Automotive dealership benchmark survey: Q4 2019

Authored by Chelsie Hardy, CPA, MST, Tax Manager and Michael Mader, Dealership Partner, CPA, CFE

On a quarterly basis, Baker Tilly conducts a benchmarking study of auto dealerships analyzing key data for new and used vehicles sales, as well as F&I, service, parts and body shop departments. The represented data is as of and for the four quarters ended Dec. 31, 2019 (Q4 2019), with comparisons to the same period in 2018 (Q4 2018) and to the three quarters ended Sept. 30, 2019 (Q3 2019).

A few key findings from 2019 Q4’s whitepaper include:

• Vehicle sales volumes were slightly down compared to last year with new and used retail vehicle grosses decreasing from 2018
• Proper management of personnel, advertising and floor plan interest costs attributed to a higher net income as a percentage of sales (1.49 percent) as compared to last year