Outdoor recreation is an industry that has shown strong growth since the COVID-19 vaccines became available in 2021.
Companies in this sector typically cater to high-net-worth clients, which is a bonus in the current economic environment.
Winnebago, Yeti, and Acushnet each have both technical and fundamental tailwinds entering 2026.
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The outdoor recreation industry is a larger part of the economy than you might think.
Despite a reputation to the contrary, Americans love the great outdoors. We love hiking, biking, and traveling across our vast network of parks, and outdoor recreation is a major driver of economic growth.
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As of the end of 2023, outdoor recreation generated more than $1.2 trillion in annual economic output, accounting for more than 2.3% of total U.S. GDP. More than 3% of the nation’s workforce is employed in outdoor services, a figure that totaled more than 5 million jobs in 2023.
Even when consumer sentiment is gloomy, higher-income households are still the primary customers for companies selling motorhomes, boats, premium coolers, camping gear, and sports equipment.
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Three outdoor companies have bucked the narrative to produce strong results and outsized stock gains over the last quarter. If you’re looking to add non-tech winners to your portfolio, these outdoor brands deserve a closer look.
Winnebago Industries Inc. (NYSE: WGO) saw a boom in sales when COVID-19 was raging, and wealthy consumers wanted to bring their own indoors out into the world.
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But since making a new all-time high in March 2021, the stock has crumbled more than 50% as sales slowed and earnings beats became rare.
After bottoming out in 2024, Winnebago is now showing signs of a turnaround. The company has posted three consecutive earnings beats, including an impressive fiscal Q1 2026 report that showed revenue growth of more than 12% year-over-year (YOY).
Despite tariff threats, Winnebago reported a nearly 400 basis point gain in operating margin and raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $2.8 billion to $3 billion.
Winnebago might be in a stage where only the technical traders have sniffed out the change in momentum.
The stock trades at just 12x forward earnings and 0.43x sales, and shares are up nearly 30% in the last three months. The trend reversal is evident on the chart, with the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) crossing back over the 200-day SMA to form a Golden Cross. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator has also reversed, confirming the new uptrend and hinting that this wave of buying momentum has some strength behind it.
