United Auto Group
For its fiscal first quarter, United Auto Group earned $14.6 million, or $0.15 per share, well below the $24 million, or $0.25 per share, it earned in last year's first quarter. However, excluding the items mentioned above, the company earned $28.3 million, or $0.30 per share. Sales jumped 21.6% to $3.1 billion as same-store sales were up 10.8%.
Much like its competitor Group 1 Automotive
Comps were up for each business segment, led by its used-vehicle business, which increased comps by 20.9%. On the auto front, BMW led the way with 22% of total sales, followed by Toyota
Looking at the road ahead, United Auto Group expects to earn $0.39 to $0.43 per share in the second quarter and $1.40 to $1.50 per share for the full year. That gives it an annual growth rate ranging between a minuscule gain of 0.7% to a much more respectable increase of 7.9%. Exactly where its earnings will fall within that range is anybody's guess. If you think it can come in near the upper end of its guidance, it may be a decent buy. Otherwise, it doesn't offer enough pedal-to-the-metal growth.
For more on the race among auto retailers, check out:
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Fool contributor Mike Cianciolo welcomes feedback and doesn't own any of the companies in this article. The Fool has a disclosure policy.