AutoNation (AN) Q2 2025 Earnings Call July 25, 2025 09:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsDerek Fiebig - VP - IRMichael Manley - CEO & DirectorThomas Szlosek - EVP & CFORajat Gupta - Executive Director - AutosDouglas Dutton - Vice PresidentBret Jordan - Managing DirectorDaniela Haigian - VP & Equity ResearchJeff Lick - Managing DirectorConference Call ParticipantsMichael Ward - Financial AnalystOperatorHello, everyone, and thank you for joining the AutoNation Incorporated Q2 earnings call. My name is Harry, and I ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q2 2025 was $7 billion, an increase of 8% year over year on both total and same store basis [12] - Adjusted net income rose to $209 million, up 29% from $163 million a year ago [15] - Adjusted EPS was $5.46 for the quarter, an increase of $1.47 or 37% from a year ago [15][8] - Same store gross profit increased by 10% year over year to $1.3 billion, with a gross profit margin of 18.3%, up 40 basis points from a year ago [13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New vehicle sales increased by 8% year over year, with domestic segment sales up 19% [4][17] - Used vehicle gross profit increased by 13% year over year, with unit sales up 6% [5][21] - Customer financial services gross profit also increased by 13%, with finance penetration stable at around 75% [6][22] - After sales revenue grew by 12% year over year, with gross profit margins expanding by 100 basis points to record levels [28][29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - New vehicle unit volumes increased by 7% year over year, with hybrid sales up over 40% and battery electric sales up nearly 20% [17] - Used vehicle retail unit sales improved by 6% year over year, with stable average retail prices [20] - The company ended the quarter with 41,000 new vehicle units in inventory, representing 49 days of supply [18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on growth and efficiency across all business lines, with a strong emphasis on technician recruitment and retention [7][35] - There is a commitment to explore M&A opportunities to add scale and density in existing markets, while also returning capital to shareholders through share repurchases [32][34] - The company aims to leverage its broad portfolio of brands to cushion against potential new tariffs [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the second half of 2025, despite some fluctuations in sales patterns due to tariff uncertainties [56][59] - The company expects to maintain market share and is encouraged by provisions in recent federal statutes that could stimulate vehicle purchases [11] - Management noted that the mobile service business, while facing challenges, has the potential to contribute positively to income as it matures [36][39] Other Important Information - The company completed its inaugural asset-backed securitization, which was oversubscribed, allowing for increased debt funding levels [26][27] - Adjusted free cash flow for the first half totaled $394 million, representing 100% of adjusted net income [30] - The company received $10 million in insurance recoveries related to the previous year's CDK outage, with expectations for more recoveries in 2025 [31] Q&A Session Summary Question: What kind of flexibility do you have regarding M&A opportunities? - Management indicated a cautious approach post-tariff announcement but noted an improvement in the M&A pipeline and a commitment to both M&A and share repurchases [45][46] Question: What are your thoughts on the consumer landscape and demand outlook? - Management believes there is still pent-up demand and expects stability in margins, despite potential fluctuations in sales patterns [56][58] Question: Can you provide an update on AutoNation USA and its strategy? - Management stated that growth will be more deliberate, focusing on density in markets to ensure success [82][84] Question: How do you see the competition in the used vehicle market? - Management acknowledged competition but emphasized the large market size and the company's small share, indicating plenty of growth opportunities [95][96] Question: Can you discuss the performance of AutoNation Finance? - Management highlighted that AutoNation Finance is driving growth and has a superior attach rate compared to other lenders, positively influencing overall business performance [101][105]

Financial Performance - Total revenue increased by 8% year-over-year, from $6480 million in 2Q 2024 to $6974 million in 2Q 2025[4] - Gross profit increased by 10% year-over-year, from $1163 million in 2Q 2024 to $1275 million in 2Q 2025[4] - Adjusted net income increased by 29% year-over-year, from $163 million in 2Q 2024 to $209 million in 2Q 2025[4] - Diluted adjusted EPS increased by 37% year-over-year, from $399 in 2Q 2024 to $546 in 2Q 2025[4] Sales Performance - New vehicle unit sales increased by 8% year-over-year on a same-store basis[3] - Used vehicle gross profit increased by 12% year-over-year on a same-store basis[3] - After-sales gross profit increased by 13% year-over-year on a same-store basis, with gross margin expansion greater than 100 bps[3] - AutoNation Finance originations increased by 100%[3] AutoNation Finance - AutoNation Finance originations increased from $395 million in 1H 2024 to $924 million in 1H 2025[13] - AutoNation Finance portfolio balance increased from $772 million in 1H 2024 to $1761 million in 1H 2025[14] - Penetration rate of AutoNation Finance reached 10% of units sold in 2Q 2025, up from 6% in 2Q 2024[15] Capital Allocation - Capital expenditures decreased by approximately 15% compared to 1H 2024[22] - The company repurchased over 15 million shares at an average price of $164[22] - Leverage ratio decreased to 233x, below the mid-point of the company's targeted range[22, 29]

