8:06 am, November 3, 2021
The Car Dealer Top 100 list of the most profitable dealers in the UK is coming soon.
Following an incredible year for the motor trade, Car Dealer has teamed up with headline sponsor Carwow and industry analysts Interpath to compile the list which will be published this month.
Finance expert Mike Jones, former chairman of ASE Global and now independent automotive consultant, will be compiling the data with the team from financial advisory firm Interpath.
The list is unique as it pitches franchised dealers against independents ranking them by the most important performance indicator for business – how much money they make.
Last year saw dealers locked down, trading flipped online and a surge in demand from consumers for used cars.
Data from dealers’ 2020 accounts will be used to compile the league table, covering year ends to March 2021.
The Car Dealer Top 100 was launched in 2020 and focussed on 2019’s financial performance.
It saw Arnold Clark top the list as the most profitable dealer with EBITDA profits of £194.3m.
The Trade Centre Group was the most profitable independent dealer bringing home £25.19m.
Compiler Mike Jones added: ‘2020 and 2021 have been turbulent times for motor retailers, dealing with a series of lockdowns and Covid restrictions so I’m delighted to be working with Interpath advisory to produce the Car Dealer Top 100 in what has been a fascinating year.
‘Over the past 18 months we have seen how resilient motor retailers are and these results will clearly demonstrate this.
‘Covering year-ends up to March 2021 this list will cover the initial Covid lockdowns and the move to click and collect, neatly cutting off before the current impact of chip shortages and the explosion in used car profitability.
‘As with last year, new and used car retailers will be ranked based on profit generated and it will be fascinating to see how the extent to which franchised and non-franchised retailers were impacted differently.’
James Hind, founder and CEO of Car Dealer Top 100 sponsor Carwow, added: ‘By focusing on pure profitability, the Car Dealer Top 100 is the financial stick of truth when it comes to measuring dealership business performance.
‘If 2021 has taught our industry anything, it’s the importance of seizing opportunities and change in all forms.
‘Add to this the twin forces of electrification and digitisation, it’s fair to say there’s rarely been a more exciting time in our industry.
‘For me, it’s the stories and strategies of how dealers have seized all of these opportunities to power their businesses that makes the Top 100 something Carwow is proud to support.’
The Car Dealer Top 100 will only be available to members of the Car Dealer website. Signing up is free and an account can be created here.
To be notified when the list goes live, join one of our breaking news WhatsApp groups. The latest can be joined here.
Details of last year’s Car Dealer Top 100 can be seen in the video below.
