News

Inventory Levels Decreased in December Across Most Markets as Dealers Faced Slower Year-End Sales

According to the new Sandhills Global market reports, which cover construction equipment, farm machinery, trucks, and trailers on Sandhills platforms, inventory levels declined in December as dealers sought to close end-of-year sales. Sales in the construction sector were lower than in previous years, while dealers faced challenges selling recent-model agricultural equipment.

Although the Internal Revenue Service overhauled the section 179 tax incentive for equipment, trucks, and other business purchases, its impact on sales has been minimal. For farmers in particular, the tax incentive offers little benefit unless interest rates are lowered or commodity prices improve.

In the December reports, Sandhills observed continued downward trends in used construction equipment inventory levels, asking prices, and auction values. In agricultural markets, used combine inventory levels, asking prices, and auction levels all increased month over month, but sideways trends remained. Used high-horsepower tractor inventory continued to decline, with inventory levels 15.5% lower than in the previous year.

Inventory levels of used heavy-duty trucks are trending sideways, driven largely by a 19.29% year-over-year drop in the used day cab category. By contrast, used sleeper truck inventory has been trending up over the past few months. Meanwhile, used semi-trailers showed marginal decreases in inventory levels, asking prices, and auction values, with all trends pointing downward.

The key metric in all of Sandhills’ market reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI). Buyers and sellers can use the information in the Sandhills EVI to monitor equipment markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. The Sandhills EVI data include equipment available in auction and retail markets and model-year equipment actively in use. EVI spread measures the percentage difference between asking and auction values.

Market Report Details

Sandhills market reports highlight the most significant changes in Sandhills’ used heavy-duty truck, semi-trailer, farm machinery, and construction equipment markets. Key points from the current reports are listed below. Full reports are available upon request.

U.S. Used Tractors 100 Horsepower and Greater

• Inventory levels in this market have been trending down for the last eight months. In December, inventory levels fell 1.9% M/M and 15.46% YOY. The used 100-to-174-HP tractor category had the greatest impact on these changes, with inventory levels dropping 3.87% M/M and 24.37% YOY.
• December saw a modest dip in asking prices of 0.07% M/M and a larger decrease of 5.85% YOY. Asking prices have been trending down for 11 consecutive months. The categories with the largest asking value changes were used 100-to-174-HP tractors, up 0.78% M/M, and used 300-HP-and-greater tractors, down 5.54% YOY.
• Auction values, by contrast, are trending sideways, with a 2.39% M/M increase and a 2.54% YOY decrease in December. The used 175-to-299-HP tractor category showed the strongest M/M uplift with a 4.12% change. Conversely, the used 300-HP-and-greater tractor category had the deepest YOY decline, down 2.05% YOY.
• The EVI spread, which measures the percentage difference between asking and auction values, fell from 38% in November to 35% in December, lower than the peak values observed in 2015.

U.S. Used Combines

• U.S. used combine harvester inventory levels increased by 4.66% M/M and decreased by 9.5% YOY in December and are trending sideways.
• Asking and auction values are also trending sideways. Asking values rose 4.66% M/M and dipped 0.37% YOY in December.
• Auction values surged 6.11% M/M and 7.47% YOY.
• The EVI spread in the used combine market decreased two points to 37% in December, which is lower than the peak values observed in 2015.

U.S. Used Sprayers

• Inventory levels of U.S. used sprayers decreased by 1.89% M/M and 14.52% YOY in December and are trending downward.
• Asking values decreased by 1.59% M/M and 8.05% YOY and are trending downward.
• Auction values decreased by 1.28% M/M and 6.38% YOY and are also trending downward, reinforcing the overall downward trend in the used sprayer market.
• The EVI spread remained unchanged at 43% in December, slightly lower than peak values from 2015.

U.S. Used Planters

• U.S. used planter inventory levels fell 6.35% M/M and 22.23% YOY in December and continued a downward trend.
• Asking values slipped 2.66% M/M, edged up 0.48% YOY, and are trending down.
• Auction values inched downward by 1% M/M but rose 4.39% YOY and are trending sideways.
• The EVI spread fell two points to 50% in December, which is lower than the peak values seen in 2015.

U.S. Used Compact and Utility Tractors

• Inventory levels in this market showed a modest increase of 1.07% M/M and a significant YOY drop of 19.85%. The largest changes occurred in the used 40-to-99-HP tractor category, with inventory levels up 1.93% M/M, and the used less-than-40-HP tractor category, down 22.29% YOY.
• Asking values slipped 0.52% M/M in December but increased by 2.5% YOY and are trending sideways. The used 40-to-99-HP tractor category drove these changes, with asking values down 1.08% M/M and up 0.6% YOY.
• Auction values decreased by 1.12% M/M, increased by 2.55% YOY, and are trending down. The used 40-to-99-HP tractor category had the largest M/M auction value decrease at 1.55%, whereas the used less-than-40-HP tractor category had the largest YOY increase at 0.64%.

U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Construction Equipment

• Inventory levels in this market, which includes used crawler excavators, dozers, and wheel loaders, fell 4.02% M/M and 9.04% YOY in December. Inventory levels are currently trending down. Used wheel loader inventory levels decreased more than other categories M/M, falling 5.04%, while the used crawler excavator category posted the largest YOY drop at 11.26%.
• Asking prices decreased by 0.54% M/M and 1.04% YOY and are trending down. Used crawler dozer asking prices dipped 0.89% M/M, leading other categories in monthly changes, while the used wheel loader category led in YOY decreases with a 1.83% drop.
• Auction values are trending down, falling 1.54% M/M and rising 1.36% YOY in December. The greatest M/M auction value contraction occurred in the used crawler dozer category with a 3.45% decrease. The used wheel loader category had the largest YOY auction value gain at 5.42%.

