RV Industry Stocks Continue to Slide as Fuel Prices Rise During Peak Buying Season
Update 3/10/26 @ 5:40 PM: In the hours after writing this article, stocks rebounded somewhat as President Trump alluded to a reporter that the war in Iran may be coming to a close. We will continue to monitor and provide another update on next week’s news video if needed.
The recent jump in fuel prices couldn’t be coming at a worse time for the RV industry.
March through June is traditionally the prime RV buying season, when dealerships see their strongest traffic and manufacturers build momentum for the year. But with gas prices climbing rapidly and uncertainty surrounding global events, investors appear increasingly cautious about the RV market—and that caution is showing up in RV industry stock prices.
You can read more about the recent spike in fuel prices and what it means for RV travel here.
RV Stocks Extend Their Declines
Just a week after an initial drop in RV-related stocks, several major companies have seen significant additional losses.
- Winnebago has dropped another 13%, bringing its decline to 29% over the past month.
- Thor Industries fell another 7%, now down 30% in the past month.
- Lippert, a major RV component manufacturer, dropped 8% last week and is now down 19% over the past month.
- Camping World, the nation’s largest RV dealership chain, also fell 8% last week, leaving it down a striking 47% over the past month.
These declines come after a sharp drop already reported last week in the RV sector.
We covered the initial drop in RV stocks in last week’s RV News episode.
Watch last week’s RV News episode covering the first wave of RV stock declines:
The Broader Market Is Also Down
Fuel prices aren’t the only factor weighing on the RV industry right now. The broader stock market has also been trending downward.
Over the past month:
- The S&P 500 is down about 3%
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down roughly 6%
Still, the RV sector’s losses are far steeper than the broader market, suggesting investors may be especially concerned about how higher travel costs could affect RV demand.
Higher fuel prices historically don’t eliminate RV travel demand, but they can slow purchasing decisions, particularly among first-time buyers considering a large purchase.
If higher fuel prices are a concern, check out our guide to tips that can improve RV fuel economy and reduce fuel costs on the road.
RV Industry Forecast Shows Stability
Despite the turbulence in stock prices, the RV Industry Association (RVIA) is projecting relatively stable production numbers for the year ahead.
According to a quarterly forecast prepared by a third-party economic firm, 2026 RV wholesale shipments are expected to land between 328,800 and 367,000 units, with a median estimate of about 349,000 units.
That would put shipments very close to the 342,200 units delivered in 2025, and slightly higher than totals seen in 2023 and 2024.
The RV industry has largely settled back to production levels similar to 2013 and 2014, following the massive pandemic boom when shipments surged to more than 600,000 units in 2021.
A Critical Spring for the RV Market
With fuel prices rising and the spring buying season underway, the next few months could be especially important for the RV industry.
Dealership traffic and consumer confidence during this key window will likely determine whether the industry can maintain its steady recovery—or whether higher travel costs and economic uncertainty begin to slow demand.
For now, investors appear cautious, even as the industry itself forecasts relatively stable production levels heading into 2026.ble production levels for the year ahead.
Keep the Big Picture in Mind
When headlines about falling stock prices and rising fuel costs appear together, it can be easy to assume the worst about the RV industry.
But the bigger picture is more nuanced. While RV-related stocks have dropped sharply in recent weeks, the broader market is also down, and industry forecasts still point to relatively stable RV shipments for 2026.
Moments like this can also bring plenty of doom-and-gloom headlines designed to drive clicks, often without much context. That’s why it’s always worth looking for information grounded in data and multiple sources rather than speculation.
At RV Miles, our goal is to provide clear, fact-based reporting about the RV industry and RV travel so you can make informed decisions about life on the road.
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