We're just getting the Q3 used auto report and for that we're going to turn to Phil Labau. Busy day in Autos, Phil. It is Carl.Let's start first off with what we're hearing from Cox Automotive. Every month they look at what the used car market has been doing with the Mannheim used auto report. And for the month of September, what they found is that prices were up 2% compared to last year.Yes, fractionally lower compared to August. Luxury model sales driven largely by EVs which were in big big demand up 2.3% ...

Core Insights - U.S. new car sales are experiencing an unexpected boost heading into Q4, driven by regulatory uncertainties and strong consumer demand [1][2][3] - Cox Automotive has raised its 2025 U.S. new vehicle sales forecast to 16.1 million, up from a previous estimate of 15.6-15.7 million, indicating a positive trend in the automotive market [1][2] - Sales are projected to increase by 4.6% compared to the same period last year, as consumers are motivated to purchase vehicles sooner due to fears of rising prices [2][3] Industry Analysis - The automotive market has benefited from a strong stock market and changing policies, which have encouraged consumers to buy vehicles ahead of potential price increases [3] - The current sales pace is at 16.3 million vehicles, but a slowdown is anticipated in Q4 and into the following year [3]

Core Viewpoint - Asbury Automotive Group's recent earnings report showed a mixed performance, with adjusted earnings per share exceeding estimates but revenues falling short, leading to a 15.6% increase in share price over the past month, outperforming the S&P 500 [1][3]. Financial Performance - Asbury reported Q2 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $7.43, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.82 and increasing from $6.40 in the previous year [3]. - Total revenues for the quarter were $4.37 billion, a nearly 3% year-over-year increase, but below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.45 billion [3]. Segment Performance - New vehicle revenues rose 6% year-over-year to $2.30 billion, slightly missing the consensus estimate of $2.31 billion, with retail units sold totaling 44,437, up 4% year-over-year but below the consensus of 45,291 units [4]. - Used vehicle retail revenues declined 3% year-over-year to $1.13 billion, missing the consensus estimate of $1.15 billion, with retail used vehicle units sold totaling 36,233, down 6% year-over-year [5]. - Revenues from the used vehicle wholesale business increased 11% to $156.3 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $153 million [6]. - Finance and insurance business net revenues amounted to $182 million, down 5% year-over-year and below the consensus estimate of $203 million [7]. - Parts and service business revenues were $601.5 million, up from $580.9 million year-over-year but missing the consensus estimate of $625 million [8]. Cost and Debt Management - Selling, general & administrative expenses as a percentage of gross profit rose to 63.2%, a decrease of 198 basis points year-over-year [9]. - As of June 30, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $54.8 million, down from $69.4 million at the end of 2024, and long-term debt decreased to $3.05 billion from $3.14 billion [9]. Market Outlook - Estimates for Asbury Automotive have been trending upward, with a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [12]. - The company has a subpar Growth Score of D and a Momentum Score of D, but a strong Value Score of A, placing it in the top quintile for value investment strategy [11]. Industry Comparison - Asbury Automotive is part of the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Wholesale industry, where Sonic Automotive has gained 17.1% over the past month, reporting revenues of $3.66 billion, a year-over-year increase of 5.9% [13].

Company Performance - Lithia Motors reported Q2 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $10.24, up from $7.87 in the prior year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.78 [3] - Revenues for the quarter reached $9.58 billion, a 3.7% year-over-year increase, also surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.53 billion [3] - New vehicle retail revenues increased 2.2% year over year to $4.5 billion, although it fell short of the estimate of $4.75 billion [4] - Used vehicle retail revenues rose 3.6% year over year to $3.1 billion, exceeding the estimate of $2.9 billion [5] - Revenues from used vehicle wholesale surged 32.3% to $383 million, outperforming the estimate of $340 million [6] - Same-store new vehicle revenues increased by 2% year over year, while same-store used vehicle retail sales rose 6.5% [7] Financial Metrics - Cost of sales increased by 3.7% year over year, with SG&A expenses reported at $1.01 billion [8] - Adjusted SG&A as a percentage of gross profit decreased to 67.7% from 67.9% in the prior year [8] - The company announced a dividend of 55 cents per share, payable on August 22, 2025 [9] - As of June 30, 2025, Lithia had cash and cash equivalents of $404.4 million, up from $402.2 million at the end of 2024 [10] - Long-term debt increased to $6.7 billion from $6.1 billion as of December 31, 2024 [10] Market Outlook - Lithia Motors has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating an expectation of an in-line return in the coming months [14] - The stock has an average Growth Score of C, a Momentum Score of D, and a Value Score of A, resulting in an aggregate VGM Score of B [13] - In comparison, AutoNation, a peer in the automotive retail industry, reported revenues of $6.97 billion for the last quarter, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 7.6% [15]

