AKRON—The “typical” multi-store independent retail tire dealership in North America operates 21 stores, generates more than $2.5 million in revenue per store and carries a dozen tire brands.
That's how the data from Tire Business' annual survey of the North American tire retailing sector shake out this year.
The dealership size of 21 stores is the median number of the 111 dealers profiled in this year's report (see story on page 10). That's up from 19 a year ago, reflecting a series of high-profile acquisitions that opened the door for more dealerships at the lower end of the ranking.
Average size of the 111 dealerships fell by one to 59 as the bulk of acquisitions involved companies already part of Tire Business' Top 100.
It took 11 stores to make the top 100 list, which totaled 111 dealerships thanks to a 15-way tie for 97th.
In addition, Tire Business research reveals there are 63 more dealerships just outside the top 100 (111) operating collectively more than 510 stores—six with 10 stores, 17 with nine, 16 with eight and 24 with seven.
The average sales revenue of a store—based on data from 45 companies that supplied sales information—was $2.55 million, down slightly from the $2.65 million reported a year ago, while the median store sales of the companies that reported revenue was $1.5 million.
The typical dealership outlet derived 54 percent of its sales from tires, 44 percent from automotive service and 2 percent from other, miscellaneous sources, according to information derived from those dealerships that shared that information with Tire Business.
The share of a dealership's sales that automotive service represents ranges from zero (Discount Tire) to 85 percent (a number of the franchised businesses).
The typical Top 100 tire dealership offers a dozen brands—seven to eight flag, two to three import and one to two private—with BFGoodrich, Michelin and Goodyear the dominant brands, carried by 83, 81 and 72 dealerships, respectively, followed by Continental (68); Cooper (68); Bridgestone (65); Firestone (60); Dunlop (60); General (59); Kelly (52); Yokohama (52); Pirelli (51); Uniroyal (51); Hankook (42); Toyo (38); and Kumho (36).
All but three of the 100 dealerships are privately owned, including Ben Tire Distributors Ltd., which is owned by employees.
The three firms publicly owned or controlled by outside financial holdings—TBC Corp., Monro Muffler Brake Inc. and Pep Boys — Manny, Moe & Jack—are among the six largest dealerships.
In addition, two dealerships—Mavis Tire Supply and Raben Tire Co.—took on outside investors in the past year as minority shareholders.
Additionally, Goodyear owns minority stakes in two Canadian dealerships, Coast Tire & Auto Service Ltd. and Fountain Tire Corp.
Seven of the ranked dealerships are affiliated with Tire Alliance Groupe (TAG), representing 160 outlets, while 22 are Goodyear Tire & Service affiliated, comprising 478 outlets,
and 17 are part of Michelin's Alliance program, with 332 stores.
In addition: There are four Car-X Tire & Auto franchisees, with 65 outlets combined; four Big O franchisees with 106 stores among them; and five affiliated with TCi's T3 program, comprising 114 outlets.
American Tire Distributors Holdings Inc.'s Tires Pros network, which now numbers more than 500 locations, has just one dealer among the Top 100—Associated Tire Stores Inc., with 11 stores in Utah and Wyoming—since most Tire Pros dealers are smaller, one-, two- or three-store enterprises.
Looking at the market geographically, Bridgestone Americas' retail network—Firestone Complete Car Care and Tires Plus/Wheel Works—is the most prevalent name, with a presence in all 10 of the regional areas profiled by Tire Business, including being the largest in five regions—Southeast, Upper Midwest, Southeast Central, Southwest Central and Northwest Central.
TBC Retail Group shows up in eight of the 10 regions, including No. 1 in the Mountain region via its Big O Tires franchise network. Discount Tire/America's Tire, No. 1 nationally with 906 outlets, has a presence in seven of the 10 regions but is not No. 1 in any one of them.
Monro Muffler Brake is present in six regions, including being No. 1 in New England, Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic.
Collectively, Tire Pros dealers are among the largest dealer groups in eight of the 10 regions.
(See the thumbnail regional charts on page 36 for the complete listings.)