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UnitedAuto Reports Results for Third Quarter 2000

19 October 2000

UnitedAuto Reports Results for Third Quarter 2000

    DETROIT--October 19, 2000--

    Net Income Increased 20.0% to $11.2 Million, or $0.40 Per Diluted
    Share, Versus $9.3 Million, or $0.32 Per Diluted Share, for the
    Comparable Period in 1999

    Same Store Retail Revenues and Gross Profit Increased 6.2% and
    6.3%, Respectively, Reflecting Increases in Vehicle Sales, F&I and
    Service and Parts

    United Auto Group, Inc. , a leading publicly- traded automotive retailer, today announced third quarter 2000 earnings. Net income in the quarter amounted to $11.2 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, which represents a 20.0% increase over the $9.3 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, reported in the third quarter 1999.
    Third quarter revenues increased 22.6% to $1.3 billion versus $1.1 billion in the comparable prior year period. Same store revenues were $1.0 billion in the third quarter 2000, an increase of 4.1% over the previous year. Same store retail revenues, excluding fleet and wholesale sales, increased 6.2% to $935.6 million as a result of 5.5%, 7.4%, 7.8% and 7.3% increases in same store new vehicle retail, used vehicle retail, finance and insurance and service and parts revenues, respectively.
    Total new and used retail unit sales increased 22.8% and 12.3%, respectively, versus the third quarter of 1999. The Company retailed 32,000 new and 15,845 used vehicles during the third quarter, versus 26,060 new and 14,106 used vehicles in the comparable 1999 period. Same store new and used retail unit sales amounted to 24,640 and 13,107, respectively, which represent 4.0% and 0.4% increases over the comparable prior year period.
    Roger Penske, Chairman, said, "This was another outstanding quarter for UnitedAuto. In an increasingly challenging operating environment, the strength of our business is evidenced by an overall 24.7% increase in gross profit over the comparable period in 1999, which includes a 6.3% increase in same store retail gross profits. Our outlook remains positive and we are comfortable with the First Call Analysts' consensus estimate of $1.20 per diluted share for 2000."
    Sam DiFeo Jr., President, added, "The impact of our continued focus on operations is evidenced by the excellent performance of our dealerships, especially the continued improvement of same store dealership operating results in all aspects of our business versus the corresponding period in 1999."
    For the nine months ended September 30, 2000, net income was $23.9 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, which represents a 10.5% increase over the comparable prior year period. Net income in 2000 includes the effect of a $4.0 million extraordinary charge, including the write-off of related deferred financing costs, resulting from the repurchase of $147.0 million of 11% subordinated notes at 101% of face value, during the second quarter of 2000. Income before extraordinary item was $27.9 million, or $0.95 per diluted share, which represents a 30.8% increase over the comparable prior year period. Earnings per share reflects a 16.3% increase in diluted weighted average shares outstanding. The increase is due primarily to the issuance of $83.0 million in convertible preferred stock in 1999, offset in part by the purchase of 2,990,000 common shares under the Company's share repurchase program in 2000.
    For the nine months ended September 30, 2000, revenues increased 20.2% to $3.6 billion versus $3.0 billion in the comparable 1999 period. Same store revenues were $2.8 billion in the nine months ended September 30, 2000, an increase of 5.6% over the previous year. Same store retail revenues increased 7.5% to $2.6 billion as a result of 7.7%, 6.9%, 8.7% and 7.5% increases in same store new vehicle retail, used vehicle retail, finance and insurance and service and parts revenues, respectively.
    Total new and used retail unit sales increased 20.6% and 11.5%, respectively, in the nine months ended September 30, 2000 versus the comparable period in 1999. The Company retailed 84,793 new and 44,816 used vehicles during the nine months ended September 30, 2000, versus 70,318 new and 40,192 used vehicles in the comparable 1999 period. Same store new and used retail unit sales amounted to 65,833 and 36,862, respectively, which represent 5.7% and 2.0% increases over the comparable prior year period.
    



                        UNITED AUTO GROUP, INC.
           Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
             (Amounts In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

                                             Third Quarter
                                   -----------------------------------
                                            2000               1999
                                            ----               ----
New Vehicle Sales (a)                     $818,112          $660,562
Used Vehicle Sales (b)                     329,484           274,708
Finance and Insurance                       53,373            45,679
Service and Parts                          130,204           104,417
                                           -------           -------
     Total Revenues                      1,331,173         1,085,366
Cost of Sales                            1,148,560           938,882
                                         ---------           -------
     Gross Profit (c)                      182,613           146,484
Selling, General & 
  Administrative Expenses                  142,453           116,421
                                           -------           -------
     Operating Income                       40,160            30,063
Floor Plan Interest Expense               (11,226)           (6,999)
Other Interest Expense                     (8,681)           (7,255)
                                           -------           -------
     Income Before Minority 
       Interests and
           Income Tax Provision             20,253            15,809
Minority Interests                           (162)             (181)
Income Tax Provision                       (8,912)           (6,631)
                                           -------           -------
     Income before Extraordinary 
       Item                                 11,179             8,997
Extraordinary Item, Net of 
  Taxes (d)                                     --               320
                                            ------            -------
     Net Income                            $11,179            $9,317
                                           =======            ======
Diluted Earnings Per Share 
 Before Extraordinary Item                   $0.40             $0.31
                                             =====             =====
Diluted Earnings Per Share                   $0.40             $0.32
                                             =====             =====
Diluted Weighted Average Shares 
  Outstanding                               28,080            29,048
                                            ======            ======
EBITDA (e)                                 $46,426           $35,009
                                           =======           =======

