Lithia & Driveway (LAD) Reports Record Fourth Quarter Revenue of $9.2 billion, a 20% Increase, and the First Profitable Year for Finance Operations

Announces Dividend of $0.53 per Share for Fourth Quarter

MEDFORD, Ore., Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithia & Driveway (NYSE:LAD) today reported the highest fourth quarter revenue in company history and the first profitable year for Financing Operations, which includes Driveway Finance Corporation.

Fourth quarter 2024 revenue increased 20% to $9.2 billion from $7.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Fourth quarter 2024 diluted earnings per share attributable to LAD was $8.12, a 5% increase from $7.74 per share reported in the fourth quarter of 2023. Fourth quarter 2024 adjusted diluted earnings per share attributable to LAD was $7.79, a 6% decrease compared to $8.32 per share in the same period of 2023. Insurance proceeds related to a business interruption claim, partially offset by foreign currency exchange losses, increased diluted earnings per share by $0.17.

Fourth quarter 2024 net income was $217 million, remained flat compared to net income of $216 million in the same period of 2023. Adjusted fourth quarter 2024 net income was $209 million, a 10% decrease compared to adjusted net income of $232 million for the same period of 2023.

As shown in the attached non-GAAP reconciliation tables, the 2024 fourth quarter adjusted results exclude a $0.33 per diluted share impact resulting from non-core items, including a net gain on the disposal of stores and tax attributes, partially offset by acquisition expenses. The 2023 fourth quarter adjusted results exclude a $0.58 per diluted share impact resulting from non-core items, including acquisitions expenses and a net loss on the disposal of stores, partially offset by insurance reserves.

Key Fourth Quarter 2024 Highlights:

• Total revenues increased 20% compared to fourth quarter 2023
• New retail units increased 7.4 % on a same-store basis
• Aftersales gross profit increased 4.5% on a same-store basis
• Driveway Finance Corporation (DFC) originated $501 million in loans, for a portfolio of $3.9 billion in average managed receivables, with net interest margin increasing to 4.7%
• Repurchased 0.9% of outstanding shares

"2024 marks another milestone year for Lithia & Driveway, with record-breaking fourth-quarter revenues, the first profitable year for Driveway Finance, and the continued maturity of foundational elements to our strategy." said Bryan DeBoer, President and CEO. "Our focus on providing experiences that enhance customer loyalty, unlocking the full potential of our platform, and accelerating the growth of our unique ecosystem, positions us to deliver sustainable performance and best-in-class returns. We believe our omnichannel strategy, supported by a strong financial foundation, will allow us to drive continued growth in 2025 and beyond."

Full year 2024 revenue increased 17% to a record $36.2 billion from $31.0 billion in 2023.

Full year 2024 diluted earnings per share attributable to LAD was $29.65, an 18% decrease from $36.29 per share reported in 2023. Full year 2024 adjusted diluted earnings per share attributable to LAD was $29.96, a 19% decrease from $36.94 per share reported in 2023. Equity method investment gains and foreign currency exchange losses had a positive net impact to our diluted earnings per share by $0.44. Full year 2024 net income attributable to LAD decreased 20% to $0.8 billion from $1.0 billion for 2023. Adjusted net income attributable to LAD decreased 20% to $0.8 billion for 2024 from $1.0 billion for 2023.

As shown in the attached non-GAAP reconciliation tables, the 2024 adjusted results exclude a $0.31 per diluted share net impact resulting from non-core items, including a premium paid for the redemption of the remaining non-controlling interest in Pfaff Automotive, acquisition expenses, and insurance reserves, offset by a net gain on disposal of stores and tax attributes. The 2023 adjusted results exclude a $0.65 per diluted share impact resulting from non-core items, including acquisition expenses, one-time contract buyout, and insurance reserves, offset by a net gain on disposal of stores.

Full Year-over-Year and 2024 Operating Highlights:

• Record full year revenues of $36.2 billion, including  $5.9 billion of acquired annual revenue
• Aftersales gross profit increased 4.7% on a same-store basis
• Financing operations first profitable year with income of $15.4 million, compared to a loss of $45.9 million in 2023
• Driveway Finance Corporation scaled portfolio to $3.7 billion in average managed receivables, and increased net interest margin by 135 basis points to 4.2%
• Repurchased $348 million of shares, 4.6% of shares outstanding

Corporate Development

In January 2025, LAD continued to expand its network in the Mid-Atlantic region with the acquisition of the Stohlman Subaru store in Sterling, Virginia. This addition will strengthen LAD's brand offerings in the region's market and increase our presence in this growing market. This acquisition adds expected annual revenue of $80 million.

Balance Sheet Update

LAD ended the fourth quarter with approximately $1.4 billion in cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, and availability on our revolving lines of credit. In addition, unfinanced real estate could provide additional liquidity of approximately $0.3 billion.

Dividend Payment and Share Repurchases

The Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.53 per share related to fourth quarter 2024 financial results. The dividend is expected to be paid on March 21, 2025 to shareholders of record on March 7, 2025.

During 2024, we repurchased approximately 1,230,000 shares at a weighted average price of $283. To date in 2025, we have repurchased approximately 43,000 shares at a weighed average price of $345. Under the current share repurchase authorization approximately $454.3 million remains available.

Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call and Updated Presentation

The fourth quarter 2024 conference call may be accessed at 10:00 a.m. ET today by telephone at 877-407-8029. An updated presentation highlighting the fourth quarter 2024 results has been added to our investor relations website. To listen live on our website or for replay, visit investors.lithiadriveway.com and click on quarterly earnings.

About Lithia & Driveway (LAD)

Lithia & Driveway (NYSE:LAD) is the largest global automotive retailer providing a wide array of products and services throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. Simple, convenient, and transparent experiences are offered through our comprehensive network of physical locations, e-commerce platforms, captive finance solutions, fleet management offerings, and other synergistic adjacencies. We deliver consistent, profitable growth in a massive and unconsolidated industry. Our highly diversified and competitively differentiated design provides us the flexibility and scale to pursue our vision to modernize personal transportation solutions wherever, whenever and however consumers desire.

Sites

www.lithia.com

investors.lithiadriveway.com

www.lithiacareers.com

www.driveway.com

www.greencars.com

www.drivewayfinancecorp.com

Lithia & Driveway on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/LithiaMotors

https://www.facebook.com/DrivewayHQ

Lithia & Driveway on X

https://x.com/lithiamotors

https://x.com/DrivewayHQ

https://x.com/GreenCarsHQ

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this presentation, and at times made by our officers and representatives, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "project," "outlook," "target," "may," "will," "would," "should," "seek," "expect," "plan," "intend," "forecast," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "likely," "ensure," "goal," "strategy," "future," "maintain," and "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. Examples of forward-looking statements in this presentation include, among others, statements regarding:

• Future market conditions, including anticipated car and other sales and gross profit levels and the supply of inventory
• Our business strategy and plans, including our achieving our long-term EPS and other financial targets
• The growth, expansion, make-up and success of our network, including our finding accretive acquisitions that meet our target valuations and acquiring additional stores
• Annualized revenues from acquired stores or achieving target returns
• The growth and performance of our Driveway e-commerce home solution and Driveway Finance Corporation (DFC), their synergies and other impacts on our business and our ability to meet Driveway and DFC-related targets
• The impact of sustainable vehicles and other market and regulatory changes on our business, including evolving vehicle distribution models
• Our capital allocations and uses and levels of capital expenditures in the future
• Expected operating results, such as improved store performance, continued improvement of selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of gross profit and any projections
• Our anticipated financial condition and liquidity, including from our cash and the future availability of our credit facilities, unfinanced real estate and other financing sources
• Our continuing to purchase shares under our share repurchase program
• Our compliance with financial and restrictive covenants in our credit facilities and other debt agreements
• Our programs and initiatives for team member recruitment, training, and retention
• Our strategies and targets for customer retention, growth, market position, operations, financial results and risk management

Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements in this presentation. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimated or projected results include, without limitation:

• Future national and local economic and financial conditions, including as a result of inflation, governmental programs and spending, and public health issues
• The market for dealerships, including the availability of stores to us for an acceptable price
• Changes in customer demand and the electric vehicle landscape and the impact of evolving digital technologies
• Changes in our relationship with, and the financial and operational stability of, OEMs and other suppliers, and vehicle delivery models
• Changes in the competitive landscape, including through technology and our ability to deliver new products, services and customer experiences and a portfolio of in-demand and available vehicles
• Risks associated with our indebtedness, including available borrowing capacity, interest rates, compliance with financial covenants and ability to refinance or repay indebtedness on favorable terms
• The adequacy of our cash flows and other conditions which may affect our ability to fund capital expenditures, obtain favorable financing and pay our quarterly dividend at planned levels
• Disruptions to our technology network including computer systems, as well as natural events such as severe weather or man-made or other disruptions of our operating systems, facilities or equipment
• Government regulations and legislation
• The risks set forth throughout "Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and in "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in "Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and from time to time in our other filings with the SEC.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this presentation is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This presentation contains non-GAAP financial measures, which may include adjusted net income, adjusted net income attributable to LAD, adjusted net income attributable to non-controlling interests, adjusted net income attributable to redeemable non-controlling interest, adjusted diluted earnings per share attributable to LAD, adjusted SG&A, adjusted SG&A as a percentage of revenue and gross profit, adjusted operating income, adjusted net cash provided by operating activities, adjusted income before income taxes, adjusted income tax (provision) benefit, adjusted operating profit as a percentage of revenue and gross profit, adjusted pre-tax margin and net profit margin, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and net debt. Non-GAAP measures do not have definitions under GAAP and may be defined differently by and not comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. As a result, we review any non-GAAP financial measures in connection with a review of the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We caution you not to place undue reliance on such non-GAAP measures, but also to consider them with the most directly comparable GAAP measures. We present cash flows from operations in the attached tables, adjusted to include the change in non-trade floor plan debt to improve the visibility of cash flows related to vehicle financing. As required by SEC rules, we have reconciled these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in the attachments to this release. We believe the non-GAAP financial measures we present improve the transparency of our disclosures; provide a meaningful presentation of our results from core business operations, because they exclude items not related to core business operations and other non-cash items; and improve the period-to-period comparability of our results from core business operations. These presentations should not be considered an alternative to GAAP measures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SOURCE Lithia Motors, Inc.