RVDA, Baird Unveil Dealer Sentiment Index

A picture of the RVDA and Baird dealer sentiment survey for January

RVDA and financial services company Baird unveiled results from its latest RV dealer survey, an index that highlights dealer sentiment based on a score out of 100.

The index is an outgrowth of Baird’s monthly retail dealer survey, conducted for RVDA members. Baird’s research details current and future industry conditions by month. A score of more than 50 indicates positive outlooks, Senior Research Analyst Craig Kennison said. The sentiment index will be released monthly.

In January, dealers reported a 64 in regard to current conditions and 67 within a three-to-five-year viewpoint. Current condition sentiment fell to 29 last April during the pandemic’s early stages, Kennison said.

“But even then, dealers were optimistic about the three-to-five-year outlook,” he said.

During a prescient call in April, Kennison said one dealer told Baird that short-term dealership struggles were present. However, the same dealer said long-term views would include an RV demand increase, as consumers traded flying and cruise ships to travel locally in an RV.

“I also see a massive increase in outdoor activities as people are stuck at home and going on walks and hikes that could bring people back to appreciating nature, and an RV lets you do that better than anything else,” the dealer told Baird.

RVDA, the national RV Dealers Association, is dedicated to advancing RV dealers’ interests through education, member services, industry leadership, and market expansion programs that promote the increased sale and use of RVs and enhance the positive image of the RV experience. RVDA is based in Fairfax, Va. For more information on RVDA, visit www.rvda.org.

Baird is a privately held financial services firm with a history of serving partners since 1919. Its broad equity research coverage includes the RV, marine, and powersports industries, with an emphasis on understanding the entire RV ecosystem. www.rwbaird.com

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