Core Viewpoint - Group 1 Automotive (GPI) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $10.31 per share, a 5.2% increase year-over-year, with revenues projected at $5.55 billion, reflecting an 18.2% year-over-year growth [1]. Earnings Estimates - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised upward by 0.4% in the last 30 days, indicating a reassessment by analysts [2]. - Revisions to earnings estimates are significant indicators for predicting investor actions regarding the stock [3]. Revenue Projections - Analysts estimate 'Revenues- New vehicle retail sales' to reach $2.78 billion, a year-over-year increase of 17.8% [5]. - 'Revenues- Finance, insurance and other, net' is expected to be $221.58 million, reflecting a 10.7% year-over-year change [5]. - 'Revenues- Total Used vehicle' is projected to be $1.82 billion, indicating a 16.8% increase year-over-year [5]. - 'Revenues- Used vehicle wholesale sales' are expected to be $123.80 million, showing an 18.7% increase from the previous year [6]. - 'Revenues- United States - New vehicle retail sales' is forecasted at $2.20 billion, a 9.4% year-over-year change [6]. - 'Revenues- United States - Used vehicle retail sales' is projected to reach $1.21 billion, reflecting a 4.7% increase from the prior year [6]. - 'Revenues- United Kingdom - New vehicle retail sales' is estimated at $589.26 million, a significant 66.2% increase year-over-year [7]. - 'Revenues- United Kingdom - F&I, net' is expected to be $24.95 million, indicating a 53.1% year-over-year change [7]. Units Sold Estimates - The consensus estimate for 'Units sold - Retail new vehicles sold' is 55,942, compared to 47,661 in the previous year [8]. - 'Units sold - Retail used vehicles sold' is expected to be 56,854, up from 49,260 year-over-year [8]. - The average sales price per unit sold for 'United States - Used Vehicle Retail' is projected at $30,182.89, compared to $29,834.00 in the same quarter last year [9]. - 'Units sold - United Kingdom - Retail new vehicles sold' is estimated at 14,037, compared to 8,388 in the previous year [9]. Stock Performance - Over the past month, Group 1 Automotive shares have declined by 7.1%, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has increased by 5.9% [10].

Core Insights - Auto retail ecosystem companies have shown strong performance year-to-date despite the announcement of auto tariffs and weakening industry fundamentals [1] - JPMorgan analyst Rajat Gupta has made several rating changes for key automotive stocks [1] Cars.com - JPMorgan upgraded Cars.com Inc (CARS) from Neutral to Overweight with a price target of $14 [2] - The company has made significant progress in developing new products that integrate into dealers' workflows, which is expected to help retain dealer customers [3] Sonic Automotive - Sonic Automotive Inc (SAH) was downgraded from Overweight to Underweight, with a price target increase from $65 to $72 [4] - Despite a strong luxury brand mix and exposure to key markets like California and Texas, Sonic has underperformed its peers and trades at a premium [4] Group 1 Automotive - Group 1 Automotive Inc (GPI) was downgraded from Overweight to Neutral, with a price target reduction from $435 to $415 [5] - The company's solid execution has been aided by favorable Texas exposure, but regional concentration increases volatility [5] Asbury Automotive Group - Asbury Automotive Group Inc (ABG) was downgraded from Neutral to Underweight, with a price target cut from $235 to $225 [5] - While the company is positioned for long-term growth through strategic acquisitions and digital investments, risks related to integration, execution, and elevated leverage are concerning [6]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Auto Retail and Wholesale industry is experiencing significant changes due to evolving consumer habits, policy shifts, and strategic actions by key players [1][3] - The industry is consumer-driven, with performance closely tied to economic conditions, where increased disposable income typically leads to higher vehicle purchases [3] - The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the industry's shift towards online tools and e-commerce, a trend expected to continue [3] Factors Influencing Industry Dynamics - Car affordability has seen a modest improvement due to rising consumer incomes and dealer incentives, but tariffs on imported vehicles continue to pose challenges, potentially adding up to $5,700 to the cost of new cars [4] - The EV market is in a transitional phase, with first-half 2025 U.S. EV sales reaching 607,089 units, a 1.5% year-over-year increase, but a decline in demand is anticipated in the fourth quarter without government subsidies [5] - Auto retailers are making strategic acquisitions to enhance market share and diversify offerings, while also investing in digital platforms to meet changing customer expectations [2][6][7] Market Performance - The Zacks Auto Retail & Wholesale industry ranks 91, placing it in the top 37% of 245 Zacks industries, indicating positive near-term prospects [8][9] - Over the past year, the industry has outperformed the S&P 500, returning 16.3% compared to the S&P 500's 12.6% growth [10] Current Valuation - The industry is currently trading at an EV/EBITDA ratio of 8.95X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 17.64X and the sector's 20.66X [13] Company Highlights - **Penske Automotive**: Completed acquisitions in 2024 representing nearly $2.1 billion in annualized revenues, with a strong order backlog and a low long-term debt-to-capitalization ratio of 15.5% [17][18] - **Lithia Motors**: Expanded its footprint through acquisitions, adding $3.8 billion in 2023 and $5.9 billion in 2024 in annualized revenues, with a focus on digital platforms to enhance customer experience [22][23] - **AutoNation**: Continues to grow through strategic acquisitions and digital transformation, with a recent purchase expected to add $200 million in annual revenues [25][26] - **Group 1 Automotive**: Achieved significant revenue growth through acquisitions, adding over $1 billion in 2023 and $3.9 billion in 2024, while focusing on an omnichannel strategy [31][32]

