Motor Trader Top 200 Dealer Groups reveals a sector in flux

The Motor Trader Top 200 Franchised Dealer Groups in 2024 shows a sector in flux with huge interest in dealer groups from foreign investors, ongoing consolidation and a market building momentum after contraction in the pandemic.

Sytner tops the report once again with annual turnover of £6.8bn and pre-tax profits of £178.9m.

It was followed by Arnold Clark in second place, which delivered turnover of £4.9bn and pre-tax profits of £173.5m.

In third slot was the recently acquired Lookers with turnover of £4.3bn and pre-tax profits of £84.4m.

The Motor Trader Top 200 Franchised Dealer Groups continues to grow. Total turnover is £81.3bn compared to £75.1bn in the 2023 survey.

Profitability has fallen to £1.8bn from £2.048bn last time. Return on sales – the straight average pre-tax profit as a percentage of sales – has fallen to 2.25% compared to 2.87% last time. And the straight average pre-tax profits per employee has fallen to £13,806 from £16,183 in the 2023 survey.

“Those are the headline figures but this 2024 edition of the Top 200 Franchised Dealer Groups proved to be very challenging to compile because of the number and size of acquisitions between 2021 and the present time,” said report author Chris Oakham.

Click here to see the report online in the digital version of Motor Trader