Autos Drag Down Sales; SUV Sales Actually Rose -- March 5, 2019

Of the stories I said I would get back to later today, the only on that interests me at the moment is from ArgusMedia: US sales of light trucks and automobiles decreased to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 16.5mn units in February, as sales of sedans fell to a near 10-year low.

Wow.

More data points, February auto, light truck sales:

• sales in February at an 18-month low

Light trucks and automobiles:

• February, 2019: 16.5 million unit rate
• January, 2019: 16.7 million unit rate
• February, 2018: 16.9 million unit rate

It appears folks are getting ready for the Green Nude Eel.

Auto sales:

• February, 2019: 4.87  million unit rate
• January, 2019: 5.32 million unit rate
• February, 2018: 5.44 million unit rate

Light truck sales (includes SUVs): rose

• February, 2019: 11.66  million unit rate
• January, 2019: 11.36 million unit rate
• February, 2018: 11.49 million unit rate 

I might be misreading something here. The headlines across the board yesterday regarding auto sales were all "negative." They all suggested "sales were down." At least that's what I read. But then the narrative: sedan sales fell, but SUVs and light trucks rose. SUVs and light trucks have a (much) better profit margin than sedans, so what's the problem. Manufacturers are pushing SUVs and light trucks.