The pre-owned business jet market is showing signs of malaise in 2016 with the number of transactions slowing overall, prices dipping and inventories increasing, according to data released yesterday by industry analyst Amstat. The turboprop market, meanwhile, appears only marginally better, with relatively flat transactions, Amstat said in its latest Business Aircraft Resale Market Update Report.

The percentage of business jets that have turned over declined from 7.4 of the fleet percent in the first three quarters of 2015 to 7.1 percent in the same period this year. Heavy jet transactions were up from 5.5 percent in the first three quarters of 2016 to 5.9 percent this year. Medium jets transactions, however, dropped from 8.2 percent in the first nine months of 2015 to 7.1 percent this year. Similar to turboprop transactions, retail activity for small jets was relatively flat during the period.

Inventories for all business jet segments climbed in the first nine months, with more of the available aircraft representing newer jets. According to the Amstat report, 10.8 percent of the heavy jet fleet is available for sale, compared with 10.4 percent at the beginning of the year. Over the past 24 months, the available inventory of newer heavy jets has climbed from 8 percent to 10 percent. Available inventory for medium jets also is up by 0.4 percent since the beginning of the year, with more newer models available. At 11.8 percent, the light jet inventory also is up from the beginning of this year, but the same as this time last year.

Average asking price, meanwhile, is also down by 6.6 percent for heavy jets, to $13.9 million, and 7.8 percent for medium jets, to $3.4 million. Light jet prices, however, have climbed 6.7 percent, to an average of $1.7 million.