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PAG Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Auto Sales and Service Growth
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Key Takeaways
Penske Automotive's Q2 revenues rose 6% to $8.51 billion, while adjusted EPS beat estimates at $3.62.
Retail auto revenues climbed 6%, with used vehicle sales up 9.4% and service gross profit rising 3.1%.
Class 8 orders surged 170%, while Penske Automotive's 2026 secured order book reached nearly $660 million.
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $3.62 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.38 by 7.1%. Adjusted earnings declined 4.2% from the comparable $3.78 per share a year ago.
Revenues rose 6% year over year to $8.51 billion and topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.93 billion by 7.4%. Retail automotive same-store new and used units increased 5%, while same-store service and parts gross margin improved 80 basis points to 59.5%.
Retail automotive revenues increased 6% year over year to $7.3 billion. New vehicle revenues rose 5.9% to $3.38 billion, used vehicle revenues advanced 9.4% to $2.47 billion and finance and insurance revenues increased 1.3% to $211 million. Service and parts revenues rose 1.6% to $867.1 million, while fleet and wholesale revenues declined 0.8% to $375.6 million. Same-store revenues grew 5.7% to $7.12 billion.
Retail automotive gross profit slipped 0.7% to $1.16 billion, with gross margin contracting to 15.8% from 16.9%. New vehicle gross profit per retail unit fell 10.4% to $4,782, while used vehicle gross profit per unit declined 8.8% to $2,095. Service and parts gross profit increased 3.1% to $517 million.
Penske Automotive Sees Truck Market Improvement
Retail commercial truck revenues declined 1.7% year over year to $927.8 million. Total new and used truck units retailed increased 1.7% to 5,431, as a 64.8% jump in used units offset a 7.8% decline in new units. Retail commercial truck gross profit slipped 0.6% to $142.8 million, while gross margin improved 20 basis points to 15.4%.
Class 8 market orders increased 170% in the second quarter. Premier Truck Group's backlog was about 10,400 units, with the majority expected to convert into retail sales in the second half of 2026. Used truck demand also strengthened as freight conditions improved.
PAG's Distribution Business Delivers Growth
Commercial Vehicle Distribution and Other revenues jumped 41.1% year over year to $283.9 million. Gross profit rose 30.5% to $57.7 million, although gross margin declined to 20.3% from 22%.
Australia's off-highway business was a key contributor, with revenues increasing 63% in the quarter. The company secured more than $300 million of orders during the period, bringing its 2026 secured order book to nearly $660 million, supported by energy solutions, mining and defense demand.
Penske Automotive Gets Lift From PTS
Penske Transportation Solutions contributed $57.4 million in earnings to PAG, up 7% year over year. The improvement reflected growth in full-service leasing, better fleet utilization, lower operating expenses and lower interest costs.
PTS managed more than 379,200 trucks, tractors and trailers. Continued weakness in the rental market and a lower gain on used-truck sales partly offset the benefits from improved freight conditions and fleet-rightsizing actions.
PAG's Profitability Faces Margin Pressure
Consolidated gross profit edged up 0.4% to $1.36 billion, but gross margin narrowed to 15.9% from 16.8%. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 3.2% to $974 million, and operating income declined 7.6% to $337.6 million.
Operating margin fell to 4% from 4.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was $401.8 million, up 0.3%, while other interest expense rose 53.2% to $33.1 million, reflecting higher borrowing costs associated with acquisitions.
PAG’s Balance Sheet and Capital Returns
For the first six months of 2026, cash flow from operations totaled $418 million and capital expenditures were $134.9 million. As of June 30, liquidity was about $1.4 billion, including $69.5 million in cash.
PAG repurchased 265,104 shares for $42.5 million in the first half, leaving $221.2 million available under its repurchase authorization. The board also raised the quarterly dividend 1.4% to $1.44 per share, marking the company's 23rd consecutive quarterly increase.
Peer Releases
Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.82 per share, which fell 17% year over year but beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.75 by 4%. Revenues rose 8% to $3.93 billion and topped the consensus mark of $3.78 billion by 4%. Sonic ended the quarter with about $294 million of cash and floor plan deposits and roughly $676 million of total available liquidity. The company raised full-year new-vehicle gross profit per unit guidance to $2,850-$3,000 from $2,700-$3,000. Sonic’s EchoPark unit is still expected to deliver 12%-15% retail used-unit growth this year.
Lithia Motors (LAD - Free Report) posted second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $10.03 per share, which increased 9% from $9.20 a year ago. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.67 by 15.7%. Quarterly revenues increased 2.2% year over year to $9.79 billion and topped the consensus estimate of $9.64 billion by 1.6%. As of June 30, 2026, Lithia had cash, restricted cash and cash equivalents of $363.9 million, up from $341.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.During the quarter, Lithia repurchased roughly 854,000 shares at a weighted average price of $284, representing $242 million of share repurchases.
AutoNation, Inc. (AN - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $5.56 per share, up 1.8% from $5.46 a year ago. Earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.43 by 2.4%. Revenues of $6.93 billion declined 0.6% year over year and missed the consensus estimate of $6.97 billion by 0.6%. Parts and service revenues increased 3.4% year over year to $1.26 billion. Gross profit rose 1.4% to a record $607.1 million, making After-Sales the largest contributor to AutoNation's gross profit. As of June 30, 2026, AutoNation had cash and cash equivalents of $53.3 million. Non-vehicle debt was $4.43 billion.
