Advanced Dealer Solutions joins Zurich North America’s network of select F&I Agencies

Advanced Dealer Solutions (ADS), has announced it has signed on to represent the Zurich suite of protection products to its current and future auto and powersports dealers. 

Zurich North America is a leading provider of Finance and Insurance (F&I) solutions for auto dealers offering a full suite of vehicle protection products for gas-combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles.

“We are excited to add Zurich products and programs to our current offering”, says Bob Mancuso, President of ADS. Mancuso went on to say, “Zurich’s size, strength, and stability will add to our overall value proposition, and it furthers our goal of being an independent voice when it comes to a dealer’s F&I products and programs.”

“We are pleased to welcome Bob, Ryan, and the entire ADS team to the Zurich network of F&I agencies; and expand our reach to their auto and powersports dealers,” said Todd Kaminski, Head of Business Development for Direct Markets, Zurich North America. “Their sound business processes, solid dealership relationships, and tremendous client satisfaction are key characteristics we look for to help bring Zurich F&I products, training, and participation program to new markets.”

“Advanced Dealer Solutions prides itself on its unbiased approach of offering dealers a true choice in the products and programs that best fit their needs. We feel Zurich’s market presence and customer awareness will add value to the products and programs we currently provide our dealers.” says Ryan Nelson, EVP of Advanced Dealer Solutions.

Advanced Dealer Solutions is a premier dealer development agency based in Richfield, Ohio with specialties in F&I training and development, product structure, and reinsurance management for auto, RV and powersports dealers across the country.

Zurich can trace its roots in the automotive industry to 1922. Over the last 101 years, Zurich has evolved alongside its auto dealer customers, listening to their needs and challenges, and developing solutions that help accelerate their growth and protect their legacy.

February Newsletter

A Message From The ADS Team

Just like the industries we serve; ADS has a lot going on and much to be excited about.

In the last month we have hosted the inaugural F&I training as well as a dealer group meeting in our new training facility. The space has exceeded our expectations, and more importantly it has exceeded our dealer’s expectations. Check out the pictures below to see the room in action.

Over the next few months, we will be making several exciting announcements. Stay tuned to hear about our growth and how we plan to provide even more solutions to dealers. Be sure to subscribe to our LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook pages as well as our newsletter to get the latest updates on what our team is up to.

Here are few interesting items to consider:
January Sales Report
Monthly payments over $1,000 hits record high
Inflation possibly turns to stagflation
EV’s already dropping in price
NADA 2023 Recap – See you Next Year In Las Vegas
Upcoming Events ADS will be attending:

AIMExpo Las Vegas, NV – https://aimexpousa.com/
AFIP Bootcamp Certification – https://afip.com/events-open-boot-camp/ads-onsite-boot-camp
Agent Summit – https://www.agentsummit.com/

We would love the opportunity to connect with you, please let us know if you will be attending.

Sincerely,
Bob and Ryan

Click to view our full Newsletter.

November Newsletter

November ushers in the official holiday season for many; that comes with a packed schedule full of to-do lists, dinners, trips, etc. Amid all the usual holiday chaos, many of you are expected to wrap-up the current year of business as well as lay out budgets, strategies, and forecasts for the coming year.

This November also brings national and local elections to us. One of the greatest gifts we have as Americans is the ability to get out and vote. Sadly, for a myriad of reasons, many Americans (about half of eligible voters) choose not to vote in mid-term elections. A lot of people only think about voting every four-years when the presidency is on the ballot. Fact is, there is a tremendous amount being done at the state, county, and local level. State representatives, judges, city council, etc. are most likely on ballots in your area. Please get out and vote this November.

As we evaluate 2022 and the successes or opportunities we have had, we must turn our attention to 2023 and what lies ahead. As with 2021, and 2022, there is much uncertainty in the economy, supply-chain, monetary policy, etc.

Here are a few questions being asked…

Although nobody knows for certain what the future holds, we do know there will always be consumers looking to purchase vehicles. The number of consumers and the prices they are willing to pay may vary, but the founding principles of our industry will remain strong and the dealers who provide the best experience will create the greatest value.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here’s to another great month for everyone!

