A car dealership can be a profitable and fulfilling business to own. However, like any business, it comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. With the right strategy and approach, a car dealership has the potential for strong returns on investment and long-term success. However, it is important to thoroughly research and understand the market dynamics, consumer behavior, and regulatory requirements before making any purchasing decisions.
If you are looking to buy or sell a car dealership, you will need to understand how these businesses are expected to perform financially, and how they are valued among buyers and owners. To provide some benchmarks, we have aggregated and analyzed car dealership for sale listing data to surface market valuation metrics, and average revenue and profit figures.
Market Overview
Number of Businesses Analyzed
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166
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Median Asking Price
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$962,375
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Median Reported Revenue
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$3,394,176
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Median Reported Earnings
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$353,011
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Financials based on businesses that listed an asking price, annual revenue, and seller's discretionary earnings.
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Car Dealership Business Valuation Multiples
Range
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Revenue
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Earnings (SDE)
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Lower Quartile
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0.16
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1.73
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Median
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0.27
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2.93
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Upper Quartile
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0.54
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4.15
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Revenue and earnings multiples based on reported revenue, seller's discretionary earnings, and asking price.
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Read the Report:
Car Dealership Business Valuation Benchmarks
FAQs
How much does it cost to buy a car dealership?
Prices vary depending on sales volume and financial performance, but the median asking price for a car dealership in the U.S. is approximately $962,375.
How much do car dealership owners earn?
Car dealership businesses vary in sales volume, but owners report median annual sales of $3,394,176 and annual owner earnings of $353,011. These figures are based on businesses that have listed their annual revenue and seller's discretionary earnings.
How do I value a car dealership business?
Valuing a car dealership business involves considering several factors, including annual revenue, profit, growth (or decline) trends, and macroeconomic trends. Brokers, business owners, and business buyers will typically rely on valuation multiples to gauge business value relative to similar businesses in the market. Revenue multiples in the automotive dealership industry typically range from 0.16 to 0.54, with the median at 0.27. Earnings multiples range from 1.73 to 4.15, with the median at 2.93. These values suggest the average car dealership in the U.S. may sell for around 0.27 times its annual revenue, and 2.93 times its annual owner’s earnings.
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