Dealer M&A notes: Jaguar Land Rover store & Volvo Trucks retailer change hands
This week’s update involving mergers and acquisitions of dealerships covers two unique parts of retailing — luxury sedans and SUVs as well as big rigs to move goods.
The Presidio Group said it advised Scott Biehl on the sale of the Jaguar Land Rover Los Angeles dealership franchises to US Auto Trust.
And Performance Brokerage Services announced the sale of Volvo Trucks of Palm Beach, Fla., from the DeSanti family to Nacarato Truck Centers.
According to the release from the Presidio Group, US Auto Trust also owns Jaguar Land Rover San Jose and Jaguar Land Rover Newport Beach and recently acquired Cadillac Pasadena and Land Rover Pasadena.
Jaguar Land Rover LA is the No. 1 volume Jaguar Land Rover store in the Los Angeles market. California is both the largest retail auto market in the U.S. and the leader in luxury sales. The luxury segment gained market share in first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period last year, according to the California New Car Dealers Association.
“We are excited to expand our Jaguar Land Rover holdings in California, a huge luxury brand market,” US Auto Trust President Matt Kaiser said in the release. “The Presidio Group understood this strategic acquisition fit perfectly with our growth strategy and it was a pleasure to once again work with them. We welcome the JLR LA team members to the US Auto Trust family and look forward to building on the foundation Scott and his team have built with this business and in the community.”
Biehl shared his perspectives about making this deal.
“After building a new state-of-the-art dealership and growing this business into one of the largest Jaguar Land Rover dealerships in the country, I wanted to find a buyer that would continue to support our employees and the local community,” Biehl said. “I have known George Karolis, president of The Presidio Group, for many years and had confidence that he and his team would fulfill all of our objectives. I could not be more pleased with the outcome.”
Richard Rasmussen, a partner with Lagerlof, LLP, served as legal counsel to the seller. Timothy Robinett, a partner with Manning, Leaver, Bruder & Berberich, LLP, served as legal counsel to the buyer.
“We were honored to work with Scott Biehl on the strategic sale of Jaguar Land Rover Los Angeles,” Karolis said. “Finding the ideal buyer for these franchises, one that allowed Scott to meet his financial and personal goals, was our aim, and with US Auto Trust we succeeded.”
Meanwhile on the opposite side of the country, Volvo Trucks of Palm Beach has been owned and operated by the DeSanti family for more than 62 years, according to news release from Performance Brokerage Services.
Established as a full-line GMC dealership in 1960, the business was awarded the Volvo Truck franchise in 1988, followed by AutoCar in 1998. The dealership moved to a newly built facility in 2002 where it resides today.
“After decades of operating as a family business, we started to look towards retirement, and wanted a new family to take over and grow the business,” Volvo Trucks of Palm Beach president Leonard DeSanti said in the news release.
“We chose Mike Nacarato and the Nacarato Truck Centers team because we felt like they were going to be the best fit for our employees and customers,” DeSanti continued. “My brothers and I met with Mike personally just as the process began. Mike and his team have built a great company, and we know our community will benefit from Nacarato Truck Centers as its newest business.
“Lloyd Baldridge, CFO of Nacarato Truck Centers, has been instrumental in working with our team to ensure a smooth transition. There are many good days ahead for the customers in our area,” DeSanti went on to say.
The dealership will remain at its current location at 360 South Military Trail in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Nacarato Truck Centers is a group of authorized Volvo Truck, Tico Terminal Tractor, Strick Trailers, Dorsey Trailer and used truck dealerships and service centers, serving Tennessee, Virginia, southern Kentucky, Maryland, Illinois and Georgia.
The company began as a single dealership in Nashville, Tenn., and has expanded to 12 locations. With 46 years in the trucking industry, the company has been led by three generations of the Nacarato family.
“The addition of the Palm Beach dealership is a great fit for our company,” Nacarato Centers president Mike Nacarato said. “We look forward to working with the excellent employees at the dealership and know that each of them will play a big part in its continued success. We want to support and enhance our relationships with existing customers and have every intention of introducing ourselves to as many new potential customers as possible in the days ahead. The Nacarato team looks forward to making a positive impact in the Palm Beach community for many years to come.”