Earlier this year, Fender's credit rating was downgraded by credit rating analyst Moody's, citing tariffs and increased financial pressures as key factors in its projection. In relation to Fender's 5% price rise, S&P Global insists that the firm's approach to tackling such economic uncertainty has had some degree of success, proving to be more effective than some of Fender's closest competitors. “We expect dealers will remain cautious on increasing inventory levels because of a weak macroeconomic backdrop with lower discretionary spending on big-ticket items like guitars. According to a recent study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, from January to July 2025, “U.S. This study emphasizes that this downturn is not primarily the result of retaliatory tariffs – at least so far.