Driving the news: Dream Motor Group, led by legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban and automotive executive Joe Agresti, has acquired Toyota of Montgomery and Lexus of Montgomery in a $151 million deal, according to sell-side advisor Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions.
For context: The acquisition wasn't exactly a surprise. Saban’s ESPN College GameDay co-host, Pat McAfee, let it slip during Week 7 that Saban was about to have Toyota dealerships under his umbrella.
The sale represents the tenth completed transaction between Pinnacle M&A President Mike Sims and Brett Sutherlin, CEO of Sutherlin Automotive Group, who was the seller.
Under Sutherlin's ownership, both dealerships underwent modernization of sales and service operations, leadership realignment, CSI performance improvement, and expanded fixed operations capacity.
What they're saying: "Toyota of Montgomery and Lexus of Montgomery are high-performing assets in a strategically important market," said Sims. "Brett and his team executed a clear operational transformation and customer experience strategy that positioned these dealerships for sustained success under Dream Motor Group."
Bottom line: Sutherlin said he's "extremely proud of the teams at these stores and the results they delivered," adding that more acquisitions are under contract and will be announced soon.
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