The Presidio Group’s automotive dealership valuation expertise and insights on the latest trends in mergers and acquisitions are informed, in part, by our work with many of the country’s biggest and most influential dealership groups. These relationships give us an insider’s view of how experienced and sophisticated operators value dealerships.
The third quarter of 2025 saw continued momentum in the dealership M&A market, building on the rebound that began earlier this year. Since midsummer, the pace of buyers and sellers turning to Presidio for transaction assistance has been “on fire,” said George Karolis, president of The Presidio Group. Activity level across the broader industry also has grown. It remains a seller’s market for dealerships representing high-quality brands in prime locations, and those are the assets buyers primarily are clamoring for.
Presidio estimates U.S. dealership M&A activity through the first nine months of 2025 totaled 320 transactions involving 445 stores. With four more transactions involving 20 fewer dealerships estimated, this year’s pace is roughly on par with the same period in 2024. Numbers are subject to change as news of additional transactions emerges. A factor in the pace of the last year is the slowdown in deal completion late in 2024 and early in 2025 connected to transaction hesitation ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The team at Presidio continues to expect that full-year 2025 transaction counts and number of dealerships sold will meet or exceed last year’s levels. Presidio slightly increased its full-year 2024 data, to 421 transactions involving 599 stores, as more deals for that period became public.
Presidio’s own pipeline of deals continues to be stronger than ever, reflecting both the strength of its industry relationships and overall heightened deal activity. Large luxury transactions are a particular focus of the firm’s activity, with several notable deals closing in recent months. And the outlook for the 2026 dealership M&A market is robust.
“There’s no end in sight, at least for a few years. Buyers are willing to pay strong, but fair, prices and are stepping up for premium brands and markets,” Karolis said. “It’s a seller’s market, but sellers need to have a sound basis for valuation in any transaction, even in a robust market.”