(a) Includes fleet sales of $30.9 million and $40.7 million in 2000
    and 1999, respectively.
(b) Includes wholesale sales of $82.2 million and $72.2 million in
    2000 and 1999, respectively.
(c) Gross profit as a percentage of revenues for new vehicle retail,
    used vehicle retail, finance and insurance and service and parts
    revenues was 8.4%, 10.8%, 60.6%, and 43.6%, respectively, compared
    with 8.4%, 11.1%, 59.6% and 43.2% in the comparable prior year
    period.
(d) Results from the repurchase of $12.0 million of 11% subordinated
    notes, including the write-off of related deferred financing
    costs.
(e) EBITDA is defined as income before minority interests, income tax
    provision, floor plan interest expense, other interest expense,
    depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization
    amounted to $6.3 million and $4.9 million in 2000 and 1999,
    respectively.


                        UNITED AUTO GROUP, INC.
           Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
             (Amounts In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

                                             Nine Months
                                  ------------------------------------
                                           2000               1999
                                           ----               ----
New Vehicle Sales (a)                  $2,208,984        $1,818,590
Used Vehicle Sales (b)                    934,861           792,195
Finance and Insurance                     145,077           125,678
Service and Parts                         357,167           297,233
                                          -------           -------
     Total Revenues                     3,646,089         3,033,696
Cost of Sales                           3,144,583         2,620,622
                                        ---------         ---------
     Gross Profit (c)                     501,506           413,074
Selling, General & 
 Administrative Expenses                  396,209           330,061
                                          -------           -------
     Operating Income                     105,297            83,013
Floor Plan Interest Expense              (31,683)          (20,723)
Other Interest Expense                   (22,974)          (23,510)
                                         --------          --------
     Income Before Minority 
        Interests and
         Income Tax Provision              50,640            38,780
Minority Interests                          (475)             (542)
Income Tax Provision                     (22,282)          (16,923)
                                         --------          --------
     Income before Extraordinary 
       Item                                27,883            21,315
Extraordinary Item, Net 
 of Taxes (d)                              (3,969)              320
                                          -------           -------
     Net Income                           $23,914           $21,635
                                          =======           =======
Diluted Earnings Per Share 
 Before Extraordinary Item                  $0.95             $0.84
                                            =====             =====
Diluted Earnings Per Share                  $0.82             $0.86
                                            =====             =====
Diluted Weighted Average Shares 
  Outstanding                              29,325            25,207
                                           ======            ======
EBITDA (e)                               $122,644           $97,193
                                         ========           =======


(a) Includes fleet sales of $105.9 million and $136.6 million in 2000
    and 1999, respectively.
(b) Includes wholesale sales of $236.2 million and $205.2 million in
    2000 and 1999, respectively.
(c) Gross profit as a percentage of revenues for new vehicle retail,
    used vehicle retail, finance and insurance and service and parts
    revenues was 8.6%, 10.8%, 59.4%, and 43.5%, respectively, compared
    with 8.5%, 11.2%, 59.7% and 43.3% in comparable prior year period.
(d) The extraordinary item in 2000 results from the repurchase of
    $147.0 million of 11% subordinated notes at 101% of face value,
    including the write-off of related deferred financing costs. The
    extraordinary item in 1999 results from the repurchase of $12.0
    million of 11% subordinated notes, including the write-off of
    related deferred financing costs.
(e) EBITDA is defined as income before minority interests, income tax
    provision, floor plan interest expense, other interest expense,
    depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization
    amounted to $17.3 million and $14.2 million in 2000 and 1999,
    respectively.


                        UNITED AUTO GROUP, INC.
                 Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
                        (Amounts In Thousands)


                                        9/30/00           12/31/99
Assets                               (Unaudited)
------
Cash and cash equivalents                 $13,976           $19,847
Accounts Receivable, Net                  189,422           140,473
Inventories                               592,737           508,289
Other Current Assets                       11,740            10,723
                                           ------            ------
     Total Current Assets                 807,875           679,332
Property and equipment, Net                93,366            68,232
Intangible Assets , Net                   586,569           494,957
Other Assets                               35,818            36,816
                                           ------            ------
     Total Assets                      $1,523,628        $1,279,337
                                       ==========        ==========

Liabilities and Stockholders' 
 Equity

Floor Plan Notes Payable                 $532,125          $478,460
Accounts Payable and Accrued 
    Expenses                              118,995            93,441
Current Portion Long - Term Debt           13,464            10,389
                                           ------            ------
     Total Current Liabilities            664,584           582,290
Long - Term Debt                          390,904           218,535
Other Liabilities                          45,687            47,647
                                           ------          -------
     Total Liabilities                  1,101,175           848,472
Stockholders' Equity                      422,453           430,865
                                          -------           -------
     Total Liabilities and 
       Stockholders' Equity            $1,523,628        $1,279,337
                                       ==========        ==========