AutoNation Reports First Quarter 2026 Results

Published: 2026-05-04 07:33:39 ET AN

Published on 05/04/2026 at 07:33 am EDT

FORT LAUDERDALE - AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN) today reported first quarter 2026 revenue of $6.6 billion, a decrease of 2% compared to the same period a year ago. For the quarter, EPS was $5.85, compared to $4.45 a year ago, and Adjusted EPS was $4.69, compared to $4.68 a year ago. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures are included in the attached financial tables.

'We are pleased to report our strong first quarter results highlighted by record gross profit in After-Sales and record unit profitability in Customer Financial Services. Unit profitability for new and used vehicles increased sequentially. These gains largely offset expected year-over-year declines in unit sales,' said Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation. 'Adjusted earnings per share increased year-over-year for the fifth consecutive quarter, and strong cash flow conversion supported our continued deployment of capital toward share repurchases. AutoNation Finance continued to scale, growing its portfolio to $2.4 billion while improving profitability, credit performance, and debt funding. Our diversified earnings profile, flexible cost structure, and strong balance sheet and cash flows continue to support resilient performance and disciplined capital deployment to generate shareholder returns in a dynamic operating environment,' Manley concluded.

Capital Allocation, Liquidity, and Leverage

For the quarter, cash used in operating activities was $22 million, auto loans receivable, net, increased $254 million, capital expenditures were $56 million, and adjusted free cash flow was $256 million, or 155% of adjusted net income.

During the quarter, AutoNation repurchased 1.5 million shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $300 million, or $201 per share. Year-to-date through April 29, 2026, AutoNation repurchased 1.9 million shares, for an aggregate purchase price of $391 million, or $201 per share, and has more than $685 million of repurchase authorization remaining under its current share repurchase program.

As of March 31, 2026, AutoNation had $1.6 billion of liquidity, including $66 million in cash and $1.6 billion of availability under its revolving credit facility, net of commercial paper borrowings. The Company's covenant leverage ratio was 2.57x at quarter end and the Company had $4.1 billion of non-vehicle debt outstanding.

In January 2026, AN Finance completed its second asset-backed term securitization, generating $749.2 million in funding for its auto loan portfolio at a weighted-average fixed interest rate of 4.25%. The strong advance rates of this ABS transaction helped improve the debt funded status of the $2.4 billion portfolio to 90 percent.

The first quarter conference call may be accessed by telephone at 800-715-9871 (Conference ID: 90621) at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time today or on AutoNation's investor relations website at investors.autonation.com. The webcast will also be made available on AutoNation's investor relations website following the call under 'Events & Presentations.' Finally, additional information regarding AutoNation's results can be found in the Investor Presentation available on the investor relations website.

About AutoNation, Inc.

AutoNation, one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States, offers innovative products and exceptional services as part of a portfolio of comprehensive solutions for our customers and their automotive needs. With a nationwide network of dealerships strengthened by a recognized brand, we offer a wide variety of new and used vehicles, customer financing, parts, and expert maintenance and repair services. Through DRV PNK, we have raised over $50 million for cancer-related causes, demonstrating our commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of our Associates, Customers, and the communities we serve.

Please visit www.autonation.com, investors.autonation.com, and www.x.com/autonation, where AutoNation discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This news release and the attached financial tables contain certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined under SEC rules, which exclude certain items disclosed in the attached financial tables. As required by SEC rules, the Company provides reconciliations of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures improve the transparency of the Company's disclosure, provide a meaningful presentation of the Company's results excluding the impact of items not related to the Company's ongoing core business operations, and improve the period-to-period comparability of the Company's results from its core business operations. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'estimates,' 'intends,' 'goals,' 'targets,' 'projects,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'continues,' 'may,' 'will,' 'could,' and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Statements regarding our strategic initiatives, partnerships, and investments, including AutoNation Finance, statements regarding our expectations for shareholder returns, potential tariff-related impacts, and the future performance of our business and the automotive retail industry, including during 2026, and other statements that describe our objectives, goals, or plans, are forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations concerning future results and events, and they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, among others: economic conditions, including changes in tariffs, unemployment, interest, and/or inflation rates, consumer demand, and fuel prices; our ability to implement successfully our strategic acquisitions, initiatives, partnerships, and investments; our ability to maintain or improve gross profit margins; our ability to maintain or gain market share; legal, reputational, and financial risks resulting from cyber incidents and the potential impact on our operating results; the receipt of any insurance or other recoveries in connection with any cyber incidents; our ability to successfully implement and maintain expense controls; our ability to maintain and enhance our retail brands and reputation and to attract consumers to our own digital channels; our ability to acquire and integrate successfully new acquisitions; restrictions imposed by vehicle manufacturers and our ability to obtain manufacturer approval for franchise acquisitions; the success and financial viability and the incentive and marketing programs of vehicle manufacturers and distributors with which we hold franchises; natural disasters and other adverse weather events; the resolution of legal and administrative proceedings; changes in automotive laws and regulation affecting our business, including fuel economy requirements; factors affecting our goodwill and other intangible asset impairment testing and other factors described in our news releases and filings made under the securities laws, including, among others, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release, and we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Contact:

Derek Fiebig

Tel: (954) 769-2227

Email: [email protected]