J.D. Power and Associates Reports: New-Vehicle Retail Sales Pace Cools as January Ends

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- January new-vehicle retail sales began to slow in the second half of the month, with the selling rate now expected to come in below 10 million units, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States.

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"The strength in retail sales from the beginning of the month has reversed during the past two weeks, slowing the momentum," said Jeff Schuster, executive director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. "There are a multitude of factors that could be driving the weakness: winter storms, delayed payback from the strong December close, and a pullback in marketing and incentives, as incentive levels are 12 percent lower compared with December."

For total sales, the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) is expected to be in the 11.5-million-unit to 12.0-million-unit range.

J.D. Power and Associates will be tracking new-vehicle sales as they are announced by auto manufacturers on February 1 and will have automotive analysts available for both print and broadcast interviews after 8:00 a.m. E.T./5:00 a.m. P.T.

To schedule an interview, please contact: John Tews; Troy, Mich.; [phone]; [e-mail]

Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; [phone]; [e-mail]

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing forecasting, performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

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JEFF SCHUSTER

http://www.profnetconnect.com/jeff_schuster

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J.D. Power and Associates

CONTACT: John Tews; [phone], or Syvetril Perryman,
[phone], both of J.D. Power and Associates, [e-mail]

Web Site: http://www.jdpower.com/