Editor's Note: The following information is an excerpt from a feature in the Winter 2020 issue. Go here to read the full story and see more trends.

The top 5 categories driving unit sales growth in 2020 are zero-turn mowers, tractors under 40 horsepower, rotary cutters, chain saws and hay tools/balers, according to Rural Lifestyle Dealer's 2020 Dealer Business Trends and Outlook Report.

Zero-turn mowers have topped the list for the last 5 years and this year, nearly 60% of dealers expect unit sales to increase 2% or more. That optimism is down slightly from last year when 66.7% of dealers expected similar increases of unit sales. (See the table “Product Lines with Most Potential to Increase Unit Sales in 2020” below.)

There have been some shifts among the categories in unit sales projections as utility vehicles dropped from third last year to ninth this year. Chain saws moved up to fourth from the 11th position last year.

Compact excavators were added to the list of categories this year and they ranked 10th out of the 27 categories surveyed. Nearly 28% of dealers expect unit sales of compact excavators to increase 2% or more this year.

The weighted average perspective shows dealers are especially optimistic about the sales of chain saws. (See the chart “Weighted Average Perspective” below.)

Go here to read the full story.