A few years ago, Nissan's U.S. business was in free fall — its balance sheet hemorrhaging, a rebellious dealer body and customers largely uninterested in the brand.
Nissan's outlook today is decidedly brighter. The Japanese automaker is at the tail end of a product overhaul that is drawing more customer attention. Tight new-vehicle supplies and management's decision to abandon controversial sales policies have boosted deliveries and prices along with the spirits of the brand's dealers.
The optimism is evident in the mergers and acquisitions market. Twenty-two percent of retailers polled in Kerrigan Advisors' 2021 Dealer Survey expect Nissan franchise valuations to increase. In 2020, just 8 percent of dealers shared that sentiment.