May 24, 2017 — CDK Global is announcing this morning that it is acquiring Auto/Mate Dealership Systems. The move, which will further consolidate the dealer management system (DMS) space, should be completed in late summer once the regulatory process runs its course. Financial terms for the deal have not been disclosed yet. Auto/Mate was started as… Continue Reading
May 23, 2017 — We’re still waiting the official announcement, but sources have confirmed Experian Automotive will announce in the near future that it has acquired String Automotive, a 12 year-old data analytics firm based in Newton, MA. The acquisition cements a relationship that began in 2014 when Experian Automotive’s Auto Market DNA℠ demographic and behavioral information’s… Continue Reading
May 22, 2017 — The court today denied motions filed by CDK Global and Reynolds and Reynolds on Friday afternoon requesting dismissal of Authenticom’s request for a preliminary injunction hearing in the antitrust lawsuit it recently filed. Both defendants cited Authenticom’s nearly two-year delay in filing the lawsuit and request for the preliminary injunction. They also cited… Continue Reading
May 22, 2017 — Coming off its second most profitable year ever, Ford Motor Co. has decided to replace its CEO and President Mark Fields. The announcement is expected this morning, according to numerous media reports breaking Sunday night. Jim Hackett, former board Ford member and current head of the automaker’s mobility division, is being named… Continue Reading
May 19, 2017 — Late yesterday afternoon, data services provider Authenticom filed a motion in its antitrust lawsuit against Reynolds and Reynolds and CDK Global, seeking a preliminary injunction. TBR wrote about the pending request last week. The lawsuit alleges the dealer management system providers conspired in 2015 to force Authenticom and other data integration competitors out of… Continue Reading
May 18, 2017 — According to an article in The Texas Tribune this week, legislation dubbed the “Buffett Bill” that would allow Berkshire Automotive to keep selling vehicles in Texas is dead. Fierce opposition from Tea Party activists and environmental groups (yes, politics still can make strange bedfellows) forced Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to pull the legislation… Continue Reading
(Update -Correction Below) May 15, 2017 — Mike Maroone, former AutoNation president, has acquired four dealerships from the Serra organization in Colorado Springs, CO. The acquisition follows a two-year non-compete stemming from Maroone’s retirement from AutoNation in April 2015. The stores include two Chevrolet dealerships and Honda and Volkswagen dealerships along with a collision shop. The… Continue Reading
May 4, 2017 — Fighting for its survival, Authenticom is seeking an expedited briefing and hearing schedule as part of its antitrust lawsuit against CDK Global and Reynolds and Reynolds. In the next few days, Authenticom will file a motion for a preliminary injunction asking the judge to issue a temporary ruling that would force… Continue Reading
May 3, 2017 — TEGNA’s board today approved of the spin-off of Cars.com slated to be completed on May 31. Trading is set to begin on June 1 on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol CARS. TEGNA stockholders of record at the close of business on May 18 will receive one share… Continue Reading
April 21, 2016 — Berkshire Hathaway Automotive finds itself the victim of the law of unintended consequences in Texas’ fight to keep electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla from selling direct to consumers. The problem is that Texas’ legislation prohibiting manufacturers from selling vehicles directly to customers in the state was written so broadly that it includes… Continue Reading