Core Insights - Camping World (CWH) reported revenue of $1.98 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9.4% [1] - The company's EPS was $0.57, up from $0.38 in the same quarter last year, although it fell short of the consensus estimate of $0.58 by 1.72% [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.88 billion by 5.04% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - New vehicle unit sales reached 26,696, surpassing the average estimate of 22,432 [4] - Used vehicle unit sales were 18,906, exceeding the average estimate of 18,170 [4] - Average gross profit per unit for used vehicles was $6,190, higher than the average estimate of $5,851.75 [4] - Average selling price for used vehicles was $30,269, compared to the average estimate of $30,005.27 [4] - Average gross profit per unit for new vehicles was $4,729, below the average estimate of $5,320.90 [4] Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from RV and Outdoor Retail products, services, and other was $222.89 million, below the average estimate of $241.07 million, representing a year-over-year decline of 5.5% [4] - Revenue from RV and Outdoor Retail finance and insurance was $201.2 million, exceeding the average estimate of $185.26 million, with a year-over-year increase of 12.4% [4] - Revenue from RV and Outdoor Retail used vehicles was $572.27 million, surpassing the average estimate of $539.28 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 19% [4] - Revenue from RV and Outdoor Retail new vehicles was $915.11 million, exceeding the average estimate of $854.12 million, with a year-over-year increase of 8% [4] - Total revenue from RV and Outdoor Retail was $1.92 billion, above the average estimate of $1.82 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 9.6% [4] - Revenue from the Good Sam Club was $10.27 million, below the average estimate of $11.32 million, indicating a year-over-year decline of 7.6% [4] - Revenue from Good Sam Services and Plans was $54.21 million, slightly below the average estimate of $55.21 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.2% [4] Stock Performance - Shares of Camping World have returned +4.1% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), suggesting potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - AutoNation, Inc. reported second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $5.46 per share, a 37% increase year over year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.70, driven by strong revenues across various segments [1] - Total revenues for the quarter reached $6.97 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.80 billion and up from $6.48 billion in the same quarter of 2024 [1] Revenue Breakdown - New vehicle revenues increased by 8.8% year over year to $3.40 billion, exceeding the estimate of $3.24 billion, with retail units sold totaling 65,847, a 7.5% increase [2] - Retail used-vehicle revenues rose 5.8% to $1.85 billion, surpassing the projection of $1.76 billion, with used vehicle retail units sold totaling 69,736, a 6.5% increase [3] - Wholesale used vehicle revenues decreased by 16.5% to $140 million, missing the estimate of $164.2 million, although gross profit increased significantly [4] - Finance and insurance business revenues amounted to $367.7 million, a 13.5% increase year over year, beating the projection of $327 million [4] - Parts and service business revenues grew by 9.3% to $1.22 billion, exceeding the estimate of $1.18 billion [5] Segment Performance - Domestic segment revenues rose 10.4% year over year to $1.92 billion, surpassing the projection of $1.75 billion, with income climbing 82.9% to $92 million [6] - Import segment revenues increased 6.4% to $2.15 billion, exceeding the forecast of $2.02 billion, with income rising 23.3% to $133.4 million [6] - Premium Luxury segment sales increased by 6.6% to $2.56 billion, slightly missing the projection of $2.57 billion, but income rose 26.9% to $180.1 million [7] Financial Position - As of June 30, 2025, the company's liquidity stood at $1.8 billion, including $63 million in cash and nearly $1.8 billion available under its revolving credit facility [8] - Inventory was valued at $3.46 billion, with non-vehicle debt at $3.76 billion [9] - Capital expenditure for the quarter was $79 million, and the company repurchased 1.5 million shares for $254 million during the first half of 2025 [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated $4.4 billion in revenue for Q2 2025, with a gross profit of $752 million and a gross profit margin of 17.2% [11] - Adjusted operating margin was reported at 5.8%, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) at $7.43 and adjusted EBITDA at $256 million [12][19] - Adjusted net income for the quarter was $146 million, with a non-cash deferral headwind of $0.43 per share due to TCA [19][20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same store revenue for new vehicles increased by 9% year over year, with units sold up by 7% and average gross profit per vehicle at $3,611 [12][13] - Used vehicle unit volume decreased by 4% year over year, but used retail gross profit per unit increased to $17,290, marking the fourth quarter of sequential growth [13][14] - Parts and service gross profit increased by 7%, with a gross profit margin of 59.2% and a fixed absorption rate over 100% [16][17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The same store new day supply was 59 days at the end of June, while the used day supply of inventory was 37 days [12][14] - The company noted strong performance in the Stellantis brand, with a 15.6% increase in volume compared to a national sales decline of 11.5% [12][13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on integrating the Herb Chambers acquisition and optimizing its portfolio by divesting nine stores, which generated proceeds of $250 million to $270 million [11][25] - The transition to Techeon is a key investment aimed at improving operational efficiency and guest experience, with full conversion expected by 2027 [10][62] - The company aims to reduce leverage over the next 12 to 18 months while remaining opportunistic with share repurchases [11][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the future, despite potential headwinds from tariffs and market conditions, emphasizing the resilience of the automotive retail business [81][72] - The company anticipates that the second half of the year will depend heavily on tariff decisions and consumer pricing [8][19] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining productivity per employee to control SG&A expenses amid potential volume declines [34][35] Other Important Information - The average age of passenger cars on the road is 14.5 years, indicating a growing opportunity for service growth [18] - The company ended Q2 with $1.1 billion in liquidity and a transaction-adjusted net leverage ratio of 2.46 times [23][24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you walk through the cadence of GPU and units as the quarter progressed? - Management noted that GPUs started strong but adjusted as the quarter progressed, with expectations of falling into the $2,500 to $3,000 range [27][28] Question: What initiatives are keeping SG&A under control? - The focus is on employee productivity and managing outside services, with some costs related to Techeon conversion impacting the SG&A ratio [34][35] Question: What opportunities exist for improving metrics post-Herb Chambers acquisition? - Management sees opportunities in luxury vehicle sales and operational efficiencies, emphasizing the strategic importance of the New England market [40][42] Question: How does the company plan to maintain parts and service growth amid tougher comparisons? - Management is confident in maintaining mid-single-digit growth, leveraging customer pay work to offset warranty headwinds [43][46] Question: What is the impact of tariffs on inventory and production? - Management indicated that while inventory is lean, it has not been negatively affected beyond normal operating levels, and OEMs have been preparing for tariff impacts [66][67] Question: Is California a potential market for future expansion? - Management stated that California is not currently a focus due to franchise laws and better investment opportunities in other states [69][70]

