The Presidio Group’s latest Quarterly Outlook on Auto Retail and M&A Trends finds dealership buy-sell activity in the first half of 2025 was roughly on par with the year-ago period.

Drawing merger and acquisition data from multiple sources, analysts estimate 208 transactions took place in January through June of both years, although 326 rooftops were involved in 2024’s first-half deals compared with 285 in H1 2025.

Analysts say uncertainty around the 2024 presidential election contributed to a slow first quarter and predicted a robust second half, noting Q3 kicked off with July’s billion-dollar purchase of the Herb Chambers group by Asbury Automotive.

“We continue to operate in a seller’s market, with active buyers widely outnumbering the volume of opportunities,” Presidio Group President George Karolis writes in the report. “We are seeing more of a flight to quality with buyers targeting top brands in large metro markets.”

Read the full report at The Presidio Group