As we have covered extensively, the strength of the buy/sell market continues.— For each of the last five years, there have been 200 or more transactions, which marks a notably strong transaction market for auto retail.— Recently in Dealer Magazine, we characterized the different types of buyers currently making acquisitions, but that does not automatically explain this increased level of activity.— Why are so many dealers choosing to sell?— In addition to generational transfers, which have been a driver of transaction activity for decades, we believe that smaller dealership groups are competing at a significant disadvantage to larger groups in today's environment, and that is accelerating transaction activity. The number of dealership groups with 10 or more stores has increased dramatically over the last seven years, climbing from 82 to 160.
A key driver in this growth relates to the expense structure. We are seeing SG &A (sales, general and administrative) expenses rising significantly in recent years, even as many dealers continue to enjoy rising top and bottom lines.
This is a powerful rationale for consolidation for both buyers and sellers, and a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future.
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 over 450 franchises generating more than $11 billion in client proceeds, including three of the largest transactions in auto retail history – the sale of Jim Koons Automotive Companies to Asbury Automotive Group, Leith Automotive to Holman, and Hennessy Automotive Companies to Group 1 Automotive (planned and expected to close in Q4 2026). 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 with 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®, which 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 monthly The Kerrigan Index™ composed 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 read the 2025 Kerrigan Dealer Survey, click here. To read the 2026 Kerrigan OEM Survey, click here. Kerrigan Advisors is also the co-author of NADA’s Guide to Buying and Selling a Dealership. Additionally, Kerrigan Advisors publishes a podcast, Beyond Blue Sky – A Kerrigan Conversation, where Kerrigan Advisors’ clients and industry leaders share the mindset, strategy and personal stories behind a once-in-a-generation transaction.
Contact us to learn more about Kerrigan Advisors’ sell-side services.
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