Winnebago Touring Coach Is #1 Selling Class B Model for 2014

[markopolo]

News Release
Winnebago Touring Coach Is #1 Selling Class B Model for 2014
Achieves 83.7% Volume Share Growth in Calendar 2014

FOREST CITY, IA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/11/15 -- Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WGO), a leading United States (U.S.) recreation vehicle manufacturer, has achieved the #1 status for the Company's Winnebago Touring Coach line, which has retailed more than any other Class B motorhome model in North America.

The Winnebago Touring Coach line has achieved 83.7% growth in volume in 2014 with 551 units retailed in the U.S. throughout Calendar 2014, or 25.4% retail market share, compared to 300 units in Calendar 2013, or 17.0% market share.

"We are honored to have the Winnebago Touring Coach be named the #1 selling Class B model for 2014 by Statistical Surveys," said Winnebago Product Manager Russ Garfin. "We have a long-standing reputation of being first to market with new innovative chassis platforms. We continued that tradition with the launch of the Travato on the new Ram ProMaster chassis. We are also very proud that this new entry was a key driver in the overall growth of the Class B market for 2014."

According to Statistical Surveys, the Class B retail market grew more than any other market segment in the U.S. in Calendar 2014, increasing 22.8% over retail sales in calendar 2013.

"Our efficient and compact touring coaches are leading the B-Van segment with flexibility, comfort and reliability," Garfin continued. "We are committed to long term growth in this segment of the market and have been applying considerable design, engineering and production resources to better meet the needs of our customers. These customers are in turn responding strongly to our product improvements and the new floorplans that support their active lifestyles."

About Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries, Inc., "The Most Recognized Name in Motor Homes®", is a leading U.S. manufacturer of recreation vehicles, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motor homes, travel trailers, fifth wheel products, and transit buses. Winnebago Industries has received the Quality Circle Award from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association every year since 1996. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges and traded under the symbol WGO. Options for the Company's common stock are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. For access to Winnebago Industries' investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit http://investor.wgo.net.

Source: Winnebago Industries

[markopolo]

Note: I don't exactly understand this news release. It may be revised or updated.

"Line" and "model" were both used in the release.

Winnebago Touring Coach is a line not a model .....

Winnebago had a fantastic year in 2014 but Roadtrek would still be number 1 for sales I think.

[booster]

I will give Winnebago credit, though. I just looked at their website, and the only two B's they list are the Era and Travato, so no B+ stuff to muck up the sales numbers. They look to be getting serious about the class B market.

[bobojay]

Humm, interesting news, but I bet Roadtrek disputes it somehow.....I don't doubt Lichtsinn's place in this statistic.

Note it says "retailed", not just manufactured....

http://www.lichtsinn.com/blog/2015/02/1 ... -for-2014/

[markopolo]

I merged bobojay's topic with this one.

I'm a bit confused by the news release. SSI retail reports Roadtrek as number 1 every month. Roadtrek units would fall under a "brand" not a "line" is my guess.

Maybe it is brand, line, model in the stats .....

[booster]

Originally Posted by markopolo

I merged bobojay's topic with this one.

I'm a bit confused by the news release. SSI retail reports Roadtrek as number 1 every month. Roadtrek units would fall under a "brand" not a "line" is my guess.

Maybe it is brand, line, model in the stats .....

I think Roadtrek loses out because their brand and line are the same thing. No Roadtreks that aren't B's, so they call it brand in the ratings. Winnebago has multiple models in the line, but also have lots of other stuff in their brand.

[Davydd]

This is the only quibble I have with the news release.

"Our efficient and compact touring coaches are leading the B-Van segment with flexibility, comfort and reliability," Garfin continued.

Does that make the rest a bit of hyperbole?

[bobojay]

Winnebago doesn't claim any B+'s so that doesn't fit into the "line" statistic. I still say that term "retailed" means something vs built.
Where does the Airstream Interstate REALLY fit in there?
This could also be one of those shuffling of numbers like Ford does with their F series pickup numbers vs GM's. GM almost always sells more pickups than Ford does, but GM's numbers would combine Chevy & GMC, that's not taken into account by advertising depts.

Advertising interpretations is all it is.....

[hanesworthy]

Well, no matter how you slice and dice it, that's a lot of chest thumping and hyperbole for selling 551 units of anything in a year.