Buy/sell activity declined 15% in Q1 2025, but rising dealer earnings and tight inventory fuel confidence, with buy sell market on pace for nearly 400 transactions in 2025

Kerrigan Advisors pauses blue sky multiple and outlook adjustments as tariff uncertainty clouds…

From Margins to Mobility: Why Auto Dealers Must Rethink Fleet Service for the Connected and Electric Age

U.S. auto retailers have had a longstanding relationship with local commercial and business fleet customers, especially in the servicing of vehicles in the fleet. Rapidly changing updates to connected vehicle data is offering an opportunity for retailers to further grow this business, but their technology proficiency to properly leverage this data poses…

The May 7, 2025, enforcement of the REAL ID Act marks a new moment for identity verification in the U.S.-and auto dealerships are squarely in the crosshairs. As the federal government now requires all Americans over 18 to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID for domestic air travel and access to certain federal facilities, the auto industry must also deal with the ripple effects on its own processes for verifying customer…

The first quarter of 2025 opened with a mix of optimism and uncertainty for the automotive industry. While March delivered a sharp 19% rebound in new vehicle sales—largely driven by consumers rushing to purchase ahead of tariff price adjustments—the earlier months of the quarter were marked by a slight decline. Used vehicle sales, on the other hand, showed steady resilience, increasing 10% quarter-over-quarter.

Beneath these headline figures, however, the market revealed deeper…

Over 11,000 lessees have completed self-inspections in just 10 minutes with a smartphone; new program drives lease-end efficiency, cost savings, and greater accuracy in damage assessment…

70% of OEMs worry about the financial impact of Chinese automakers, who now control over 40% of global vehicle production

80% of OEMs say the EV transition is slower than planned, citing infrastructure gaps, high prices, and weak demand, but most expect EV market share to rise in…

As inflation continues to impact every corner of the retail automotive industry, many manufacturers continue to offer dealers CPI-based programs to automatically increase their warranty labor reimbursement rates each year.

At first glance, these CPI (Consumer Price Index) programs seem like an enticing offer. After all, the programs offer annual increases tied to inflation and relieve the burden of having to submit a warranty labor rate increase each year. However, most of the time,…

Transaction highlights the strategic value of high-volume retail stores in Arizona’s fastest growing market; marks Kerrigan Advisors’ 290^th and 291^st dealerships sold.

Prescott, AZ – May 7, 2025 – Kerrigan Advisors, the premier sell-side advisor and thought partner to auto…

Sale of Vermont’s #1 ranked Subaru and Hyundai dealerships marks Kerrigan Advisors’ 288^th and 289^th dealerships sold since inception, and 153^rd and 154^th franchise sold since 2023

BURLINGTON, VT – May 6, 2025 – Kerrigan…

LLMs, Agentic AI, and Vertical AI: How Machines Are Improving Dealer Retail Operations

As dealers face rising complexity in inventory management, pricing, and profitability, especially with the 25% tariff on imported vehicles, machine-driven technologies are stepping in as vital tools—not just to handle data, but to make better, faster business decisions.  

From fluctuating vehicle values and evolving consumer trends to aging inventory and regional market…

HUNT VALLEY, MD, May 6, 2025 – Armatus Dealer Uplift, the industry leader in Retail Warranty Reimbursement submissions, today announced that the South Dakota Automobile Dealers Association (SDADA) has endorsed Armatus as their exclusive partner for Retail Warranty Reimbursement services for their membership. This is the 25th endorsement Armatus has received from State Dealer Associations.

“The right innovative solutions can deliver such positive results to people and businesses,…

I have often thought that after over 50 years in the car business I should have kept a diary and turned it into a book. The problem is, I would have to label it fiction as no one would believe what occurred in the early “ rough and tumble years” in the car business. Through it all , way back in the '70s, I formulated how I might operate a dealership if I had the chance. It turned out to be a great learning experience. A few  anecdotes along the way:…