Sales Drop for U.S. Auto Makers in July: A Blip or a Trend?

Car sales — excluding trucks and SUVs — were hardly on a roll in July.

According to the latest stats, sales for major U.S. auto makers sharply, with inventories approaching a glut level.

Let’s go to the numbers:

• GM reported a 15.4% sales decline in July compared to the same period a year ago
• Ford Motor Co.’s said sales dropped 7.4% last month to 199,318 vehicles
• Fiat Chrysler Automobiles posted a 10% decline in July, selling 161,477 vehicles.

As for the complete outlook, J.D. Power expects that sales fell 5.4% in July, compared to the same month in 2016. High inventory levels and the sales slowdown have led manufacturers to keep offering the incentives to move product.

What’s more, it is anticipated that fleet buyers, including rental-car firms, need fewer vehicles.

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