Core Insights - AutoNation, Inc. reported second quarter 2025 revenue of $7.0 billion, an 8% increase year-over-year, while diluted EPS decreased to $2.26 from $3.20, and adjusted EPS rose to $5.46 from $3.99 [1][7][10] Financial Performance - Revenue for the second quarter of 2025 was $6,974.4 million, up from $6,480.4 million in the same period last year, reflecting an 8% increase [3][21] - Gross profit increased by 10% to $1,275.4 million from $1,163.1 million [3][21] - Operating income decreased by 21% to $217.6 million from $275.0 million [3][21] - Net income fell by 34% to $86.4 million compared to $130.2 million a year ago [3][21] - Adjusted operating income for the quarter was $369.3 million, a 16% increase from $318.5 million [4] - Adjusted net income rose by 29% to $209.2 million from $162.5 million [4] Segment Performance - Same-store revenue increased by 8% to $6.9 billion, driven by higher new vehicle unit sales and increased average selling prices [8][12] - New vehicle revenue was $3.4 billion, up 9%, while used vehicle revenue increased by 4% to $2.0 billion [8] - After-sales revenue grew by 12% to $1.2 billion, and customer financial services revenue rose by 13% to $363 million [8] - Same-store gross profit increased by 10% to $1.3 billion [8] Capital Allocation and Liquidity - Cash used in operating activities for the first half of 2025 was $230 million, with auto loans receivable net increasing by $695 million [5] - AutoNation repurchased 1.5 million shares for $254 million, with over $607 million remaining under its repurchase authorization [6] - As of June 30, 2025, AutoNation had $1.8 billion in liquidity, including $63 million in cash [9] Market Position and Strategy - The company experienced double-digit growth in customer financial services and after-sales, alongside improved new vehicle market share [2] - The successful completion of a $700 million asset-backed securitization for its auto loan portfolio at a fixed interest rate of 4.90% [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The total revenue for the first quarter was $6.7 billion, an increase of 3% year over year, and 4% on a same-store basis [16] - Adjusted EPS grew by 4% from the previous year to $4.68, marking the first year-over-year increase in eight quarters [10][20] - Total gross profit, including wholesale, increased by 12% from the first quarter of 2024 [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New vehicle unit sales increased by 7% year over year on a same-store basis, with premium luxury units up 14%, domestic units up 6%, and import units up 2% [7][20] - Used vehicle unit profitability rose by 13% to $16.62, reflecting a focus on margin and inventory management [7][22] - Customer financial services (CFS) profitability per unit increased by 3% year over year, with a finance penetration rate above 70% [24][25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same-store gross profit for used vehicles grew by 12%, while aftersales gross profit increased by 4% year over year [17][28] - The light vehicle market is projected to see a decline from over 17 million units to between 31 million units for the year, with expectations of cross-shopping mitigating some declines [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to increase store density in existing markets, as evidenced by the acquisition of two stores in Colorado [11][31] - Focus on controlling costs, cash flow, and capital deployment to enhance shareholder returns [15][35] - Continued emphasis on technician workforce development and internal promotions to improve service efficiency [28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the impact of tariffs will vary across OEMs and models, with expectations of competitive pricing strategies to maintain market share [53][56] - The company anticipates that the momentum seen in vehicle sales will continue, albeit at a moderating pace [12][34] - Management expressed confidence in the ability to generate cash flow and navigate the evolving market landscape [100] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $225 million of shares at an average price of $165 per share during the quarter, reducing the share count by 4% [10][32] - Adjusted free cash flow for the quarter totaled $237 million, with a cash flow conversion rate of 129% of adjusted net income [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of AutoNation Finance on PVR - Management acknowledged that the ramp-up of AutoNation Finance had a short-term impact on CFS PVR, estimating it at around $150 for the quarter [40][42] Question: Future Demand and Payback Period - Management indicated that while there may be some pull-forward demand, they do not expect a significant payback in the latter half of the year due to pent-up demand [46][48] Question: OEM Pricing Strategies - Management stated that OEMs will likely absorb some inflation and that the last lever pulled will be net transaction price appreciation [54][96] Question: After Sales Growth Contribution - Management confirmed that aftersales growth was driven by both price and volume increases, with mobile service initiatives contributing at a gross level [104] Question: Used Vehicle Supply and Demand - Management noted strong demand for lower-priced vehicles and emphasized efforts to increase used vehicle inventory [88][90]