Core Insights - Group 1 Automotive (GPI) reported strong second-quarter 2025 results with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $11.52, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.31 and reflecting a 17.5% year-over-year increase [1] - The company achieved net sales of $5.7 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.55 billion and up from $4.7 billion in the same quarter last year [1] Q2 Highlights - New vehicle retail sales increased by 15.7% year-over-year to $2.74 billion, although it fell short of the projected $2.83 billion due to lower-than-expected volumes [2] - Total retail new vehicles sold reached 55,763 units, a 17% increase year-over-year, but missed the forecast of 57,290 units [2] - The average selling price per new vehicle was $50,557, up 1.1% year-over-year, with gross profit from new vehicle retail totaling $198.4 million, a 16.6% increase year-over-year [2] Used-Vehicle Performance - Used-vehicle retail sales rose 27.2% year-over-year to $1.85 billion, exceeding the forecast of $1.72 billion due to higher-than-anticipated unit sales [3] - Total retail used vehicles sold were 60,240 units, up 22.3% year-over-year, surpassing the expectation of 58,438 units [3] - The average selling price per used vehicle was $30,713, up 4.1% year-over-year, with gross profit from used vehicles at $96.4 million, a 19.5% increase year-over-year [3] Wholesale and Other Segments - Used-vehicle wholesale sales surged 57% year-over-year to $163.8 million, beating the expectation of $115.7 million, with a gross profit of $0.5 million compared to a gross loss of $1.1 million in the prior year [4] - Parts and Service revenues increased by 25% to $718.4 million, with gross profit rising 27.1% to $402.8 million year-over-year [4] - Finance and Insurance revenues were $237.8 million, up 18.8% from the previous year [4] Segment Performance - U.S. business segment revenues rose 6.5% year-over-year to $4.18 billion, although it missed the forecast of $4.22 billion [5] - Gross profit for the U.S. segment increased by 9.1% to $728.7 million, falling short of the prediction of $732.4 million [5] - In the U.K. business segment, revenues jumped 96.9% year-over-year to $1.53 billion, exceeding the estimate of $1.28 billion, with gross profit surging 109.6% to $207.1 million [6] Financial Position - Selling, general and administrative expenses rose 29.9% year-over-year to $646.1 million [7] - Cash and cash equivalents increased to $52.7 million as of June 30, 2025, up from $34.4 million at the end of 2024 [7] - Total debt rose to $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, from $2.91 billion at the end of 2024 [7] Share Repurchase - During the quarter, GPI repurchased 114,918 shares at an average price of $387.39 per share, totaling $44.5 million [8] - The company has $308.8 million remaining on its authorized stock buyback program [8] Overall Performance - GPI's Q2 results exceeded earnings and revenue estimates, with significant growth in both new and used vehicle retail sales [9] - The U.K. segment's nearly doubled revenues significantly contributed to the overall gross profit increase [9]

