Fields Volvo and Fields Volkswagen of Daytona Beach acquired by Gunther Motor Company

Irvine, CA, February 28, 2020 – Kerrigan Advisors, a leading sell-side advisory firm to auto dealers in the U.S., represented and advised Fields Automotive Group of Chicago, Illinois on the recent sale of Fields Volvo Cars and Fields Volkswagen of Daytona Beach to Gunther Motor Company of Delray, Florida. The transaction marks the 88^th and 89^th dealership sale that Kerrigan Advisors has represented since 2015, more than any other advisory firm in the industry. The Fields sale brings the total number of dealerships sold by Kerrigan Advisors in the last 12 months to 13 dealerships. 

“Fields Automotive Group is among North America’s premier luxury dealer groups for a reason – they put their customers and employees first, inside the dealership and throughout their communities,” said Erin Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “Our approach to this transaction mirrored these values:  a service-first mindset that leveraged our deep knowledge of dealership buyers in Florida to ensure a successful sale for our client.”

Fields Automotive has been selling and servicing cars across the eastern United States since 1971, from Illinois (and its first dealership) to North Carolina to Florida. The group’s investments also reflect their strong commitment to local and national philanthropy, including the March of Dimes Chef's Auction and the host of “The Art of the Vine,” which benefits the New Hope for Kids Program of Central Florida.

“Over the years, we’ve grown to 32 dealerships in four states, and we are proud and thankful for the hard work of our employees and the support of the communities we serve,” said John Fields, CEO of Fields Automotive Group. “We are pleased to sell these stores to one of the strongest VW and Volvo dealers in the country, and we appreciate the professionalism and hard work of Kerrigan Advisors that ensured that this transaction got done.”

“Florida’s auto retail market is one of the best in the country,” said Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “Our understanding of this market, combined with our experience leading multiple recent successful transactions in the region, were key to a sale that made economic sense for Fields while preserving the quality standards established for both dealership brands.”

“Fields Automotive Group has built its legacy on providing superior customer service to the communities in which we operate,” said Shermin Pelinski, General Counsel of Fields Automotive Group. “That’s what Kerrigan Advisors did for us, in representing our sale: they anticipated and acted on our needs and provided smart and strategic counsel, all while making the process seamless and smooth.” 

Christopher Brockman and Karen Havice of Holland & Knight served as legal counsel to the seller. Gregory A. McLaughlin of Tripp Scott served as legal counsel to the buyer.

Kerrigan Advisors is the most active sell-side advisor in the auto retail industry.  In addition to its sell-side advisory work, Kerrigan Advisors offers strategic consulting services to dealers and their families, including growth planning, capital raising and valuation analysis, creating value at every step of the auto retail lifecycle.

Kerrigan Advisors monitors conditions in the buy/sell market and publishes an in-depth analysis each quarter in The Blue Sky Report®, which includes Kerrigan Advisors’ signature blue sky charts, multiples, and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. To download a preview of the report, click here. The firm also releases monthly The Kerrigan Index™ composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The Kerrigan Auto Retail Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access The Kerrigan Index™, click here.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a leading sell-side advisor and thought partner to auto dealers in the US.  The firm advises the industry’s leading dealership groups, enhancing value through the lifecycle of growing, operating and, when the time is right, selling their businesses.  Kerrigan Advisors has represented on auto retail’s largest transactions, including five of the Top 100 Dealership Groups in the US, more than any other firm in the industry. Led by a team of veteran industry experts, the firm does not take listings, rather develops a customized approach for each client to achieve their personal and financial goals. In addition to Kerrigan Advisors’ sell-side advisory and capital-raising services, the firm also provides a suite of consulting services including growth strategies, capital allocation, transactional due diligence, open point proposals, operational improvement and real estate due diligence.

Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values, received by over 9,000 industry recipients in 35 countries.  To register to receive The Blue Sky Report®, click here.  Kerrigan Advisors also publishes The Kerrigan Index™, the only monthly report tracking the seven publicly traded auto retail companies. To access The Kerrigan Index™, click here.

Kerrigan Advisors’ Founder and Managing Director, Erin Kerrigan, is a recognized expert on dealership valuation, real estate, and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, Automotive News’ Canadian World Congress, AICPA, and NADC. She has also been quoted numerous times by The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg and The Economist and has been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Bank of America, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank. Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Ryan Kerrigan is also a sought-after industry expert. He is featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine and has written Op-Eds for Automotive News.

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 949-307-1723