U.S. Big Truck Sales Fall 1.4% in September

September sales of U.S. big-trucks slipped for the first time in two years with deliveries off 1.4% on a daily rate basis, although volume was slightly higher, according to WardsAuto data.

Deliveries of medium- and heavy-duty trucks hit 38,053 during the month, compared with 37,054 in the prior year, with losses in classes 5 and 6 overriding small gains in the rest of the segments. Sales through nine months, however, were tracking 12.9% ahead of year-ago.

Sales momentum in Class 8 slowed, managing a slim 0.3% uptick on 20,972 units vs. 20,078 year-ago. Company sales were mixed with Daimler’s Western Star posting the best percentage increase, up 44.0% and share leader Freightliner was up 6.6%. PACCAR brand Kenworth posted another double-digit increase of 16.9% and for the year was up over 30%. International recorded a 24.0% decline, while Volvo slid 11.9%. Through nine months, Class 8 was up 19.7% on volume of 189,541 and still on track to record the best year since 2006.

Overall medium-duty sales fell 3.4% vs. 2014 on 17,081 units delivered in September.

Class 7 was virtually flat for the month, inching up 1.0% on 5,347 units sold. Ford deliveries were almost halved, falling 42.2% on 103 units. International dropped 17.7%, losing over 6% share.  Top seller Freightliner posted a 6.8% sales gain, upping its stake to 44.5% of the class.

Class 6 demand slumped 7.5% to 3,958 trucks, failing to hit 4,000 units for the first time in eight months. Kenworth sales spiked 115.3% to 222 units and Peterbilt rose 47.7%, but that wasn’t enough to offset steep declines for higher-volume players Ford (-36.0%) and International (-11.9%).

Class 5 deliveries were 6,548 units, 5.1% below the 2014 total of 6,626.  The segment was the lone bright spot for Ford, up 1.0%, as its sales fell in all other segments. FCA recorded a 3.1% increase with unit sales of 1,850. Freightliner and Western Star dropped 57.2% and 67.5%, respectively.

Class 4 was led by sales of Isuzu import models, up 33.3%, while its domestic line was down 2.4%. Second- place Ford slid 30.6% to 211 units from 292 a year-ago. Overall Class 4 deliveries ended the month up 1.5%.

Class 8 inventory rose last month to 53,717 units and over 10,000 units ahead of last year’s 41,802. September days’ supply was 64, up from 50 in like-2014. Medium-duty truck makers ended the month with 56,175 units in inventory, and days’ supply ballooned to 82. That compares with 46,961 and 66 days in like-2014.

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