Q1 2026 Blue Sky Report: Key Results & Highlights | Kerrigan Advisors

Written by:
Kerrigan Advisors
June 5, 2026

Transaction activity in the auto retail buy/sell market has reached a new peak in the first quarter of 2026, and Kerrigan Advisors' latest Blue Sky Report breaks down what's driving it — and what it means for dealers considering a sale.

In this video, Erin Kerrigan walks through key results and highlights from the latest report, including:

  • Record-breaking transaction activity driven by pick-up in multi-dealership deals
  • Average Blue Sky values on the rise in 2026
  • Strong valuations bringing top brands to market, like Toyota and Lexus
  • OEM executives' outlook on AI impacts and future dealership profitability
  • How Carvana's entry into franchised dealerships is disrupting the market
  • Public groups paying record premiums for rare, high-demand assets

Kerrigan Advisors is the nation's leading exclusive sell-side advisor to auto dealers, having advised on 325+ dealerships, 440+ franchises, and $10 billion in client proceeds since 2014. Subscribe for quarterly Blue Sky Report updates and auto retail market insights.

About Kerrigan Advisors

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 300 dealerships 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 2024 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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