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# Rush Enterprises Class 8 Truck Sales Climb 24.4%, But New Orders Slow Ahead Of EPA Rules
- URL: https://www.bullished.co/rush-enterprises-class-8-truck-sales-climb-24-4-but-new-orders-slow-ahead-of-epa-rules-f95a96da/
- Published: 2026-10-27T21:36:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-28T15:08:24.000Z
- Description: The truck dealer's third-quarter profit rose to $78.0 million, while its CEO says quoting and orders have cooled.
- Author: Matteo Parrino
- Tags: Earnings, RUSHA, Industry: Consumer Discretionary

[Rush Enterprises](https://www.bullished.co/tag/rusha/), which runs the Rush Truck Centers commercial vehicle dealerships, said third-quarter net income rose to [$78.0 million](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001012019/000143774926033667/ex%5F1032727.htm?ref=bullished.co), or $0.65 a diluted share, from $66.7 million, or $0.55, a year earlier. Revenue climbed 12.4% to $2.113 billion, but CEO W.M. "Rusty" Rush warned that new-truck orders have slowed while the industry waits on the EPA's final 2027 emissions rules, the company said Tuesday in an [8-K filing](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001012019/000143774926033667/rusha20261027%5F8k.htm?ref=bullished.co).

## Deliveries up, orders cooling

Rush sold 3,880 new Class 8 trucks in the U.S., up 24.4% from a year earlier, for 6.5% of the market. ACT Research put industry retail sales at 59,616 units, up 10.2%, so Rush outpaced the market.

Medium-duty sales rose 9.6% to 3,265 vehicles in the U.S., against industry growth of 0.8%. Used vehicle sales rose 5.5% to 1,913\. Rush said the heavy-truck gains came mainly from over-the-road customers, helped by stronger freight rates and a need to replace aging equipment.

Then the caution. "Quoting and new order activity have slowed recently as the industry awaits the EPA's final rules," Rush said, adding that 2027 manufacturer pricing may stay fluid and customers will likely delay purchases. He still expects orders to pick up shortly after the rules are final, and says the backlog points to strong sales in the fourth quarter and into the first quarter of 2027, though supply constraints may affect delivery timing.

## Aftermarket and the balance sheet

Parts, service and collision revenue rose 5.8% to $679.9 million and made up about 62.8% of gross profit. The absorption ratio, which measures how much of dealership overhead that work covers, was 128.3%, against 129.3% a year ago. Rush said energy and wholesale customers were the fastest-growing segments, though the aftermarket recovery has lagged new-vehicle demand.

Leasing and rental revenue rose 5.3% to $98.2 million. Rush expects rental demand to stay strong but said leasing may soften in the first quarter of 2027, since many customers bought ahead of expected 2027 price increases.

The company ended the quarter with $226.4 million in cash, after repurchasing $10.3 million of stock and paying $16.4 million in dividends. During the quarter it also closed a 50%-owned joint venture with MCT Companies, a Carrier Transicold dealer operating 17 dealerships and three mobile service locations, its entry into refrigerated transportation. Per-share figures reflect a three-for-two stock split distributed August 31.

## Dividend and call

The board declared a $0.14 quarterly dividend, payable December 10 to holders of record on November 11\. Rush hosts its earnings call Wednesday at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Rush says it expects freight-market improvement to continue in the fourth quarter, with the EPA's final rules the swing factor for orders.

Learn

- [Item 2.02: results of operations →](https://www.bullished.co/learn/8-k-items-explained/#item-202-results-of-operations)  
From 8-K Items Explained: What Every Item Code From 1.01 To 9.01 Tells You, With Examples

### Sources

- [8-K Filing — RUSH ENTERPRISES INC \\TX\\ (RUSHA)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001012019/000143774926033667/rusha20261027%5F8k.htm?ref=bullished.co) — SEC EDGAR
- [Exhibit ex\_1032727.htm — RUSH ENTERPRISES INC \\TX\\ 8-K exhibit](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001012019/000143774926033667/ex%5F1032727.htm?ref=bullished.co) — SEC EDGAR
- [Rush Enterprises, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results, Announces $0.14 Per Share Dividend](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/27/3389625/8005/en/rush-enterprises-inc-reports-third-quarter-2026-results-announces-0-14-per-share-dividend.html?ref=bullished.co) — globenewswire.com
- [Rush Enterprises, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results,](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/27/3389625/0/en/rush-enterprises-inc-reports-third-quarter-2026-results-announces-0-14-per-share-dividend.html?ref=bullished.co) — globenewswire.com

### More on Rush Enterprises

- [BlackRock Reports 7.3% Of Rush Enterprises' Class B Stock, 1,824,882 Shares](https://www.bullished.co/blackrock-reports-7-3-of-rush-enterprises-class-b-stock-1-824-882-shares-9be03a2f/)

[All Rush Enterprises (RUSHA) coverage →](https://www.bullished.co/tag/rusha/)