Franchise Holdings International Inc. (FNHI)

Franchise Holdings International Inc. (FNHI)

FNHI IN DISCUSSIONS WITH TECH COMPANY. WORKSPORT RECEIVES RECORD ORDERS IN NOVEMBER, EXCEEDING ENTIRE 2017 REVENUES. Read towards the bottom. There are 225 million licensed drivers in the U.S with 85% of total adults. And they drive 278.1 million vehicles, made of 158.6 million light trucks and 119.5 million passenger cars that are on the road. The vast majority of the 278 million vehicles are less than 20 years old. Despite the fact that there is a constant flux in the ownership of cars and trucks, currently, the number of cars coming on to the road outpaces those being retired. This expanding vehicle population offers more opportunity for the aftermarket- the industry of specialty car equipment. Over the next few years, passenger car sales are expected to drop whereas demand for light trucks is expected to increase as the growth in CUVs is coming largely at the expense of traditional car sales.

By 2025, SEMA projects that light trucks that include: pickups, SUVs, CUVs and vans, will represent 69% of all light vehicles sold. And if gas prices and the economy don't become limiting factors, light truck sales are expected to continue outpacing passenger cars. While accessorizing can occur anytime during a car's lifecycle, most modifiers tend to upgrade their vehicles within the first few months of purchasing their vehicle, whether it is new or used. But vehicle preferences are changing and so is this overall landscape with 27% of drivers purchasing specialty-equipment parts each year with 34.9 million households accessorizing their vehicles also on a yearly basis. 45 billion in 2018 and it is expected to continue unless prevented by a weakening macroeconomy. Despite the increasing interest for this trend that will shape the future, electric vehicles comprise less than 1% of light vehicles on the road whereas hybrids are now the only alternative to have a notable share of registrations.

So, it will take some time to change the landscape of the U.S. Pickups remain the largest segment for the industry and besides being a versatile platform for accesorization, they are the most common segment on the road and are expected to sell well in the future. CUVs are an emerging opportunity with a lot of them on the road and their popularity growing further, and supposedly they will be accessorized similar to SUVs. But despite the growth of CUVs, full-size pickups remain the most common vehicle subtype on the road. In 2018, pickups are what drove the most sales in the specialized equipment sector. Based on its opportunity scores, full-size pickups top the overall list as they are the perfect platform for accessorization, both in terms of utility enhancement as well as 鈥榚nthusiastic' additions. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is taking first place with its full-size pickup with 17.6 million vehicles in operation. GM is the fourth major company who left the Plastics Industry Association this year possibly due to pressuring environmental policies although they didn't disclose the reason why they didn't renew their membership.

The company just unveiled its electric pickup with two BOLT EV batteries. Their Chevrolet E-10 Concept combines vintage style with the futuristic technology needed to achieve zero-emissions. The second place is taken by Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) F series pickup with 15.6 million operating vehicles. Ford has also just revealed a one-off electric Mustang for this week's annual Specialty Equipment Market, a place where lots of futuristic prototypes are born. With just two weeks until Ford unveils its first mass-market EV, a Mustang-inspired SUV codenamed Mach E, you can imagine where Ford's multibillion-dollar investment into electric vehicles is headed. Third place goes to Fiat Chrysler Automobile's (NYSE:FCAU) RAM who just got patriotic with "built to serve" editions that honor the US Military. Its pickup has 7.6 million operating vehicles on the road. 1.72 billion in the third quarter despite increased spending on electric technology. The fact that revenues increased 7.9 percent is great news after the company was quite disrupted in the same period last year due to new emission policies that impacted costs and distorted its supply chain.