersports world, a couple of unique pandemic situations have exacerbated the situation.

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