Two less October selling days certainly didn't help Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, however those extra days probably still would not have pushed the automaker into positive sales territory.
FCA said Tuesday its October sales fell 10% against last year thanks to an almost across the board decline from all its brands. Jeep, in particular, was troubling for the company as the brand seems to be cooling following many red-hot sales months. The division dropped 6.7% for October, however the good news for FCA is the brand had the lowest decline among all its divisions, and Jeep still is up 10% for the year.
Jeep Grand Cherokee continued to lead the way, with October sales up 9%, while the Jeep Patriot also finished in positive territory for the month - up 2%. Jeep Cherokee (down 23%) and Renegade (down 9%) were sore spots, while Wrangler struggled again with a 7% decline.
As Wrangler continues to struggle, it is becoming increasingly apparent consumers are awaiting more news about the vehicles next generation - the JL - before making a purchasing decision. Normally a sales linchpin for FCA, the Wrangler has now seen sales declines in four straight months. Many expect the new Wrangler to hit the market in 2017's second quarter.
Overall, FCA did beat expectations as most analysts thought the company would show sales declining 10.6%. Industry-wide, sales dropped 6.6%.
For FCA, its car divisions were again the main drawback for the automaker. Chrysler (down 45 percent), Fiat (down 24%), and Dodge (down 16%) all disappointed, however the news isn't surprising as FCA has repeatedly stated its goal is to phase out just about all its automobile brands to focus exclusively on Truck and SUV lines.