If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Group 1 Automotive (GPI) . This company, which is in the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.This auto dealer has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 6. ...

Core Insights - Dividend investing is gaining popularity in 2025 due to market volatility and uncertainties, with U.S. stocks near record highs driven by trade optimism, strong corporate earnings, and AI advancements [1][2] Group 1: Dividend Growth Strategy - Dividends provide a reliable income stream, making them appealing during uncertain times, and dividend-paying stocks tend to stabilize portfolios [2][9] - Companies with a history of increasing dividends are typically financially strong and offer better long-term capital appreciation, leading to a more resilient portfolio [3][4] - Focusing on dividend growth rather than just yield can enhance returns, as these stocks often have superior fundamentals, including sustainable business models and strong cash flows [5][6] Group 2: Stock Selection Criteria - Selected stocks for dividend growth include Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM), UGI Corporation (UGI), Qifu Technology Inc. (QFIN), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (TSM), and Group 1 Automotive (GPI), all showing strong earnings and sales growth [3][9] - Criteria for selection include positive historical dividend growth, sales growth, and earnings per share (EPS) growth, along with expected future EPS growth [7][8] - Stocks are also evaluated based on their price-to-cash flow ratio being less than the industry average and having outperformed the S&P 500 over the past year [8][9] Group 3: Individual Stock Highlights - AEM is a gold producer with a positive earnings estimate revision of $0.42 and an estimated earnings growth rate of 52.5%, holding a Zacks Rank 1 and a Growth Score of B [10][11] - UGI Corp. has an estimated earnings growth rate of 2.29% and an average earnings surprise of 75.67%, also holding a Zacks Rank 1 and a Growth Score of B [12][13] - Qifu Technology has an estimated earnings growth rate of 25.62% and a Zacks Rank 1 with a Growth Score of B [14][15] - TSM has an estimated earnings growth rate of 34.66% and holds a Zacks Rank 2 with a Growth Score of A [15] - Group 1 Automotive has an estimated earnings growth rate of 4.3% and holds a Zacks Rank 1 with a Growth Score of A [16]

Core Viewpoint - Group 1 Automotive (GPI) shares have shown significant growth, driven by strategic acquisitions and positive earnings expectations, indicating potential strength in the stock moving forward [1][2][3]. Group 1 Automotive (GPI) - GPI shares increased by 3.1% to close at $480.13, with a notable trading volume compared to typical sessions, and a total gain of 5.2% over the past four weeks [1]. - The company has focused on expanding its portfolio through acquisitions, including the Inchcape buyout in 2024, which is projected to add $2.7 billion in annualized revenues. Total acquired revenues for 2024 reached $3.9 billion, with $430 million in annualized revenues acquired year to date [2]. - The upcoming quarterly earnings report is expected to show earnings of $10.16 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.7%, and revenues are anticipated to be $5.51 billion, up 17.3% from the previous year [3]. - The consensus EPS estimate for GPI has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, suggesting that the stock's price movement may not sustain without trends in earnings estimate revisions [4]. - GPI currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook compared to other stocks in the automotive retail and wholesale industry [5]. Industry Context - Group 1 Automotive is part of the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Wholesale industry, where AutoNation (AN) also operates. AN shares closed 0.7% higher at $214.83, with a return of 9.8% over the past month [5]. - AutoNation's consensus EPS estimate has increased by 0.7% over the past month to $4.62, representing a year-over-year change of 15.8% [6].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of value investing and highlights Group 1 Automotive (GPI) as a strong candidate for value investors due to its favorable valuation metrics and earnings outlook [2][3][7] Valuation Metrics - GPI has a Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio of 1.97, which is lower than the industry average of 2.47, indicating it may be undervalued [4] - The Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio for GPI is 0.29, compared to the industry's average P/S of 0.3, further suggesting potential undervaluation [5] - GPI's Price-to-Cash Flow (P/CF) ratio stands at 9.99, which is also below the industry average of 11.34, reinforcing the notion of being undervalued [6] Earnings Outlook - GPI is currently rated with a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and has an "A" grade for Value, indicating strong potential for value investors [3][7] - The stock's earnings outlook is considered strong, making GPI one of the market's strongest value stocks [7]

