Two years after announcing its mega acquisition of Larry H. Miller Dealerships, Asbury Automotive Group Inc. said it is "in discussions" to buy another top 25 dealership group, Jim Koons Automotive Cos.
"No definitive agreement has been entered into, and accordingly no assurance can be provided that any definitive agreement will be signed or that any transaction will result from these discussions," Asbury wrote in a government filing Tuesday. "Asbury does not intend to make any further announcements regarding these discussions until either a definitive agreement has been entered into or discussions are terminated."
A successful purchase of Jim Koons Automotive would give Asbury 20 new-vehicle stores and one used-only dealership in the Washington, D.C., area. It also would put Asbury back on track for its goal of adding $6.2 billion in revenue through acquisitions by 2025, with the Koons group reporting $3.2 billion in 2022 revenue. Asbury has made no purchases and has divested stores since announcing its target in April 2022.
Seaport Research Partners analyst Glenn Chin estimated Asbury could pay $640 million to $800 million for the Koons group if the sale price were calculated at 20 to 25 percent of its revenue.