DETROIT -

For the first time in 10 years, Urban Science discovered the number of U.S. franchised dealerships is higher — by exactly 66 stores.

And how these rooftops are faring is brighter, too. Urban Science’s mid-year 2011 Franchise Activity Report also showed an increase in throughput and sales, indicating dealers are in financially stronger positions than they were at the close of 2010.

At the beginning of July, Urban Science determined there were 17,725 dealerships, a 0.4-percent increase over year-end 2010. However, analysts found the number of franchises — the brands a dealership carries — has decreased by 729 as of July 1, bringing that total to 29,360.

Urban Science attributes this decline largely to the wind-down of the Mercury brand at Lincoln dealerships.

Analysts also emphasized this drop in franchises represents a major stabilization of the industry, following the wind-down of 4,897 franchises in the 2009–2010 calendar year.

“The small but unusual bump in the number of dealerships can be attributed to market corrections as the automakers rearrange stores following a couple tumultuous years of network consolidation and dealership bankruptcies,” explained John Frith, vice president of retail channel solutions at Urban Science.

“The good news is that as auto sales have increased, dealer throughput has increased by just under 8 percent, putting dealers in a better financial position to handle the current economic uncertainty,” Frith continued.

Furthermore, Urban Science indicated throughput at dealerships has risen to an average of 711 per dealership, an increase from 656 vehicle sales per dealership in December 2010.

The report said average throughput is based on sales of 12.6 million units.

“The mid-year numbers illustrate a healthy, stabilized dealership network,” Frith surmised.

“We expect a return to the long-term trend of a slow decline in the size of the network as the dealerships themselves become bigger with more franchises under one roof,” he continued.

“We’re not expecting to see any more big closures. Dealers are more efficient than ever and have learned to weather the downturns,” Frith went on to say.

Urban Science reiterated that it maintains a list of current new-vehicle dealership and franchise information for all car and light truck brands in the United States. Compiled on a monthly basis, the firm believes its census is the most reliable source of dealership statistics.

Analysts noted their data comes from a variety of sources, including feeds from manufacturers as well as phone and field verification. Urban Science has been collecting this information since 1990 and compiles an annual analysis available every February for the previous year in its annual Automotive Franchise Activity Report.