AKRON—The “typical” larger-scale, multi-store independent retail tire dealership in North America operates 24 stores, generates about $3.5 million in revenue per store and carries 11 tire brands.
That's the picture that's derived from analyzing the data from Tire Business' survey of the North American tire retailing sector this year.
The dealership size of 24 stores is the median number of the 100 dealerships profiled in this year's report (See story starting on page 10.) That's up from 21 a year ago, reflecting a number of high-profile acquisitions, renewed organic growth by several larger players and the inclusion of some larger first-time companies.
Average size of a Top 100 dealership jumped by seven to 66, reflecting both organic growth and acquisitions by companies ranked a year ago and the addition of a few new companies not previously considered for the ranking.
It took a dozen stores to make the top 100 list this year, the most ever.
In addition, Tire Business research reveals there are 51 more dealerships just outside the top 100 operating collectively more than 475 stores—11 with 11 stores, seven with 10 stores, 18 with nine, and 15 with eight.
The average sales revenue of a store—based on data from 45 companies that supplied sales information—was nearly $3.5 million, up measurably from the $2.75 million reported a year ago, while the median store sales of the companies that reported revenue was $1.5 million, unchanged from a year ago.
The typical large dealership outlet derived 52 percent of its sales from tires, 42 percent from automotive service and 8 percent from other, miscellaneous sources, according to information derived from the 50 dealerships that shared that information with Tire Business.
The share of a dealership's sales represented by automotive service ranges from zero (Discount Tire and Rent-A-Wheel/Rent-A-Tire) to 80-plus percent for some of the franchised businesses.
The typical Top 100 tire dealership offers 11 brands—six to seven flag, two to three import and one to two private—with Michelin, BFGoodrich and Goodyear the dominant brands, carried by 67, 62 and 60 dealerships, respectively, followed by Continental (53); Cooper (52); Bridgestone and Hankook (50 each); Pirelli (48); General (46); Firestone (45); Dunlop (44); Kelly (41); Yokohama (40); Toyo (31); and Kumho and Uniroyal (30 each).
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.—have outside investors as minority shareholders.
In Canada, Goodyear owns minority stakes in Coast Tire & Auto Service Ltd. and Fountain Tire Corp.
Four of the ranked dealerships are affiliated with Tire Alliance Groupe (TAG), representing 432 outlets, while 19 are Goodyear Tire & Service affiliated, comprising 696 outlets, while a dozen are part of Michelin's Alliance program, with 293 stores.
In addition, there are three Car-X Tire & Auto franchisees, with 58 outlets combined; five Big O franchisees with 121 stores among them; and two affiliated with TCi's T3 program, comprising 32 outlets.
Looking at the market geographically, Bridgestone Americas' retail network—Firestone Complete Car Care and Tires Plus/Wheel Works—is the most prevalent, 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 six of the 10 regions with its Merchants's Tire, National Tire & Battery and Tire Kingdom brands, and also is No. 1 in the Mountain region via its Big O Tires franchise network.
Discount Tire/America's Tire, No. 1 nationally with 924 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 and the South Atlantic.
American Tire Distributors Inc.'s Tires Pros network doesn't have any single dealer among the Top 100, but collectively Tire Pros dealers are among the largest dealer groups in eight of the 10 regions.
(See the thumbnail regional charts on pages 23 and this page for the complete listings.)
To reach this reporter: [email protected]; 330-865-6145; Twitter: @reifenmensch