Core Viewpoint - Ford Motor Company has faced challenges related to recalls and warranty costs, which have impacted its financials, despite claims of quality improvements [1][2]. Group 1: J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) - The J.D. Power IQS, now in its 39th year, surveys over 90,000 customers of new vehicle models after 90 days of ownership to assess problems per 100 vehicles [3]. - Lexus ranked highest overall in the 2025 study with a score of 166 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), followed by Jaguar and Genesis [4]. - For mass-market brands, Nissan led with a score of 169 PP100, while Hyundai and Chevrolet followed with scores of 173 PP100 and 178 PP100, respectively [5]. Group 2: Ford's Performance in IQS - Ford scored 193 PP100 in 2025, which is below the industry average and worse than its previous scores of 178 PP100 in 2024 and 174 PP100 in 2020 [8][9]. - The decline in Ford's score raises questions about the improvement in vehicle quality and potential rising warranty costs [9]. - The automotive industry has seen increased complexity in vehicles, which may contribute to initial problems as new technologies are introduced [9]. Group 3: Implications of IQS Scores - The J.D. Power study focuses on initial problems within the first 90 days, which are not likely to correlate with recalls or significant warranty costs [12]. - Issues identified, such as infotainment problems and cupholder sizes, are not expected to impact Ford's earnings significantly [11][12]. - The study serves as a valuable resource for consumer feedback, but it may not accurately reflect long-term vehicle quality improvements [13]. Group 4: Conclusion on Ford's Quality - Despite the declining scores, there are no immediate red flags regarding potential recalls or earnings impacts for Ford [14]. - The company’s recent quality initiatives may take time to manifest in improved scores as newer models replace older ones [13].

Core Insights - Prices of new and used vehicles in the U.S. are expected to significantly increase this year due to President Trump's 25% auto tariffs [1][2] - The automotive industry is responding to these tariffs with various strategies, including temporary pricing deals and halting shipments [5][6] Price Increases - Cox Automotive estimates a $6,000 increase for imported vehicles and a $3,600 increase for U.S.-assembled vehicles due to the tariffs, in addition to $300 to $500 increases from prior tariffs on steel and aluminum [6] - Wholesale prices of used vehicles are projected to rise between 2.1% and 2.8% by the end of the year, up from a previous estimate of 1.4% [8] Market Dynamics - The automotive market is described as volatile, with demand fluctuating based on regulatory changes and economic uncertainty [4][12] - Automakers are expected to cut production and some have ceased imports, but these actions are not anticipated to be as drastic as during the early 2020s [13] Consumer Impact - Changes in new vehicle prices and production are expected to affect the used car market, which is crucial for most American consumers [7] - The average listing price of a used vehicle was approximately $25,000 as of mid-March, ahead of anticipated sales increases [9] Future Expectations - The automotive industry anticipates volatility in pricing throughout the year, with the week following the confirmation of tariffs potentially marking the peak in sales [10] - The increase in used vehicle pricing is expected to be less dramatic than during the pandemic, which saw unprecedented price hikes due to high demand and low availability [11][14]