Thor Industries (NYSE: THO) has scheduled its fiscal fourth-quarter 2019 earnings release for Sept. 30 before markets open for trading. It's been a difficult year so far in the recreational vehicle (RV) industry as retail demand normalizes from a significant surge in 2018. Thor's shares have managed to hold their ground and are down just 2% year to date. Will the manufacturer's upcoming report decisively shift this consumer discretionary stock into either positive or negative territory? Below, let's briefly address four things investors will be watching that will bear on this question.
In the fiscal second quarter of 2019, Thor began to curb its manufacturing activity, reflecting the ongoing rationalization of inventory on dealer lots, as retail sellers worked to adjust their vehicle counts to better match softer consumer demand.
In Thor's fiscal third quarter, sales reflected the difference in year-over-year RV demand: The company's towable segment sales slumped by 23% against record prior-year sales, to $1.24 billion, while sales of motorized RVs also fell by 23%, to $459.2 million.