Used Equipment Market Update: Inventory Tightens While Values Hold Steady
The latest Sandhills Global market reports reveal a mixed but encouraging picture for the U.S. used equipment market. June data shows inventory continues to decline across several key sectors, including high-horsepower tractors, heavy-duty trucks, and semi-trailers, while equipment values remain relatively stable with modest increases in some categories.
Drawing insights from platforms such as TractorHouse.com, MachineryTrader.com, and TruckPaper.com, the Sandhills reports provide buyers and sellers with a comprehensive view of changing market conditions. At the heart of these reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI), a key metric designed to help businesses make informed decisions on equipment acquisition, sales, and liquidation.
Understanding the Sandhills Equipment Value Index
The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) tracks inventory levels, asking prices, and auction values across both retail and auction markets. It also includes model-year equipment currently in active use, providing a broad picture of market activity. Another important measure is the EVI Spread, which represents the percentage difference between asking prices and auction values, offering insight into pricing trends and market demand.
Heavy-Duty Construction Equipment: Lower Inventory, Softer Prices
The U.S. used heavy-duty construction equipment market continued to see inventory tighten in June. Overall inventory increased slightly by 2.51% month-over-month (M/M) but remained 10.15% lower than a year ago (Y/Y), continuing its longer-term downward trend.
Among individual equipment categories, used wheel loaders experienced the largest monthly inventory increase at 3.27%, while also recording the largest annual inventory decline at 11.93%.
Pricing softened during the month:
- Asking values declined 0.78% M/M and 3.49% Y/Y.
- Auction values fell 1.40% M/M and 2.46% Y/Y.
Wheel loaders posted the largest monthly declines in both asking and auction values, while crawler excavators experienced the steepest year-over-year price decreases, with asking values down 4.66% and auction values down 4.32%.
Medium-Duty Construction Equipment: Stable Market Despite Lower Supply
The used medium-duty construction equipment market presented a more balanced picture. Inventory rose 2.16% compared to May, although it remained 15.25% below June 2025 levels, indicating that supply continues to be constrained despite recent gains.
Equipment categories showed varying performance:
- Wheeled skid steers recorded the largest monthly inventory increase at 3.14%.
- Loader backhoes experienced the largest annual inventory decline, dropping 25.19% year-over-year.
Pricing remained relatively stable:
- Asking values edged up 0.19% M/M but were down 0.46% Y/Y.
- Auction values slipped 0.43% M/M and 0.30% Y/Y.
Mini excavators led monthly asking price gains with a 1.05% increase, while track skid steers recorded the largest annual decline in asking prices, down 1.12%. At auction, wheeled skid steers saw the largest monthly price drop, while mini excavators posted the largest year-over-year auction value decline of 2.93%.
Market Outlook
June’s data suggests the used equipment market continues to normalize after several years of elevated demand and constrained supply. Inventory remains well below year-ago levels across both heavy- and medium-duty construction equipment, while pricing has generally stabilized with only modest month-to-month fluctuations.
For buyers, improving inventory in select categories may create new purchasing opportunities. Sellers, meanwhile, continue to benefit from relatively resilient equipment values despite gradual price softening in certain segments. As inventory trends evolve, the Sandhills Equipment Value Index remains a valuable benchmark for monitoring market conditions and making informed buying and selling decisions.
