Announces Dividend of $0.53 per Share for First Quarter MEDFORD, Ore., April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lithia & Driveway (NYSE:LAD) today reported the highest first quarter revenue in company history. First quarter 2024 revenue increased 23% to $8.6 billion from $7.0 billion in the first quarter of 2023. First quarter 2024 net income attributable to LAD per diluted share was $5.89, a 29% decrease from $8.30 per diluted share reported in the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted first quarter 2024 net income attributable to LAD per diluted share was $6.11, a 28% decrease compared to $8.44 per diluted share in the same period of 2023. Unrealized foreign currency losses negatively impacted earnings per share by $0.15. First quarter 2024 net income was $165 million, a 28% decrease compared to net income of $230 million in the same period of 2023. Adjusted first quarter 2024 net income was $171 million, a 27% decrease compared to adjusted net income of $233 million for the same period of 2023. As shown in the attached non-GAAP reconciliation tables, the 2024 first quarter adjusted results exclude a $0.22 per diluted share impact resulting from non-core items, specifically acquisition expenses. The 2023 first quarter adjusted results exclude a $0.14 per diluted share impact resulting from non-core items, including one-time contract buyouts, acquisition expenses, investment loss, and insurance reserves, partially offset by a net gain on the sale of stores. First Quarter-Over-Quarter Comparisons and First Quarter 2024 Performance Highlights: Total revenues increased 23% New vehicle same store units grew by 3.6 % Total vehicle gross profit per unit of $4,346, down $1,239 GreenCars monthly unique visitors (MUVs) increased by 71%  Driveway Finance Corporation (DFC) originated approximately $493 million in loans Service, body, and parts revenues increased 24% Driveway and GreenCars burn-rate has been cut in half "In the first quarter, our teams responded as the industry continued to normalize inventories and profitability. We are committed to driving improvements across our business," said Bryan DeBoer, President and CEO. "Our model is diversified with our adjacencies maturing and on a path to profitability, as we continue to deliver the best experience for our customers. Responding to market conditions, we are rebalancing our capital allocation from acquisitions toward returns to our shareholders, with the long-term target of delivering $2 in EPS per billion in revenues." Corporate DevelopmentDuring the first quarter, LAD completed the acquisition of Pendragon PLC's Fleet Management and UK Motor Divisions in the United Kingdom and grew in the North Central region with the purchase of the Carousel Motor Group. Year-to-date, we have acquired over $5.4 billion in annualized revenues. Balance Sheet UpdateLAD ended the first quarter with approximately $1.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, and availability on our revolving lines of credit. In addition, unfinanced real estate could provide additional liquidity of approximately $0.3 billion. Dividend Payment and Share RepurchasesThe Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.53 per share related to first quarter 2024 financial results. The dividend is expected to be paid on May 24, 2024 to shareholders of record on May 10, 2024. During April 2024, we repurchased approximately 58,000 shares at a weighted average price of $264.42. Under the current share repurchase authorization approximately $451.7 million remains available. First Quarter Earnings Conference Call and Updated PresentationThe first quarter 2024 conference call may be accessed at 10:00 a.m. ET today by telephone at 877-407-8029. An updated presentation highlighting the first quarter 2024 results has been added to our investor relations website. To listen live on our website or for replay, visit investors.lithiadriveway.com and click on quarterly earnings. About Lithia & Driveway (LAD)Lithia & Driveway (NYSE:LAD) is one of the largest global automotive retailers providing a wide array of products and services throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. Simple, convenient, and transparent experiences are offered through our comprehensive network of physical locations, e-commerce platforms, captive finance solutions and other synergistic adjacencies. We deliver consistent, profitable growth in a massive and unconsolidated industry. Our highly diversified and competitively differentiated design provides us the flexibility and scale to pursue our vision to modernize personal transportation solutions wherever, whenever and however consumers desire. Siteswww.lithia.cominvestors.lithiadriveway.comwww.lithiacareers.comwww.driveway.comwww.greencars.comwww.drivewayfinancecorp.com Lithia & Driveway on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/LithiaMotorshttps://www.facebook.com/DrivewayHQ Lithia & Driveway on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/lithiamotorshttps://twitter.com/DrivewayHQhttps://twitter.com/GreenCarsHQ Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements in this presentation, and at times made by our officers and representatives, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "Safe Harbor"provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "project," "outlook," "target," "may," "will," "would," "should," "seek," "expect," "plan," "intend," "forecast," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "likely," "goal," "strategy," "future," "maintain," and "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. Examples of forward-looking statements in this presentation include, among others, statements regarding: Future market conditions, including anticipated car and other sales levels and the supply of inventory Our business strategy and plans, including our achieving our long-term EPS target The growth, expansion, make-up and success of our network, including our finding accretive acquisitions and acquiring additional stores Annualized revenues from acquired stores The growth and performance of our Driveway e-commerce home solution and Driveway Finance Corporation (DFC), their synergies and other impacts on our business and our ability to meet Driveway and DFC-related targets The impact of sustainable vehicles and other market and regulatory changes on our business Our capital allocations and uses and levels of capital expenditures in the future Expected operating results, such as improved store performance, continued improvement of selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of gross profit and any projections Our anticipated financial condition and liquidity, including from our cash and the future availability of our credit facilities, unfinanced real estate and other financing sources Our continuing to purchase shares under our share repurchase program Our compliance with financial and restrictive covenants in our credit facilities and other debt agreements Our programs and initiatives for employee recruitment, training, and retention Our strategies and targets for customer retention, growth, market position, operations, financial results and risk management Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements in this presentation. