Driving the news: Group 1 Automotive announced today (July 30) that it has signed an agreement to acquire Hennessy Automotive Companies in a deal expected to add about $1.7 billion in annual revenue.
For context: Hennessy’s portfolio includes 10 dealerships containing “key luxury and import brands, including Lexus, Jaguar/Land Rover and Porsche, and facilities containing 500 service bays staffed by approximately 280 technicians,” Group 1 said.
Worth mentioning: Hennessy Automotive, represented by Kerrigan Advisors in the sale, has operated for more than six decades.
"For 62 years, our family company has been a cornerstone of the Atlanta automotive community, excelling in vehicle sales, servicing and leasing," Peter Hennessy said. "Under Group 1's stewardship, I know this strong legacy and deep commitment to Atlanta will continue…”
What they’re saying: Daryl Kenningham, CEO of Group 1, said the group is privileged to acquire the “world class business” and said the Hennessy family has a tremendous reputation.
"Our cluster strategy has long focused on premium brands in attractive growth markets with high-revenue rooftops where we can leverage scale and expand margins," Kenningham said in a release. "Building on a strategy we have executed successfully across our largest markets, including Houston and Boston, this acquisition significantly expands our presence in the growing Atlanta market and creates new opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and deliver attractive, long-term returns…”
Kerrigan Advisors is the leading sell-side advisor and thought partner to auto dealers nationwide. Since its founding in 2014, the firm has led the industry with the sale of more than 445 franchises generating more than $10 billion in client proceeds, including two of the largest transactions in auto retail history – the sale of Jim Koons Automotive Companies to Asbury Automotive Group and Leith Automotive to Holman. The firm advises the industry’s leading dealership groups, enhancing value through the lifecycle of growing, operating and, when the time is right, selling their businesses. Led by a team of veteran industry experts with backgrounds in investment banking, private equity, accounting, finance and real estate, Kerrigan Advisors is the only firm in auto retail exclusively dedicated to sell-side advisory, providing its clients the assurance of a conflict-free approach.
Kerrigan Advisors monitors conditions in the buy/sell market and publishes an in-depth analysis each quarter in The Blue Sky Report®, the industry authority on dealership buy/sell market trends and valuations and includes Kerrigan Advisors’ signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. To download a preview of the report, click here. The firm also releases The Kerrigan Index™ comprised of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market. The Kerrigan Auto Retail Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access The Kerrigan Index™, click here. To read the 2025 Kerrigan Dealer Survey, click here. To read the 2025 Kerrigan OEM Survey, click here. Kerrigan Advisors also is the co-author of NADA’s Guide to Buying and Selling a Dealership.
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