“Uncertainty around tariffs may cause Fender’s operating performance to deteriorate more than we expect”: Fender has been forced to increase its prices to weather the tariff storm, according to new report

Some of the guitars from Fender's newly released American Vintage II series (Telecasters, Stratocaster and Jazzmaster) are displayed at Truetone Music Store in Santa Monica, California, on October 18, 2022.

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.

Now, according to financial information and analytics expert S&P Global, Fender increased prices throughout the first half of the year in an effort “to offset higher costs from tariffs, especially from China, which makes up 40% of purchases (half of which enter the U.S.).”