COVID-19 Impact and Response - January and February results were strong, but March was significantly impacted by shelter-in-place orders in the U S and a complete shutdown in the U K [7] - U S service departments experienced a 40-50% decrease in customer traffic since mid-March [7] - The company is recalling furloughed employees in the U S and expects to add back approximately 500 U S employees by June [7] - Approximately 20% of vehicle purchases are now completed via home deliveries [13] Financial Performance and Metrics - The company's market capitalization was approximately $1 billion as of April 30, 2020 [16] - In Q1 2020, revenues were $2691 million, a 4 2% decrease compared to $2808 million in Q1 2019 [111] - Adjusted net income for Q1 2020 was $30 6 million, compared to $38 2 million in Q1 2019 [111] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPCS) for Q1 2020 was $1 66, compared to $2 06 in Q1 2019 [111] Geographic and Business Diversity - The company has 186 dealerships worldwide, including 119 in the United States, 50 in the United Kingdom, and 17 in Brazil [18] - In Q1 2020, 69% of new vehicle unit sales were in the United States, 25% in the United Kingdom, and 6% in Brazil [18, 20] - Texas accounts for 35% of the company's geographic diversity in Q1 2020 [22] Strategic Initiatives - The company implemented an online retailing initiative across all dealerships as of December 31, 2019 [54] - Early April trends show a ~60% increase in daily leads for the Acceleride platform compared to January/February levels [54] - The company's U S year-over-year same store service advisor and technician headcount has grown by +11% as of December 31, 2019 [60]

COVID-19 Impact and Recovery - In the first half of April, the Company's vehicle sales and service business were down approximately 50%[5] - By the end of June, the Company's new vehicle sales had rebounded to a level approximately 15% below last year[6] - The flexibility of the business model allowed the Company to generate record operating profit despite an approximate 30% decrease in total company second quarter revenues[7] - In April, the Company furloughed 90% of its employees in the U K[10] - By the end of May, the Company still had 75% of staff furloughed in the U K[11] - At the end of June, 50% of the Company's staff remained on furlough in the U K, but workshop demand had recovered to approximately 70% of pre-COVID levels[12] Cost Management and SG&A Reduction - The Company took swift action to furlough or lay off 4,800 U S employees, representing 42% of headcount[18] - The Company anticipates a permanent impact that will lower SG&A as a percentage of gross profit by at least 200-300 basis points[18] - Nearly $300 million of annualized U S SG&A reduction from 2Q19[18] AcceleRide® Performance - 2Q20 AcceleRide® leads were up 203 percent and 2Q20 AcceleRide® sales were up 190% from prior year period—averaged ~1,000 retail unit sales per month via this channel[51] Financial Overview - As of June 30, 2020, the Company owns approximately $13 billion of net real estate, representing 61% of dealership locations, financed through $621 million of mortgage debt[101]

Financial Performance - Group 1 Automotive's Q3 2020 revenues were $3040 million, a decrease of 2.5% compared to $3118 million in Q3 2019 [41] - Net income for Q3 2020 was $1264 million, a significant increase of 232.3% compared to $38 million in Q3 2019 [41] - Adjusted net income for Q3 2020 was $129 million, up 129.1% from $563 million in Q3 2019 [41] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPCS) for Q3 2020 was $697, a 130.8% increase from $302 in Q3 2019 [41] - Adjusted free cash flow CAGR 2019 was $237 million [3] Operational Highlights - AcceleRide sales experienced 99% growth in total sales in September 2020 compared to September 2019 [10] - The company owns approximately $13 billion of net real estate, representing 61% of dealership locations, financed through $628 million of mortgage debt as of September 30, 2020 [35] - Parts & Service segment provides consolidated P&S Revenue & +61% 2014-2019 [13] Strategic Initiatives - Group 1 refinanced $850 million of bond debt due in 2022/23 with $726 million of bond/mortgage debt due mostly in 2027/28, resulting in total interest savings of over $15 million annually [21] - The company repurchased approximately 598000 shares in 2020, representing about 3% of its float [38] - The company targets acquisitions that clear return hurdles (10% after-tax discounted cash flow) [39]