UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): | April 28, 2014 |
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
__________________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 1-13461 | 76-0506313 |
_____________________ (State or other jurisdiction |
_____________ (Commission |
______________ (I.R.S. Employer |
of incorporation) | File Number) | Identification No.) |
800 Gessner, Suite 500, Houston, Texas | 77024 | |
_________________________________ (Address of principal executive offices) |
___________ (Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: | 713-647-5700 |
Not Applicable
______________________________________________
Former name or former address, if changed since last report
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On April 28, 2014, Group 1 Automotive, Inc., a Delaware corporation, announced the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez Mercedes-Benz in League City, Texas. The dealership will operate as Mercedes-Benz of Clear Lake.
In addition, Group 1 Automotive, Inc. announced the expansion of its Hyundai operations in Houston with the opening of an all new South Loop Hyundai dealership facility.
A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
99.1 Press Release of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. dated as of April 28, 2014.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. | ||||
April 30, 2014 | By: |
/s/Darryl M. Burman
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Name: Darryl M. Burman | ||||
Title: Vice President |
Exhibit Index
Exhibit No. | Description | |
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99.1
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Press release of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. dated as of April 28, 2014. |
Exhibit 99.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Group 1 Automotive Expands Footprint in Houston
Houstons Leading Automotive Retailer Acquires Mercedes-Benz Dealership and Unveils Upgraded
South Loop Hyundai Facility
HOUSTON, April 28, 2014 Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), an international, Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez Mercedes-Benz in League City, Texas, a suburb of Houston. The dealership will operate as Mercedes-Benz of Clear Lake and is expected to generate $85 million in estimated annual revenues. The business also includes the Mercedes Sprinter commercial vehicle franchise.
Additionally, the Company announced the expansion of its Hyundai operations in Houston with the opening of an all new South Loop Hyundai dealership facility. Since first beginning its operations in July 2012 as a new point, South Loop Hyundai now opens the doors to its state-of-the-art sales and service facilities for Hyundai and its luxury brand, Equus. Group 1 also owns and operates Sterling McCall Hyundai in the Houston market.
We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with both Mercedes-Benz USA and Hyundai Motor America while building scale in our hometown market of Houston, said Earl J. Hesterberg, Group 1s president and chief executive officer. Adding Mercedes-Benz of Clear Lake will enable us for the first time to provide Mercedes vehicles and service to our existing customer base of Group 1 franchises already serving over 300,000 Houstonians. And our new South Loop Hyundai facility, located on I-610 near Reliant Stadium, will support growth in our Hyundai vehicle and service sales, which has become a fast-growing part of our business in recent years.
About Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
Group 1 owns and operates 151 automotive dealerships, 192 franchises, and 37 collision
centers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil that offer 34 brands of
automobiles. Through its dealerships, the Company sells new and used cars and light trucks;
arranges related vehicle financing, service and insurance contracts; provides automotive
maintenance and repair services; and sells vehicle parts.
Group 1 Automotive can be reached on the Internet at www.group1auto.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are statements related to future, not past, events
and are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and
other future conditions. In this context, the forward-looking statements often include statements
regarding our goals, plans, projections and guidance regarding our financial position, results of
operations, market position, pending and potential future acquisitions and business strategy, and
often contain words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, seeks,
should, foresee, may or will and similar expressions. While management believes that these
forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future
developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. Any such forward-looking statements are
not assurances of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual
results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. These risks and uncertainties
include, among other things, (a) general economic and business conditions, (b) the level of
manufacturer incentives, (c) the future regulatory environment, (d) our ability to obtain an
inventory of desirable new and used vehicles, (e) our relationship with our automobile
manufacturers and the willingness of manufacturers to approve future acquisitions, (f) our cost of
financing and the availability of credit for consumers, (g) our ability to complete acquisitions
and dispositions and the risks associated therewith, (h) foreign exchange controls and currency
fluctuations, and (i) our ability to retain key personnel. For additional information regarding
known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results,
please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor contacts:
Sheila Roth
Manager, Investor Relations
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
713-647-5741 | sroth@group1auto.com
Media contacts:
Pete DeLongchamps
V.P. Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services and Public Affairs
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
713-647-5770 | pdelongchamps@group1auto.com
or
Clint Woods
Pierpont Communications, Inc.
713-627-2223 | cwoods@piercom.com