Cliff Banks - The Banks Report

AICPA Conference in Vegas

A little bit of bragging here — I’ve been asked to give the keynote presentation for the AICPA Auto Dealership Conference in October in Las Vegas. My friend John Davis who is a partner with Dixon Hughes Goodman’s Dealer Services Group and is on AICPA’s dealer conference committee helped facilitate the engagement.  The conference is for dealership… Continue Reading

Cliff Banks - The Banks Report

Short Term Overview of the Automotive Retail Space

The automotive retail sector is on the cusp of true transformational change.  Since 1995, when Seattle dealer Marty Rood sold the first vehicle online – a gold Volvo 760 – through a service called DealerNet, the Internet and its surrounding technology has pushed customers, dealers, vendors and automakers closer to an era where real digital…

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A New Breed of Investor in Automotive Dealerships

A New Breed of Investor in Automotive Dealerships

September 22, 2014 — A new type of investor in dealerships may provide the comfort level manufacturers require and the flexibility dealers need.    Recently a new breed of investor has been drawn to the business of franchised retail auto dealerships. Included are hedge funds, private-equity funds and family offices. First, what attracts them to automotive…

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Cliff Banks - The Banks Report

Mid-Size Sedan Market Feeling the Pressure

September 15, 2014 — Automotive sales in August far exceeded everyone’s expectations leading to concern that automakers were again relying on aggressive incentives rather than true demand juice showroom traffic. The truth lies somewhere in the middle — but could have far reaching implications for the short term future of  certain market segments, and even,…

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Cliff Banks - The Banks Report

Group 1 Automotive Doubles Down in Brazil; Exits Long Island

September 15, 2014 — In the words of Kenny Rogers — “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em; know when to fold ’em; know when to walk away; know when to run.” And Group 1 Automotive’s Chairman and CEO Earl Hesterberg is showing he’s not afraid to follow that advice and cut his losses.…

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Cliff Banks - The Banks Report

SoCal Penske Building Empire in Southern California

September 14, 2014 — Drew AutoCenter in La Mesa, CA announced on Friday to its employees that it is being acquired by Roger Penske Jr.’s group, SoCal Penske Dealer Group, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal. The auto center includes Drew Ford and Drew Hyundai along with a used vehicle super store. The industry…

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Cliff Banks - The Banks Report

Edmunds Launching New Mobile and Data Initiatives

September 13, 2014 — Edmunds.com is rolling out new initiatives over the next several months that will integrate into its Price Promise program launched in 2013. The goal is to improve the buying experience for consumers. More than 8,000 of Edmunds’ approximate 10,000 dealership clients are participating in Price Promise, in which they provide a…

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