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimated or projected results include, without limitation: Future national and local economic and financial conditions, including as a result of regional or global public health issues, inflation and governmental programs, and spending The market for dealerships, including the availability of stores to us for an acceptable price Changes in customer demand, our relationship with, and the financial and operational stability of, OEMs and other suppliers Changes in the competitive landscape, including through technology and our ability to deliver new products, services and customer experiences and a portfolio of in-demand and available vehicles Risks associated with our indebtedness, including available borrowing capacity, interest rates, compliance with financial covenants and ability to refinance or repay indebtedness on favorable terms The adequacy of our cash flows and other conditions which may affect our ability to fund capital expenditures, obtain favorable financing and pay our quarterly dividend at planned levels Disruptions to our technology network including computer systems, as well as natural events such as severe weather or man-made or other disruptions of our operating systems, facilities or equipment Government regulations and legislation The risks set forth throughout "Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and in "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in "Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and from time to time in our other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this presentation is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresThis presentation contains non-GAAP financial measures such as adjusted net income and diluted earnings per share, adjusted SG&A as a percentage of revenue and gross profit, adjusted operating margin, adjusted operating profit as a percentage of revenue and gross profit, adjusted pre-tax margin and net profit margin, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, leveraged EBITDA and adjusted total debt. Non-GAAP measures do not have definitions under GAAP and may be defined differently by and not comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. As a result, we review any non-GAAP financial measures in connection with a review of the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We caution you not to place undue reliance on such non-GAAP measures, but also to consider them with the most directly comparable GAAP measures. We present cash flows from operations in the attached tables, adjusted to include the change in non-trade floor plan debt to improve the visibility of cash flows related to vehicle financing. As required by SEC rules, we have reconciled these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in the attachments to this release. We believe the non-GAAP financial measures we present improve the transparency of our disclosures; provide a meaningful presentation of our results from core business operations, because they exclude items not related to core business operations and other non-cash items; and improve the period-to-period comparability of our results from core business operations. These presentations should not be considered an alternative to GAAP measures.   LADConsolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)(In millions except per share data) Three months endedMarch 31, % Increase 2024 2023 (Decrease) Revenues: New vehicle retail $  4,014.1 $  3,278.9 22.4 % Used vehicle retail 2,800.8 2,227.5 25.7 Used vehicle wholesale 332.2 356.7 (6.9) Finance and insurance 340.6 318.3 7.0 Service, body and parts 912.8 736.3 24.0 Fleet and other 155.9 56.1 177.9 Total revenues 8,556.4 6,973.8 22.7 % Cost of sales: New vehicle retail 3,718.8 2,945.1 26.3 Used vehicle retail 2,598.6 2,061.8 26.0 Used vehicle wholesale 352.8 359.5 (1.9) Service, body and parts 410.8 341.9 20.2 Fleet and other 140.2 54.0 159.6 Total cost of sales 7,221.2 5,762.3 25.3 Gross profit 1,335.2 1,211.5 10.2 % Financing operations loss (1.7) (20.8) (91.8) % SG&A expense 934.3 764.4 22.2 Depreciation and amortization 57.8 47.3 22.2 Income from operations 341.4 379.0 (9.9) % Floor plan interest expense (60.7) (27.7) 119.1 Other interest expense (63.6) (39.0) 63.1 Other income (expense), net 3.5 2.0 NM Income before income taxes 220.6 314.3 (29.8) % Income tax expense (55.6) (84.7) (34.4) Income tax rate 25.2 % 26.9 % Net income $  165.0 $  229.6 (28.1) % Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (1.5) (0.7) 114.3 % Net income attributable to redeemable non-controlling interest                                              (0.9) (0.2) 350.0 % Net income attributable to LAD $  162.6 $  228.7 (28.9) % Diluted earnings per share attributable to LAD: Net income per share $     5.89 $     8.30 (29.0) % Diluted shares outstanding 27.6 27.5 0.4 % NM - not meaningful   LADKey Performance Metrics (Unaudited) Three months ended March 31, % Increase 2024 2023 (Decrease) Gross margin New vehicle retail 7.4 % 10.2 %      (280) bps Used vehicle retail 7.2 7.4 (20) Finance and insurance 100.0 100.0 — Service, body and parts 55.0 53.6 140 Gross profit margin 15.6 17.4 (180) Unit sales New vehicle retail 85,683 67,796 26.4 % Used vehicle retail 102,436 78,142 31.1 Average selling price New vehicle retail $46,848 $48,364 (3.1) % Used vehicle retail 27,342 28,506 (4.1) Average gross profit per unit New vehicle retail $  3,447 $  4,924 (30.0) % Used vehicle retail 1,974 2,120 (6.9) Finance and insurance                                                               1,811 2,181 (17.0) Total vehicle(1) 4,346 5,585 (22.2) Revenue mix New vehicle retail 46.9 % 47.0 %