Here's our annual ranking of the largest U.S. dealership groups

Two pairs of retailers among the 10 biggest dealership groups in the country as ranked by Automotive News swapped places for 2019.

The companies in the top 10 stayed the same, with AutoNation Inc., Penske Automotive Group Inc. and Lithia Motors Inc. once again leading the annual list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S. The groups were ranked using 2019 retail new-vehicle sales.

Hendrick Automotive Group and Sonic Automotive Inc. traded spots to come in at Nos. 5 and 6. Hendrick retailed 115,394 vehicles last year, up 3.2 percent. Sonic retailed 114,131 vehicles, down 7 percent.

Staluppi Auto Group and Ken Garff Automotive Group also swapped positions to come in at Nos. 9 and 10. Staluppi retailed 62,570 new vehicles in 2019, up 5.8 percent. Ken Garff sold 59,305 new vehicles, down 6.8 percent.

New-vehicle sales fell for all six publicly held dealership groups, with AutoNation, Sonic and Penske posting the sharpest declines. AutoNation's new-vehicle sales fell 9.1 percent to 282,602 in 2019, the first time they've dropped below 300,000 since 2013. New-vehicle sales for Penske dropped 5.6 percent to 222,800.

The dealership groups in the top 10 collectively sold 1,429,622 new vehicles, including fleet vehicles, or 8.4 percent of the U.S. light-vehicle market. Sales from the companies in the top 10 made up 38.8 percent of the top 150's total new-vehicle sales.

The companies on the list collectively retailed 3.5 million new vehicles, a decline of 1.2 percent vs. 2018. That matched the overall industry decline in new light-vehicle sales for 2019, when 17.1 million were sold in the U.S.

Feldman Automotive Group, of New Hudson, Mich., was one of nine retailers that rose in the ranks by 10 or more slots. It retailed 16,530 new vehicles in 2019 and moved up 17 slots to No. 57 on the list. CEO Jay Feldman, who operates 10 dealerships in Michigan and Ohio, credited a store acquisition and more aggressive marketing and inventory strategies for his group's 21 percent sales boost.

He aims to increase sales again in 2020 and noted that his stores are ready for business challenges even in light of the coronavirus crisis threatening the economy.

"We're fortunate enough to be in a position where we're well capitalized," Feldman told Automotive News. "If the business takes a turn, we can handle that."

Some large dealership groups that may have qualified for the top 150 declined to respond to Automotive News' survey. Those retailers included Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, which perennially placed among the top 10 under its former owner, Van Tuyl Group. Another retailing giant that did not participate is Automotive Management Services Inc., of West Palm Beach, Fla., which supports the group of stores owned by Terry Taylor.

Five groups that were ranked on the 2018 list also did not participate. Those retailers included Braman Dealerships, of Miami, which was No. 35 for 2018; John Eagle Auto Group, of Dallas, which was No. 62; and Cardinale Group, of Marina, Calif., which was No. 63.

Seven of the top 150 groups were new to the list, while three returned after an absence. Of the new arrivals, Empire Auto Group, of Huntington, N.Y., ranked highest, at No. 96. Wallace Automotive Group, a newcomer that ranked at No. 112, reported a new-vehicle sales increase of 72 percent to 8,662 vehicles in 2019, the highest percentage increase for that category for any retailer on the list.

Ed Morse Automotive Group, of Delray Beach, Fla., was the list's biggest gainer, vaulting 21 spots to No. 77. Cavender Auto Family, of San Antonio, moved up 18 spots to No. 90.

Meanwhile, 20 groups fell by 10 or more spots. Chapman Auto Group, of Horsham, Pa., dropped the most, sinking 34 spots to No. 106.

Melissa Burden contributed to this report.