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PAG Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Auto Sales and Service Growth
Key Takeaways
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $3.62 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.38 by 7.1%. Adjusted earnings declined 4.2% from the comparable $3.78 per share a year ago.
Revenues rose 6% year over year to $8.51 billion and topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.93 billion by 7.4%. Retail automotive same-store new and used units increased 5%, while same-store service and parts gross margin improved 80 basis points to 59.5%.
Penske currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Penske Automotive Group, Inc. Quote
PAG's Retail Automotive Sales Rise
Retail automotive revenues increased 6% year over year to $7.3 billion. New vehicle revenues rose 5.9% to $3.38 billion, used vehicle revenues advanced 9.4% to $2.47 billion and finance and insurance revenues increased 1.3% to $211 million. Service and parts revenues rose 1.6% to $867.1 million, while fleet and wholesale revenues declined 0.8% to $375.6 million. Same-store revenues grew 5.7% to $7.12 billion.
Retail automotive gross profit slipped 0.7% to $1.16 billion, with gross margin contracting to 15.8% from 16.9%. New vehicle gross profit per retail unit fell 10.4% to $4,782, while used vehicle gross profit per unit declined 8.8% to $2,095. Service and parts gross profit increased 3.1% to $517 million.
Penske Automotive Sees Truck Market Improvement
Retail commercial truck revenues declined 1.7% year over year to $927.8 million. Total new and used truck units retailed increased 1.7% to 5,431, as a 64.8% jump in used units offset a 7.8% decline in new units. Retail commercial truck gross profit slipped 0.6% to $142.8 million, while gross margin improved 20 basis points to 15.4%.
Class 8 market orders increased 170% in the second quarter. Premier Truck Group's backlog was about 10,400 units, with the majority expected to convert into retail sales in the second half of 2026. Used truck demand also strengthened as freight conditions improved.
PAG's Distribution Business Delivers Growth
Commercial Vehicle Distribution and Other revenues jumped 41.1% year over year to $283.9 million. Gross profit rose 30.5% to $57.7 million, although gross margin declined to 20.3% from 22%.
Australia's off-highway business was a key contributor, with revenues increasing 63% in the quarter. The company secured more than $300 million of orders during the period, bringing its 2026 secured order book to nearly $660 million, supported by energy solutions, mining and defense demand.
Penske Automotive Gets Lift From PTS
Penske Transportation Solutions contributed $57.4 million in earnings to PAG, up 7% year over year. The improvement reflected growth in full-service leasing, better fleet utilization, lower operating expenses and lower interest costs.
PTS managed more than 379,200 trucks, tractors and trailers. Continued weakness in the rental market and a lower gain on used-truck sales partly offset the benefits from improved freight conditions and fleet-rightsizing actions.
PAG's Profitability Faces Margin Pressure
Consolidated gross profit edged up 0.4% to $1.36 billion, but gross margin narrowed to 15.9% from 16.8%. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 3.2% to $974 million, and operating income declined 7.6% to $337.6 million.
Operating margin fell to 4% from 4.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was $401.8 million, up 0.3%, while other interest expense rose 53.2% to $33.1 million, reflecting higher borrowing costs associated with acquisitions.
PAG’s Balance Sheet and Capital Returns
For the first six months of 2026, cash flow from operations totaled $418 million and capital expenditures were $134.9 million. As of June 30, liquidity was about $1.4 billion, including $69.5 million in cash.
PAG repurchased 265,104 shares for $42.5 million in the first half, leaving $221.2 million available under its repurchase authorization. The board also raised the quarterly dividend 1.4% to $1.44 per share, marking the company's 23rd consecutive quarterly increase.
Peer Releases
Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.82 per share, which fell 17% year over year but beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.75 by 4%. Revenues rose 8% to $3.93 billion and topped the consensus mark of $3.78 billion by 4%. Sonic ended the quarter with about $294 million of cash and floor plan deposits and roughly $676 million of total available liquidity. The company raised full-year new-vehicle gross profit per unit guidance to $2,850-$3,000 from $2,700-$3,000. Sonic’s EchoPark unit is still expected to deliver 12%-15% retail used-unit growth this year.
Lithia Motors (LAD - Free Report) posted second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $10.03 per share, which increased 9% from $9.20 a year ago. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.67 by 15.7%. Quarterly revenues increased 2.2% year over year to $9.79 billion and topped the consensus estimate of $9.64 billion by 1.6%. As of June 30, 2026, Lithia had cash, restricted cash and cash equivalents of $363.9 million, up from $341.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.During the quarter, Lithia repurchased roughly 854,000 shares at a weighted average price of $284, representing $242 million of share repurchases.
AutoNation, Inc. (AN - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $5.56 per share, up 1.8% from $5.46 a year ago. Earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.43 by 2.4%. Revenues of $6.93 billion declined 0.6% year over year and missed the consensus estimate of $6.97 billion by 0.6%. Parts and service revenues increased 3.4% year over year to $1.26 billion. Gross profit rose 1.4% to a record $607.1 million, making After-Sales the largest contributor to AutoNation's gross profit. As of June 30, 2026, AutoNation had cash and cash equivalents of $53.3 million. Non-vehicle debt was $4.43 billion.