The August 2026 issue of the ITR Advisor, prepared each month by ITR Economics for OPEESA, is available to members on the ITR Economic Outlook page. Here’s our read on what it means for outdoor power equipment dealers, distributors and manufacturers.

The big picture

ITR describes measured but uneven growth. AI infrastructure, capital equipment and defense are providing real support, while more mature industries are seeing little growth. Some of today’s gains reflect higher prices rather than more units sold, and household finances are starting to show strain: real income growth is soft and the personal savings rate is very low.

What it means for OPE businesses

  • Buyers are getting choosier. ITR expects consumers to keep spending, but more deliberately. That kind of shift usually shows up first in big-ticket, financed purchases, the same category as much of the OPE showroom.
  • Watch price acceptance. With costs rising across many inputs, price increases are hard to avoid. ITR suggests keeping a close eye on how willing customers are to accept them.
  • Housing is soft. Single-family housing starts are declining under still-high mortgage rates, which limits demand from new homeowners.
  • Mind the bottom line. This month’s advice: inflation is showing up across a wide range of inputs, so look for ways to streamline operations and keep costs in check.

Also in this issue

David Fairchild’s feature, “The Resilient Consumer Is Starting to Bend,” explains why consumers are slowing down, from persistent inflation to higher borrowing costs and flat real incomes, and where businesses are likely to feel it first. The issue also includes industry snapshots, a leading-indicator outlook into early 2027 and an investor update.

Read the full issue

Members can sign in to read the full August 2026 issue, plus every past month, on the ITR Economic Outlook page. Not a member yet? Request membership information.

Follow how the outlook changes from month to month on OPEESA’s Outdoor Power Equipment Industry Outlook page.