Class 5-8 Orders Rise to 14-Month High in February

Preliminary Classes 5-8 data for February indicate industry net orders rose to a fourteen-month high, 45,900 units. That aggregate volume represents a 12% improvement compared to February 2016. Complete industry data for February, including final order numbers, will be published in mid-March.

North American Class 8 net orders hit a fourteen-month high at 23,200 units in February, a second consecutive month of orders rising above both trend and expectations. “Orders rose 28% versus year-ago February. That gain was only the third positive year-over-year comparison in the past two years,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. He continued, “Weak orders in 2016 and an improving economy should make positive year to year comparisons a monthly occurrence as we move through 2017.”

Preliminary, North American Classes 5-7 orders in February were nearly identical to January at 22,700 units. Actual orders in January were 22,744 units. “While actual orders were in-line, seasonal adjustment provides a drag in February versus a boost in January,” said Vieth.

He continued, “When seasonally adjusted, the net order volume drops to 21,450 units, down 11% compared to the seasonally adjusted January volume.”

Tags: ACT’s, Classes 5-8, Kenny Vieth, North American Class 8

Category: Featured