UPDATE: Click here to see more info on potential impact on dealers. July 2016 — While everybody’s attention is on the autonomous vehicle — which may or may not take over the roads in the next 10 years, society is five years away from being immersed in the connected car era. Sometimes, the two terms… Continue Reading
September 12, 2016 — Lithia Motors has acquired the 13-store Carbone Automotive Group located in New York and Vermont. It’s the second largest acquisition by number of rooftops this year, following the Holman purchase of the 15-dealership Kuni Automotive Group. Since January 2013, Lithia has acquired 67 stores, including 17 this year. The publicly traded dealer group,… Continue Reading
September 8, 2016 — CIP Capital, a New York-based private equity company new to the automotive retail space, is putting together a unique strategy acquiring four companies and combining them to create Affinitiv Inc. a new technology marketing firm. While other companies have executed roll up strategies in the past (Cox Automotive, DealerTrack, Dealersocket and HGGC are a few…
September 7, 2016 — TEGNA announced this morning it plans to spin off Cars.com to become its own publicly traded company. The transaction, which likely will be tax free for TEGNA shareholders, should take place in the first half of 2017. TEGNA, which became public last year following the split with media giant Gannett, is one… Continue Reading
September 6, 2016 — Below is a new section for premium subscribers to The Banks Report. We would call it “Cliff Notes,” but that is copyrighted and I prefer not to tempt the lawyers. So we have opted for the title, “TBR Notes.” It will be our perspective of the bigger news stories and what they may mean…
September 1, 2016 — Todd Blue’s IndiGO Auto Group announced yesterday it has acquired BMW of Palm Springs in California. It is the group’s 12th luxury franchise. The acquisition closes out was has been a furious final two weeks in August in which the industry saw nine transactions involving 21 dealerships (25 franchises). The Banks Report will… Continue Reading
August 30, 2016 — The Walser Automotive Group, one of the largest dealer groups in Minnesota, is expanding to the Wichita, KS market acquiring the 10 brand-Wichita Luxury Collection this week. Meanwhile, Rick Ford’s RFJ Autos closed on the Jordan Automotive Group and its Ford and Toyota dealerships in Mishawaka, IN last week. Walser’s purchase of… Continue Reading
August 13, 2016 — Lithia Motors has acquired Kemp Ford in Thousand Oaks, CA, renaming it DCH Ford it’s fourth acquisition in 2016. The purchase should increase Lithia’s revenues by $65 million annually. The publicly traded dealer group, based in Medford, OR, acquired Riverside Subaru in Riverside, CA in January and Ira Toyota in Milford, MA… Continue Reading
August 11, 2016 — Following its June acquisition of the Australian-based Dealer Solutions, Cox Automotive will acquire News Corp’s 50% stake in CarsGuide, an online automotive classifieds site, also in Australia. Once the acquisition closes sometime in the fourth quarter, Cox will combine CarsGuide with Dealer Solutions and Manheim’s Australian division which includes its buying service SellMyCar into… Continue Reading
August 11, 2016 — Cox Automotive announced this week that Brian Geitner will replace Jared Rowe as president of its Media Solutions Group which includes Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Dealer.com. Although Rowe was not fired (he is leaving for a position outside of automotive) the move is clear indication that integration following last year’s… Continue Reading