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Autonation, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth quarter revenue and EPS: Fourth quarter revenue was $6.9 billion, down 4%. Diluted EPS was $4.70 against $4.64, and adjusted EPS was $5.08 against $4.97. Source
  • Same-store gross profit fell 4%: Same-store gross profit fell 4% to $1,188.2 million. Lower vehicle unit sales and profit per unit were partly offset by After-Sales gross profit growth. Source
  • Premium Luxury income fell 20%: Premium Luxury revenue fell 8.9% to $2.64 billion. Segment income fell 20.3% to $165.4 million from $207.6 million. Source
  • New retail units down 10%: Same-store new retail unit sales were 63,873 against 71,158, down 10%. Same-store used retail units were 61,279 against 64,501, down 5%. Source
  • New vehicle gross profit per unit fell: Same-store new vehicle gross profit per retail unit was $2,391 against $2,985, down 19.9%. New vehicle gross profit fell 28.1% to $152.7 million. Source
  • SG&A rose to 68.8% of gross profit: SG&A was $835.5 million, or 68.8% of gross profit, against 67.1%. Adjusted SG&A was 68.0% of gross profit against 66.3%. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow topped $1 billion: Full year adjusted free cash flow was $1.05 billion, or 125% of adjusted net income. Cash provided by operating activities was $112 million. Source
  • Full year buybacks totaled $785 million: Full year repurchases were 4.1 million shares for $785 million, about $193 per share. Fourth quarter repurchases were $350 million at $209 per share. Source

“For the full year we grew unit volume for both new and used vehicles, increased revenues across all our business lines and grew gross profit for After-Sales, Customer Financial Services and Used vehicles,”

Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Share repurchase authorization Sourceas of February 4, 2026$968 million remaining

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Acquired a Toyota store in Baltimore in December 2025. The prior release listed only the Chicago and Denver acquisitions. Source
  • New: Completed a second asset-backed term securitization in January 2026, funding $749.2 million at a 4.25% weighted-average fixed rate. Source

Fourth quarter and full year results

  • Fourth quarter revenue and EPS: Fourth quarter revenue was $6.9 billion, down 4%. Diluted EPS was $4.70 against $4.64, and adjusted EPS was $5.08 against $4.97. Source
  • Full year revenue grew 3%: Full year revenue rose 3% to $27.6 billion, compared with the prior full year. Source
  • Full year EPS and adjusted EPS: Full year diluted EPS was $17.04 against $16.92, and full year adjusted EPS was $20.22 against $17.46. Source
  • Same-store gross profit fell 4%: Same-store gross profit fell 4% to $1,188.2 million. Lower vehicle unit sales and profit per unit were partly offset by After-Sales gross profit growth. Source
  • Operating and net income declined: Fourth quarter operating income was $313.9 million, down 8%, and net income was $172.1 million, down 8%. Adjusted operating income was $335.1 million, down 7%. Source
  • Fewer diluted shares outstanding: Diluted weighted average shares were 36.6 million in the quarter against 40.1 million a year earlier, down 9%. Source

Segments and franchised brands

  • Domestic segment income rose 19%: Domestic revenue rose 1.2% to $1.89 billion. Segment income rose 19.3% to $79.9 million from $67.0 million. Source
  • Import revenue and income declined: Import revenue fell 2.7% to $2.05 billion, and segment income fell 11.4% to $106.8 million from $120.5 million. Source
  • Premium Luxury income fell 20%: Premium Luxury revenue fell 8.9% to $2.64 billion. Segment income fell 20.3% to $165.4 million from $207.6 million. Source
  • AN Finance income turned positive: AutoNation Finance income was $6.2 million in the quarter against $1.2 million. Full year income was $9.8 million against a loss of $9.3 million. Source

“Full year adjusted earnings per share and Adjusted Free Cash flow increased significantly from a year ago, and we deployed significant capital for share repurchases and acquisitions to improve density in existing markets.”

Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation

Vehicle units and brand mix

  • New retail units down 10%: Same-store new retail unit sales were 63,873 against 71,158, down 10%. Same-store used retail units were 61,279 against 64,501, down 5%. Source
  • Full year units rose modestly: Same-store new retail units rose 2% to 256,736 for the full year. Same-store used retail units rose 1% to 263,284. Source
  • Toyota share of new units rose: Toyota reached 22.5% of fourth quarter new retail units against 20.2%. Ford and Lincoln reached 13.7% against 11.2%, while Premium Luxury share was 26.8% against 29.6%. Source
  • Premium luxury units fell 18%: Premium luxury new retail units fell 17.8% to 17,394. Import fell 8.3% and Domestic fell 1.4% in the quarter. Source

Gross profit and per-unit economics

  • New vehicle gross profit per unit fell: Same-store new vehicle gross profit per retail unit was $2,391 against $2,985, down 19.9%. New vehicle gross profit fell 28.1% to $152.7 million. Source
  • Used gross profit per unit eased: Same-store used gross profit per retail unit was $1,451 against $1,543, down 6.0%. Used vehicle gross profit fell 7.7% to $96.4 million. Source
  • Finance and insurance per unit rose: Finance and insurance gross profit per same-store retail unit was $2,891 against $2,690, up 7.5%. Total F&I gross profit was $361.8 million, down 0.8%. Source
  • After-Sales gross profit hit Q4 record: After-Sales gross profit set a fourth-quarter record. Same-store parts and service gross profit rose 3.9% to $577.1 million. Source

“flexible cost structure, cash flow generation, and investment grade balance sheet position us to continue delivering”

Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation

Costs and adjusted items

  • SG&A rose to 68.8% of gross profit: SG&A was $835.5 million, or 68.8% of gross profit, against 67.1%. Adjusted SG&A was 68.0% of gross profit against 66.3%. Source
  • Franchise rights impairment rose: Franchise rights impairment was $22.0 million in the quarter against $12.5 million. Full year goodwill impairment was $65.3 million. Source
  • Cyber recoveries excluded from adjusted EPS: Cybersecurity insurance recoveries of $40 million and $58 million of impairment, franchise rights and severance expenses were excluded from 2025 adjusted diluted EPS. Source

Demand and inventory

  • New days supply rose to 45: New vehicle days supply was 45 days at year-end against 39 days a year earlier. Used days supply was 38 days against 37 days. Source
  • Inventory and floorplan notes rose: Inventory was $3.40 billion at December 31, 2025, against $3.36 billion a year earlier. Floorplan notes payable were $3.83 billion against $3.71 billion. Source
  • Same-store revenue fell 5%: Same-store revenue fell 5% in the quarter, as lower new and used unit sales outweighed After-Sales growth. Full year same-store revenue rose 3%. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Adjusted free cash flow topped $1 billion: Full year adjusted free cash flow was $1.05 billion, or 125% of adjusted net income. Cash provided by operating activities was $112 million. Source
  • Full year buybacks totaled $785 million: Full year repurchases were 4.1 million shares for $785 million, about $193 per share. Fourth quarter repurchases were $350 million at $209 per share. Source
  • Buybacks continued into February 2026: Year to date through February 4, 2026, AutoNation repurchased 0.5 million shares for $108 million, about $212 per share. Source
  • Liquidity stood at $1.8 billion: Liquidity was $1.8 billion at December 31, 2025, including $59 million of cash and $1.7 billion of revolver availability net of commercial paper. Source
  • Covenant leverage at 2.44x: Covenant leverage ratio was 2.44x against a 3.75x ceiling, up from 2.35x at September 30, 2025. Interest coverage was 4.83x against a 3.00x minimum. Source
  • Capex and acquisition spending: Full year capital expenditures were $309.4 million. Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, was $459.1 million. Source

AN Finance and acquisitions

  • Acquisitions add over $650M revenue: Acquisitions in Chicago, Denver and Baltimore represent more than $650 million of annual revenue, adding density in Maryland, Illinois and Colorado. Source
  • AN Finance portfolio reached $2.2B: Auto loans receivable reached $2.14 billion, up from $1.06 billion a year earlier. Management said the portfolio grew while profitability and funded status improved. Source
  • Credit loss provision rose: Full year provision for credit losses rose to $79.2 million from $57.5 million. The fourth quarter provision was $19.1 million against $21.2 million. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales SourceSame-store revenue $6,791.8M vs $7,181.7M, down 5.4% (Q4); full year up 3.2%
Average ticket (revenue per vehicle retailed) SourceNew $53,027 vs $52,895 (+0.2%); used $27,952 vs $27,150 (+3.0%), same-store Q4
Inventory Source$3,404.9M at December 31, 2025 vs $3,360.0M at December 31, 2024
New days supply Source45 days vs 39 days
Gross margin SourceGross profit 17.5% of revenue in Q4 2025 (17.2% Q4 2024); 17.9% full year 2025 (17.9% 2024)
Store openings and closings SourceNone stated; one store acquired (Toyota, Baltimore, December 2025)

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management linked prior-year comparisons and elevated earlier-2025 sales to tariffs and expired battery electric vehicle incentives, which affected new vehicle unit volumes. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.