Group 1 Automotive Reports First Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (GPI), ("Group 1" or the "Company"), an international, Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today reported 2017 first quarter net income of $33.9 million, diluted earnings per common share of $1.58, adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure) of $32.8 million, and adjusted diluted earnings per common share (a non-GAAP measure) of $1.53.

First quarter 2017 adjusted net income and diluted earnings per share exclude a non-core benefit of approximately $1.1 million after-tax, or $0.05 per share, related to a settlement with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures are included in the attached financial tables.

"Although we had another strong performance in our U.S. new vehicle margins, a record quarter in the U.K., and a profitable quarter in Brazil, these factors were not enough to offset extreme weakness in vehicle sales in our energy price impacted markets. Combined new and used sales dropped 11 percent in Texas and Oklahoma, with the new vehicle industry declining 16 percent for the quarter in our largest single market of Houston. With a decrease of 13 percent in new vehicle sales at our Houston stores, we outperformed the local market, but we still need to make further adjustments to our businesses in the energy price impacted markets," said Earl J. Hesterberg, Group 1’s president and chief executive officer. "As for our overseas markets, our U.K. operations had another record quarter, with revenue growth across all business segments and gross profit up double digits on a constant currency basis. And finally, in the face of continued pressure on Brazil’s new vehicle industry during the quarter, we are also delighted to have achieved profitability in our Brazil Region by growing gross profit 13 percent on a Same Store constant currency basis reflecting tremendous performance in used vehicles, parts and service, and F&I, and by significantly leveraging our costs."

Consolidated Results for First Quarter 2017 (year-over-year comparable basis)

For ease of comparison, we have included constant currency metrics (a non-GAAP measure) both below (shown in parenthesis) and in the financial tables that follow:

• Total revenue decreased 3.4 percent ((1.5) percent) to $2.5 billion; total gross profit decreased 1.4 percent ((0.1) percent) to $383.5 million.

• New vehicle revenues decreased 5.2 percent ((3.1) percent) on a 6.1 percent decrease in unit sales. New vehicle gross profit decreased 3.5 percent ((1.3) percent) to $69.2 million, as improved new vehicle margins partially offset the volume decline. U.S. Same Store new vehicle margins were up 5.1 percent or $91 per unit to $1,862.

• Retail used vehicle revenues decreased 4.0 percent ((2.0) percent) on a 3.7 percent decrease in unit sales. Retail used vehicle gross profit decreased 8.5 percent ((7.5) percent) to $45.0 million reflecting the impact of lower margins, down $74 per unit, in combination with the volume decline.

• Parts and service gross profit increased 3.5 percent (4.9 percent) on revenue growth of 3.6 percent (4.7 percent). Same Store parts and service gross profit increased 3.4 percent (4.4 percent) on revenue growth of 3.8 percent (4.6 percent).

• Same Store Finance and Insurance (F&I) gross profit per retail unit (PRU) increased 2.0 percent (2.8 percent) to $1,410 per retail unit. U.S. F&I gross profit per unit increased $73 to a first quarter record of $1,637.

• Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses as a percent of gross profit increased 10 basis points to 75.6 percent. Adjusted SG&A expenses as a percent of gross profit (a non-GAAP measure) increased 120 basis points to 76.0 percent.

Segment Results for First Quarter 2017 (year-over-year comparable basis)

• United States: The Company’s U.S. operations accounted for 78.1 percent of total revenues and 83.6 percent of total gross profit. U.S. revenues were $2.0 billion, a decrease of 5.5 percent. The revenue decrease reflects 10.7 percent and 7.1 percent decreases in retail new and used vehicle unit sales, respectively. The vast majority of the sales decline came from the Company’s oil-impacted markets of Texas and Oklahoma. Gross profit decreased 3.6 percent.

• United Kingdom: The Company’s U.K. operations accounted for 17.9 percent of total revenues and 13.1 percent of total gross profit. Despite a 14 percent weakening in the pound, total revenue grew 4.3 percent (20.5 percent) to $450.3 million, and gross profit increased 7.6 percent (24.3 percent). Revenue growth was primarily driven by 22.6 percent and 22.1 percent increases in new and used vehicle retail unit sales, respectively.

• Brazil: The Company’s Brazilian operations accounted for 4.0 percent of total revenues and 3.3 percent of total gross profit. Despite continued weakness in Brazil’s new vehicle industry volumes, which contributed to decreased Same Store total revenue of 13.4 percent on a constant currency basis, gross profit increased 13.0 percent, reflecting strong growth in Same Store total used vehicles gross profit (up almost 180 percent), and a 17.6 percent increase in Same Store parts and sales gross profit. In addition, Same Store F&I gross profit PRU increased 64.5 percent on a constant currency basis. The increase in gross profit, coupled with significantly improved cost leverage, allowed the region to achieve profitability in the quarter.

Corporate Development

In January 2017, as previously announced, the Company acquired a BMW motorcycle franchise in Brazil, which is expected to generate approximately $5 million in annual revenues. In March 2017, the Company opened Think Ford Reading, an add point in the U.K., which is contiguous to our existing Ford market. This expands the Company’s U.K. Ford network to seven dealerships. In April 2017, the Company also opened Cedar Park Nissan, an add point in Austin, Texas. This addition increases Group 1’s U.S. Nissan network to nine dealerships. These add points are expected to generate approximately $60 million in annual revenues.

