Winnebago is Top-Selling Motorhome in 2009

[DriVer]

Winnebago Industries is Top-Selling Motor Home Manufacturer for Ninth Consecutive Year

Forest City, IA -- Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WGO), has been recognized for the ninth consecutive year as the nation’s top-selling motor home manufacturer according to Statistical Surveys, Inc., a retail reporting service in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Winnebago Industries’ dealers retailed more Class A and Class C motor homes combined than any other manufacturer’s dealer group in calendar 2009, achieving 19.2 percent market share versus 18.3 percent market share for calendar 2008.

“Achieving the top-selling position again is a tribute to the teamwork of our dealer partners and our employees,” said Winnebago Industries Vice President of Sales and Marketing Roger Martin. “Once again our dealers have shown that when our company gives them the right product and the right support, they can accomplish anything. We were extremely pleased with our market share performance in calendar 2009, particularly in the Class A diesel motor home market segment, due in part to the success of our new 2010 lineup. Winnebago Industries had the largest Class A diesel market share gain in the industry with 11.3 percent of this market segment in 2009 versus 8.1 percent in calendar 2008; an amazing gain of nearly 40 percent for the year.”

Winnebago Industries also led the Class A Gas market segment and the Class C market segment, both with 22.9 percent market share in calendar 2009. Winnebago Industries’ ERA was also the top-selling Class B motor home model in calendar 2009 with 17.9 percent market share.

“We believe RV consumers are drawn to quality, well-established brands, particularly during the challenging economic conditions we faced in 2009,” said Martin. “At a time when too many dealers and consumers are left out in the cold without the support of their manufacturer, we will continue to work diligently to distinguish our products from the competition through stringent quality, innovative product design and unmatched service after the sale. Through these efforts, Winnebago Industries has also been recognized as a Quality Circle Award recipient by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers’ Association for each of the last 14 years.”

About Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries, Inc. is the nation’s top-selling manufacturer of motor homes which are self-contained recreation vehicles used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motor homes under the Winnebago, Itasca and ERA brand names with state-of-the-art computer-aided design and manufacturing systems on automotive-styled assembly lines. 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.

[PNWGirl]

I am actually surprised at a market share gain, in 2009. I wonder if it is due to better quality or the downfall of so many other manufacturers.

Sheila

[becks]

One advantage they have is that they make class A,B, and C units. Not all builders do. Winny has however done well in these trying times.

[ninos]

Bottom line is winnebago as a great product and they havee a outstanding service to they're customers, Joe.

[MuckSavage]

Winnebago does make a great product. Their status is acheived thru that & as previously mentioned, the make Calss A, B, & C RV's. Tiffin has the #1 selling Class A.

Congrats to both for making a great product & weathering the economy storm!

[fun time]

I am by no means trying to start something here, just trying to understand a few things so please no flaming. As the release stated "Winnebago was also the top selling gas Class A" then how can Tiffin be the top Class A seller as one of the posters stated? What am I missing? Did the poster mean Tiffin was the top selling Class A in DP line? I am confused. Thanks

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun time I am by no means trying to start something here, just trying to understand a few things

fun time, I'll take a Mulligan on this so here goes .... "Winnebago Industries’ dealers retailed more Class A and Class C motor homes combined than any other manufacturer’s dealer group in calendar 2009, achieving 19.2 percent market share versus 18.3 percent market share for calendar 2008."

Winnebago is a top selling motorhome manufacturer that retailed more "combined." Given that context it is all together feasible that Winnebago is indeed the combined top selling motorhome manufacturer. Tiffin as claimed in a post can indeed be the top selling class A manufacturer if that's the case.

There are also other top selling motorhome manufacturers out there for their particular niche. Top selling I believe is just too broad of a spectrum to use as opposed to #1 for instance which would imply a definite position.

I don't see any reason to go to flames with this ...

[azloafer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun time I am by no means trying to start something here, just trying to understand a few things so please no flaming. As the release stated "Winnebago was also the top selling gas Class A" then how can Tiffin be the top Class A seller as one of the posters stated? What am I missing? Did the poster mean Tiffin was the top selling Class A in DP line? I am confused. Thanks

I think that some owners might add a little to a story because they own that particular coach. Others will never admit they are really sorry they bought a certain brand.

There is a saying, "These are the facts as I see them; you may see them differently."

We are on our fifth coach and I would not be afraid to tell anyone which brand we prefer and which we did not like...of course that is the way we see it based on our experience.

[EngineerMike]

It would be interesting to take market share numbers pre-crash, then take total sales in the above year and pro-rate by remaining manufacturer's numbers pre-crash. This would tell the story of how well the remaining brands stack up. If all the majors gained, but only by their proportionate ownership of the pre-crash market, then there is nothing new in the zoo. If somebody gained at an outsized rate versus the competition still standing, then they are truly a winner.

If you are in the market to IPO your startup company, you will receive a "pitch-book" from any of maybe 20 firms wanting a piece of the business (maybe 12 or so nowadays), and each one will have charts & diagrams proving conclusively how they are the finest partner to have when going IPO. Of course they all can't be the best. But they have various statistics that prove they beat the competition. With the long list of DOA manufacturers (think Alfa, the fastest growing Class A diesel pusher before the crash IIRC, National dead, Coachmen shot down in flames...), it would certainly be surprising if market share gains among the survivors were not giant. Imagine the headlines if only one coach was sold for the year- "Coachworks Industries claims 100% market share- Hard Work & Dedication Pay Off!!!"