Good News for Automakers in August Sales Forecast

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) is expected to post the largest year-over-year gain, up 17.3%, which Kelley attributes to the company’s redesigned Accord, Civic and CR-V models. Honda also posts a market share gain of 0.3% year-over-year to 10.5%, the biggest gain of any automaker in the Kelley Blue Book data.

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) is expected to post a 9.8% gain year-over-year and maintain its hold on second place in the battle for market share with 14.8% share, just 0.1% better than Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM). The U.S. market share leader continues to be General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) which claims 18.7% share.

Full-size pickup truck sales are expected to rise 21.8% above August 2012 sales and up 0.9% from July 2013. Only the compact crossover segment, expected to rise by 22.1% over last August, shows a bigger yearly increase. Pickup truck sales are expected to grow even more in what is traditionally a better time of year for truck sales. Good news for Ford, GM, and Chrysler Group’s Ram pickups.

Sales of mid-size cars are forecast to decline by nearly 2% this month compared with August 2012, but the segment still claims the largest market share with 15.8%. A redesigned Toyota Corolla is due out next month and that may push the compact segment’s market share, currently at 15.4% and rising, into the top spot.