The September 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 sees an economy that’s still expanding, with several key segments picking up speed despite supply-chain disruptions and shifting trade policy. Growth is expected to slow over the next year, but ITR doesn’t foresee a sharp pullback. The big news this month was the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise its benchmark rate by a quarter point after holding steady all year, citing solid consumer spending, a stable job market and stubborn inflation.

What it means for OPE businesses

  • Financing gets more expensive. A higher federal funds rate tends to work its way into consumer financing and dealer floor-plan costs, both of which matter in a business built on financed equipment and seasonal inventory.
  • Two kinds of customers. Higher-income households are doing most of the spending, while rising energy and household costs squeeze everyone else. Expect premium buyers to keep buying and budget-minded customers to delay, trade down or shop on price.
  • Homes slow, commercial steadier. Single-family housing starts are running below last year, which means fewer first-time equipment buyers. Nonresidential construction, on the other hand, looks close to a recovery, a better sign for commercial landscapers and contractors.
  • Don’t bank on a repeat of 2026. ITR cautions against assuming next year’s volume growth will match this year’s. Build 2027 plans and preseason orders around modest volumes.

Also in this issue

ITR’s Tara Bayke looks at how unevenly AI is being adopted across the economy. Manufacturing and construction trail well behind tech and finance, and ITR suggests businesses judge AI by its results inside their own operations rather than by economy-wide headlines. (For more on AI in the OPE channel, see AI for Distributors: What’s Changing.) The issue also includes industry snapshots, a leading-indicator outlook into 2027 and an investor update.

Read the full issue

Members can sign in to read the full September 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.