On a year-over-year basis, sales of compact tractors were up 16.6%, according to the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers. Year-to-date sales for compacts were up 12.5%.

Rural equipment dealers rank below the industry average in terms of responding to website customers, according to the 2019 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index for Internet Lead Effectiveness Industry Study.

Compare your outlook with small business owners (SBOs) in general. While SBOs remain confident, they are watching external pressures that could challenge operations over the next 12 months.

Alamo Group's net sales for the first quarter of 2019 were $261.9 million compared to net sales of $238.1 million in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of 10%. Net income for the quarter was $15.3 million compared to net income of $14.6 million, an increase of 4.6% in net income.

AGCO reported its sales during the first quarter of 2019 were down 0.6% compared to the first quarter of 2018.

Third fiscal quarter net sales decreased 4%, largely driven by continued weather-related market softness in Australia and Europe as well as the impact to U.S. sales from the Sears bankruptcy.

Retail sales results were somewhat mixed, with greater than 20% snowmobile growth helping to offset modest weather-related declines in off-road vehicles, motorcycles and boats, according to the company.

BrandSpark International surveyed over 12,800 American shoppers to discover what brands they trust most. John Deere ranked first in the home goods/lawn mower category and DeWalt ranked first in the home goods/power tools category.

Catch up on what you might have missed with this round-up of trending stories.

Many economic indicators that measure the general health of the U.S. economy are trending upward, and this is good news for rural lifestyle dealers who count on sales of smaller equipment and machinery. This is particularly true when compared to dealerships who rely on big ag equipment for a bulk of their sales.