SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — New boat sales were down by 33.9 percent and total dealership sales were down by 22.0 percent for the average dealer tracked by Spader Business Management during the ten-month period ended Oct. 31, compared to the same period of 2008, the company reported in a recent statement.

That continues a trend of incremental improvement in those numbers during recent months — in September, new boat sales were down by 34.2 percent and total dealership sales were down by 23.0 percent.
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The average dealer reported year-to-date new boat sales of $3,121,027 and average total dealership sales of $6,925,321 for the first ten months of 2009. This compares to the average new boat sales of $4,721,009 and the average total dealership sales of $8,873,596 reported for the first ten months of 2008.

The training and consulting firm tracks North American boat dealers, both large and small, to compile an average profile, then compares year-over-year trends in a number of different categories.

Pre-owned boat sales for the average dealer tracked by Spader Business Management brought in $983,545 during the first ten months of the year, down only 5.5 percent when compared to the same time frame in 2008, according to Spader.

New boat inventory levels were down 22.8 percent for the first ten months of the year — from $3,378,198 to $2,608,123. Spader reported pre-owned boat inventory was down 8.2 percent to $403,852 during this period, resulting in a total inventory decline of 21.1 percent.

F&I revenue fell 36.9 percent and service revenue dropped 9.7 percent for the period, while parts and accessories revenue was down 6.5 percent, marina revenue was down 12.9 percent and other department sales fell 8.1 percent.

The total dealership gross margin percentage was up by 0.8 percentage points. Unit gross margin percentages were down by 1.9 percentage points to 15.4 percent, compared to last year.

"Dealers continue to spend a larger portion of their earnings on operating expenses," Spader said. "Spending on personnel, floorplan interest and fixed expenses were all up. Advertising expenses and other semi-fixed expenses were down."

At the end of October, the average dealer earned a net profit of 2.2 percent of sales, compared to an average net profit of 3.0 percent of sales in 2008. This equates to a decrease in net profit dollars of over 40 percent.

No sh*t Sherlock? Gonna blame Obama or bu$h? Gotta blame somebody right?

No I didn't, Obama said the economy was getting better and I believed him.............

It is getting better. Job losses and unemployment applications are down. Will the trend continue, who knows but we hope so.

Oh ya, I tend to forget that you lefties measure success by how much money you can steal from the middle class and how many poor people you can get on welfare. This is the best economy in the left's history. Wahoo, socialism for all.

Lets blame you.......you need to buy a boat

Obama is lost he can't create a single Job, never has never will,anything more than handing out hip flasks on Chicago’s south side is too much for him.

I actually blame ALL OF THEM...this current situation is a result of many, from both sides.

I know a guy who is up for a federal government job. He first applied in Sept. and is still going thru the process ! How can they create jobs when it takes 4 ++ months to fill a single government job !!!

The more the Government does, the worst it will get. Dems don't understand that small business creates jobs, not the Goverment.

Oh I forgot, the Goverment has hired more people than anyone else over the last year. That alone is a big part of the problem.

If the Goverment would do NOTHING for the next few years, AND LET US KNOW THEY ARE WILLING TO STOP, people would feel a lot more comfortable about moving forward.