In February 2017, as previously announced, the Company disposed of two Nissan dealerships in Brazil. These stores generated approximately $25 million in trailing-twelve-month revenues.

Share Repurchase Authorization

As of April 28, 2017, $22.4 million remains available under the Company’s prior common stock share repurchase authorization. Purchases may be made from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, based on market conditions, legal requirements and other corporate considerations and subject to Board approval and covenant restrictions.

First Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call Details

Group 1’s senior management will host a conference call today at 9 a.m. ET to discuss the first quarter financial results and the Company’s outlook and strategy.

The conference call will be simulcast live on the Internet at www.group1auto.com. Click on ’Investor Relations’ and then ’Events’ or through this link: http://www.group1corp.com/events. A webcast replay will be available for 30 days.

The conference call will also be available live by dialing in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call at:

A telephonic replay will be available following the call through May 5, 2017 by dialing:

About Group 1 Automotive, Inc. Group 1 owns and operates 159 automotive dealerships, 210 franchises, and 45 collision centers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil that offer 30 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships, the Company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related vehicle financing; sells service contracts; provides automotive maintenance and repair services; and sells vehicle parts.

Investors please visit www.group1corp.com, www.group1auto.com, www.group1collision.com, www.facebook.com/group1auto, and www.twitter.com/group1auto, where Group 1 discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are statements related to future, not past, events and are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. In this context, the forward-looking statements often include statements regarding our goals, plans, projections and guidance regarding our financial position, results of operations, market position, pending and potential future acquisitions and business strategy, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should," "foresee," "may" or "will" and similar expressions. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. Any such forward-looking statements are not assurances of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, (a) general economic and business conditions, (b) the level of manufacturer incentives, (c) the future regulatory environment, (d) our ability to obtain an inventory of desirable new and used vehicles, (e) our relationship with our automobile manufacturers and the willingness of manufacturers to approve future acquisitions, (f) our cost of financing and the availability of credit for consumers, (g) our ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions and the risks associated therewith, (h) foreign exchange controls and currency fluctuations, and (i) our ability to retain key personnel. For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results, please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES In addition to evaluating the financial condition and results of our operations in accordance with GAAP, from time to time our management evaluates and analyzes results and any impact on the Company of strategic decisions and actions relating to, among other things, cost reduction, growth, and profitability improvement initiatives, and other events outside of normal, or "core," business and operations, by considering alternative financial measures not prepared in accordance with GAAP. This includes evaluating measures such as adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses, adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share. These adjusted measures are not measures of financial performance under U.S. GAAP, but are instead considered non-GAAP financial performance measures. Non-GAAP measures do not have definitions under GAAP and may be defined differently by and not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. As a result, any non-GAAP financial measures considered and evaluated by management are reviewed in conjunction with a review of the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on such non-GAAP measures, but also to consider them with the most directly comparable GAAP measures. In our evaluation of results from time to time, we exclude items that do not arise directly from core operations, such as non-cash asset impairment charges, gains and losses on dealership franchise or real estate transactions, and catastrophic weather events such as hail storms, hurricanes, and snow storms. Because these non-core charges and gains materially affect the Company’s financial condition or results in the specific period in which they are recognized, management also evaluates, and makes resource allocation and performance evaluation decisions based on, the related non-GAAP measures excluding such items.

In addition to using such non-GAAP measures to evaluate results in a specific period, management believes that such measures may provide more complete and consistent comparisons of operational performance on a period-over-period historical basis and a better indication of expected future trends. Our management also uses these adjusted measures in conjunction with U.S. GAAP financial measures to assess our business, including communication with our Board of Directors, investors and industry analysts concerning financial performance. We disclose these non-GAAP measures, and the related reconciliations, because we believe investors use these metrics in evaluating longer-term period-over-period performance, and to allow investors to better understand and evaluate the information used by management to assess operating performance. The exclusion of certain expenses in the calculation of non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as an inference that these costs are unusual or infrequent. We anticipate excluding these expenses in the future presentation of our non-GAAP financial measures.

In addition, we evaluate our results of operations on both an as reported and a constant currency basis. The constant currency presentation, which is a non-GAAP measure, excludes the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. We believe providing constant currency information provides valuable supplemental information regarding our underlying business and results of operations, consistent with how we evaluate our performance. We calculate constant currency percentages by converting our current period reported results for entities reporting in currencies other than United States dollars using comparative period exchange rates rather than the actual exchange rates in effect during the respective periods. The constant currency performance measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Investor contacts: Sheila Roth Manager, Investor Relations Group 1 Automotive, Inc. 713-647-5741 | sroth@group1auto.com

Media contacts: Pete DeLongchamps V.P. Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services and Public Affairs Group 1 Automotive, Inc. 713-647-5770 | pdelongchamps@group1auto.com

or Clint Woods Pierpont Communications, Inc. 713-627-2223 | cwoods@piercom.com

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SOURCE Group 1 Automotive, Inc.

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