U.S. Used Medium-Duty Construction Equipment

• Inventory levels in this market, which includes used skid steers, loader backhoes, and mini excavators, fell 5.13% M/M and 10.06% YOY and are trending downward. The used loader backhoe category drove the largest inventory drops, posting decreases of 7.53% M/M and 19.32% YOY.
• Following a five-month-long downward trend, asking values held steady in December, up 0.2% M/M and down 0.81% YOY. Used loader backhoes constituted the standout category here as well, posting the largest asking value changes with a 0.67% M/M increase and a 2.94% YOY decrease.
• Auction values experienced minimal changes in December, decreasing by 0.54% M/M and 0.1% YOY, and continued a downward trend. Used mini excavators led other categories in auction value changes, slipping 1.62% M/M and 2.68% YOY.

U.S. Used Aerial Lifts

• U.S. used aerial lift inventory levels have been trending up for seven consecutive months. In December, inventory levels slipped 0.49% M/M but climbed 10.97% YOY. The most notable inventory changes came from the used articulating boom lift category, down 1.16% M/M, and the used rough-terrain scissor lift category, up 21.08% YOY.
• Asking prices fell 3.14% M/M and 6.46% YOY in December, continuing a 10-month-long downward trend. The used telescopic boom lift category posted the most significant changes, with asking values falling 4.34% M/M and 9.59% YOY.
• Auction values dropped 6.9% M/M and 12.64% YOY in December and continued a downward trend. The most pronounced downward slide occurred in the used telescopic boom lift category, with auction values falling 10.15% M/M and 19.25% YOY.

U.S. Used Forklifts

• Inventory levels of U.S. used forklifts slipped 1.44% M/M in December but surged 21.75% compared to year-ago levels and are showing a strong YOY upward trend. The used pneumatic-tire forklift category drove these inventory changes with a 2.87% M/M decrease and a 23.36% YOY increase.
• Asking prices fell 2.54% M/M but rose 2.17% YOY and are trending sideways. The used cushion-tire forklift category had the most influence, with asking values falling 5.67% M/M and rising 2.26% YOY.
• Used forklift auction values are also trending sideways despite December decreases of 0.81% M/M and 1.78% YOY. The used cushion-tire forklift category posted the sharpest monthly auction value decline at 6.03%, while the used pneumatic-tire forklift category had the greatest yearly drop at 2.18%.

U.S. Used Telehandlers

• Inventory levels of U.S. used telehandlers declined 4.03% M/M in December but increased by 11.44% YOY and are trending sideways.
• Asking prices fell 1.57% M/M, edged up 0.3% YOY, and are trending down.
• Auction values have maintained a downward trend for eight consecutive months. Auction values decreased by 1.5% M/M and 3.16% YOY in December.

U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Trucks

• Inventory levels in this market decreased by 0.41% M/M and 9.08% YOY in December and are trending sideways. Used sleeper trucks had the sharpest M/M inventory level decrease at 2.25%, while used day cab trucks posted the largest YOY drop at 19.29%.
• Asking values have been trending down but edged higher in December, rising 0.5% M/M and 0.75% YOY. The largest increases occurred in the used sleeper truck category, with asking values up 1.13% M/M and 6.21% YOY.
• Auction values continued a downward trend, decreasing by 2.04% M/M and 2.41% YOY in December. The used sleeper truck category claimed the largest M/M auction value decrease at 2.11%, while the used day cab truck category led in YOY decreases with an 8.48% drop.

U.S. Used Semi-Trailers

• Inventory levels of U.S. used semi-trailers slipped 0.04% M/M and 6.31% YOY in December and are trending down. The used drop-deck trailer category exhibited the largest M/M inventory level decrease at 6.51%, while the largest YOY drop occurred in the used dry van trailer category with a 20.13% decrease.
• Asking values decreased by 1.02% M/M in December and remained almost flat compared to last year, decreasing 0.01%. Asking values are currently trending down. Used reefer trailer asking prices led other categories with a 5.93% decrease. The largest YOY shift occurred in the used dry van trailer category, with asking values up 2.24%. 
• Auction values dipped lower by 1.35% M/M and 1.61% YOY in December, continuing a 5-month-long downward trend. The used reefer trailer category posted the largest auction value changes, decreasing by 5% M/M and 6.41% YOY.

U.S. Used Medium-Duty Trucks

• Inventory levels in this market, which includes used box trucks, flatbed trucks, and cab and chassis trucks, have been trending down for four months. Inventory levels increased by 1.59% M/M and decreased by 4.98% YOY in December.
• Asking values fell 1.56% M/M and 5.31% YOY, continuing a 16-month-long downward trend.
• Auction values have also been trending down. In December, auction values fell 1.7% M/M and 6.23% YOY.

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About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index

The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) is a principal gauge of the estimated market values of used assets—both currently and over time—across the construction, agricultural, and commercial trucking industries represented by Sandhills Global marketplaces, including AuctionTime.com, TractorHouse.com, MachineryTrader.com, TruckPaper.com, and other industry-specific equipment platforms. Powered by Value Insight Portal (VIP), Sandhills’ proprietary asset valuation tool, Sandhills EVI provides useful insights into the ever-changing supply-and-demand conditions for each industry.