TrueCar Finds Late Labor Day Helps Fuel Double-Digit September Gain

September 24, 2015 | By Business Wire News

SANTA MONICA, Calif.

TrueCar, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUE), the modern car-buying service, projects the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total light vehicle sales should reach 17.7 million units in September versus 16.5 million units a year ago, the highest in more than a decade, led by robust retail sales.

Total new vehicle sales, including fleet deliveries, may rise 12.6 percent to 1,403,200 compared to 1,246,006 a year ago. A later-than-usual Labor Day holiday weekend shifted sales activity that typically occurs at the end of August into September, resulting in a robust double-digit increase. Retail volume may increase 13.8 percent to 1,214,400 units as consumers took advantage of model year closeout specials.

“Labor Day and model year-end promotions combined to create an impressive outcome this month,” said Eric Lyman, TrueCar’s vice president of industry insights. “September’s sales pace underscores the strength of the auto sector’s continued expansion and our confidence that full-year sales will reach 17.2 million units in 2015.”

On a daily selling rate (DSR) basis, adjusting for one more day this month versus September 2014, sales should rise 8.1 percent.

Sales of luxury cars and light trucks will likely grow 7.5 percent compared to a year ago. Crossover and utility vehicles remain in demand and are propelling overall industry growth. Notably, utility sales for Ford Motor Co.’s Ford division are tracking to be at the highest level in over a decade.

Volkswagen may be an outlier this month, following news that software on the carmaker’s diesel models was altered to allow the vehicles to pass emissions tests. Sales of TDI diesel models have been suspended, and the Volkswagen group’s volume may fall 5.2 percent in September.

“With 27 percent of VW sales coming in the form of TDI-equipped cars, we expect an immediate impact on the brand until the stop-sale on TDI vehicles ends,” Lyman said.

Subaru may be the sales leader with a 24.3 percent rise in total volume, resulting in a best-ever September for the brand. Kia Motors America follows with a 23.1 percent increase in unit sales and should also see a record September. Toyota should rank third with a 19.1 percent increase amid gains for the company’s light trucks.

Interest rates remain unchanged and overall U.S. economic conditions are still strong. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index® rebounded by 10.5 points in August, hitting 101.5. Meanwhile, the unemployment report in August was 5.1 percent, the lowest for the month in eight years. Gas prices also remain favorable, falling to a national average of $2.28 per gallon on September 23 from $3.34 a year earlier.

Incentive spending by automakers averaged $3,090 per vehicle in September, up 3.9 percent from a year ago and down 0.1 percent from August 2015.

Other key findings for September:

Expected registration mix of 86.5 percent retail sales and 13.5 percent fleet versus 85.6 percent retail and 14.4 percent fleet last September.
Total used auto sales, including franchise and independent dealerships and private-party transactions, may exceed 4,328,643, up 3.2 percent September 2014.

Forecasts for the 12 largest manufacturers by volume:


Total Unit Sales

Manufacturer	September 2015 Forecast	% Change vs. September 2014	% Change vs. September 2014 (Daily Selling Rate)
BMW	31,200	4.5%	0.3%
Daimler	31,000	2.4%	-1.7%
FCA	187,800	9.7%	5.3%
Ford	213,000	18.7%	13.9%
GM	243,600	9.0%	4.7%
Honda	130,000	10.0%	5.6%
Hyundai	65,000	16.1%	11.4%
Kia	50,000	23.1%	18.1%
Nissan	113,000	9.8%	5.4%
Subaru	51,600	24.3%	19.3%
Toyota	199,200	19.1%	14.3%
Volkswagen Group	42,500	-5.2%	-0.6%
Industry	1,403,200	12.6%	8.1%


Total Market Share

Manufacturer	September 2015 Forecast	September 2014	August 2015
BMW	2.2%	2.4%	2.1%
Daimler	2.2%	2.4%	2.0%
FCA	13.3%	13.7%	12.9%
Ford	15.1%	14.4%	14.8%
GM	17.3%	17.9%	17.1%
Honda	9.2%	9.5%	9.9%
Hyundai	4.6%	4.5%	4.6%
Kia	3.6%	3.3%	3.7%
Nissan	8.0%	8.3%	8.5%
Subaru	3.7%	3.3%	3.3%
Toyota	14.2%	13.4%	14.2%
Volkswagen Group	3.0%	3.6%	3.6%


Retail Unit Sales

Manufacturer	September 2015 Forecast	% Change vs. September 2014	% Change vs. September 2014 (Daily Selling Rate)
BMW	30,600	4.8%	0.6%
Daimler	29,100	1.4%	-2.6%
FCA	141,800	10.8%	6.4%
Ford	162,000	18.6%	13.8%
GM	197,800	13.8%	9.3%
Honda	129,400	10.1%	5.7%
Hyundai	54,700	14.7%	10.1%
Kia	44,400	22.7%	17.7%
Nissan	101,800	15.4%	10.8%
Subaru	50,400	23.7%	18.8%
Toyota	189,700	18.8%	14.0%
Volkswagen Group	39,200	-7%	-10.9%
Industry	1,214,400	13.8%	9.3%


Incentive Spending

Manufacturer	Incentive per Unit September 2015 Forecast	Incentive per Unit % Change vs. September 2014	Incentive per Unit % Change vs. August 2015	Total Spending September 2015 Forecast
BMW	$4,449	3.2%	-1.0%	$138,356,284
Daimler	$4,608	21.9%	0.2%	$142,862,174
FCA	$3,624	2.6%	1.0%	$675,493,523
Ford	$3,503	-2.5%	0.9%	$746,081,078
GM	$4,037	10.0%	0.0%	$983,307,207
Honda	$2,130	-2.8%	0.5%	$276,913,173
Hyundai	$2,521	51.7%	-0.7%	$163,869,567
Kia	$2,904	12.3%	-0.3%	$145,199,894
Nissan	$3,249	0.4%	-5.5%	$367,097,784
Subaru	$596	-13.6%	-1.5%	$30,759,284
Toyota	$2,179	0.2%	-1.3%	$434,089,682
Volkswagen Group	$3,019	8.4%	-1.4%	$127,388,724
Industry	$3,090	3.9%	-0.1%	$4,323,912,872

(Note: This forecast is based solely on TrueCar’s analysis of industry sales trends and conditions and is not a projection of the company’s operations.)

About TrueCar

TrueCar, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUE) gives consumers transparent insight into what others paid and access to guaranteed savings off MSRP from TrueCar Certified Dealers. TrueCar’s network of more than 10,000 trusted Certified Dealers is committed to providing upfront pricing information and a hassle-free buying experience. TrueCar powers car-buying programs for some of the largest U.S. membership and service organizations, including AARP, American Express, AAA, Sam’s Club and USAA. Not all program features are available in all states. TrueCar is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, with offices in San Francisco and Austin, Texas. For more information about TrueCar and industry analysis please visit www.truecar.com and insights.true.com. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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