Class 5-8 Preliminary Orders Have 10th-Best Month in Eight Years: ACT

May 5, 2014
April North American Class 5-7 net orders are expected at 17,800 units (±5%) and Class 8 net orders are expected at 24,400 units (±5%) when actual data are released mid-month.

April North American Class 5-7 net orders are expected at 17,800 units (±5%) and Class 8 net orders are expected at 24,400 units (±5%) when actual data are released mid-month, according to ACT Research.

“Total NA Classes 5-8 orders totaled 42,200 units in April. While ranking as only the sixth best order month in the past seven, April was also the 10th-best order month of the past eight years. Since demand ramped up at the beginning of Q4’13, total Classes 5-8 net orders have been booked at a 545,300 unit annual rate (499k SAAR),” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Sr. Analyst.

“For Class 8, the 24,400 NA net orders that were booked in April represented the lowest intake since November. April’s orders were down 11% from March, and were up just 5% compared to a year-ago. That single-digit y/y gain was just the second in 14 months of strong double-digit gains.

“Class 5-7 saw strong orders continue through April. For the month, net orders rose 5% from April 2013, but fell to 2% from February to 17,800 units. Consistency continues to be a part of the MD vehicle order story: Over the past three, six and 12 months, orders have been booked at a 219k SAAR, a 209k SAAR and 209k units, respectively.”