The trend toward moderated optimism for the rural equipment market that showed up in 2019 looks to continue this year, with aftermarket revenue and zero-turn mowers being growth drivers in 2020. This is based on responses from dealers across North America in Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s 12th annual Dealer Business Trends & Outlook Report.

The rural equipment market will bring good revenues again this year, according to Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s 2019 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook Report. However, dealers are indicating some caution in their forecasts.

Are you feeling good about 2018? You should be, based on the results of Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s Dealer Business Trends & Outlook survey. And, if you’re not, it’s time to make quick adjustments to tap into the momentum that other dealers are experiencing.

Rural equipment dealers forecast another good year for overall and aftermarket sales, according to Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s 2017 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook survey, the magazine’s 9th annual. Despite the economic and social turbulence of an election year, these optimistic forecasts follow a very strong year for growth in 2016. Eighty-four percent of dealers think 2017 will be as good as or better than 2016 for total revenue and more than 90% think aftermarket revenue will also be as good as or better than last year. This compares with last year’s survey in which more than 88% of dealers expected 2016 to be as good as or better than 2015 for total revenue and more than 90% expected aftermarket revenue to be as good as or better than 2015.

Dealers selling to rural lifestylers think 2016 will be another good year, with significant growth forecast for revenue at a time when the production ag equipment market is experiencing declines by as much as 20% or more.

Dealers are upbeat about revenue potential, segment growth, new product opportunities and more for the rural lifestyle market.