To view, our entire newsletter follow the link https://mailchi.mp/advdealer.com/november-newsletter.

Wall Street eyes auto industry earnings for signs of ‘demand destruction’

DETROIT – Since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, U.S. automakers and dealers have seen record profits as demand outpaced supplies of new cars amid supply chain problems.

But with interest rates rising, inflation at record highs and recession fears looming, Wall Street is closely watching third-quarter earnings results and guidance for any signs consumer demand might be weakening.

“Auto sentiment is very poor. We get it. Higher rates, still high prices, low consumer confidence, a potential recession and European energy risk does not make autos a friendly place,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak wrote in an investor note last week.

Spak said third-quarter earnings “should mostly be fine,” with the focus being on company commentary and guidance revisions. He said 2023 estimates for the sector need to “move materially lower.”

RBC and other financial firms have signaled the auto industry’s supply chain issues could quickly shift to demand problems.

Profits for U.S. and European car companies are set to drop by half next year as weakening demand leads to an oversupply of vehicles, UBS analysts led by Patrick Hummel told investors last week.

He said the overall automotive sector in 2023 “is deteriorating fast so that demand destruction seems inevitable at a time when supply is improving.”

GM/Ford

On Oct. 10, Hummel also downgraded General Motors and Ford Motor, predicting it that it would take three to six months for the auto industry to end up in oversupply. He said that will “put an abrupt end” to the unprecedented pricing power and profit margins for the automakers in the past three years.

The investment firm downgraded Ford to “sell” from “neutral” and GM to “neutral” from “buy” – sending both stocks tumbling roughly 8% during intraday trading on Oct. 10.

The downgrades came weeks after Ford said parts shortages affected roughly 40,000 to 45,000 vehicles, primarily high-margin trucks and SUVs that haven’t been able to reach dealers. Ford also said at the time that it expects to book an extra $1 billion in unexpected supplier costs during the third quarter.

GM has not signaled such problems for the third quarter, but experienced similar issues during the second quarter that it was expecting to make up for during the second half of the year.

GM CEO Mary Barra this past week told Yahoo! Finance that the Detroit automaker is preparing for increased demand for its vehicles next year, but that it wants to be prepared “regardless of the environment” to continue investing in its electric vehicle plans.

GM is set to report third-quarter results before markets open Tuesday, followed by Ford a day later after the bell.

Before Detroit’s largest automakers report earnings next week, electric vehicle leader Tesla, which has a cult following among investors, is scheduled to report after markets close Wednesday.

Dealers

CarMax fueled Wall Street’s concerns last month after the used car dealer posted one of its biggest earnings misses ever. In its fiscal second quarter ending Aug. 31, same-store unit sales fell 8.3%, steeper than the 3.6% decline Wall Street expected.

Used car prices remain elevated, but Cox Automotive said wholesale prices for dealer auctions have declined for four consecutive months. That could signal consumers are fed up with the near-record prices.

Citing CarMax’s results, J.P. Morgan analyst Rajat Gupta said the sentiment for franchised dealers’ third-quarter earnings “is the most negative we have encountered since the pandemic.”

“The sector is not immune to ongoing macro challenges and we are dialing back our estimates for 2023 materially to reflect a mild recession and hitting a new normal by 2025,” Gupta said in an Oct. 6 investor note.

A potential bright spot for the industry is the low new car availability and sales. Even if there is an economic downturn, sales could still increase though profits would be expected to tighten.

Lithia Automotive on Wednesday reported its highest third-quarter revenue and earnings per share in company history, despite missing Wall Street’s top and bottom-line expectations.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said Lithia’s third quarter may be the last of the “really, really, really good” gross profit per unit quarter of this cycle.

“While [CarMax’s] weak fiscal 2Q results (reported a couple weeks back) set the tone for the used market, we believe [Lithia’s] 3Q miss should set the pattern for the franchise players,” he said in an investor note Wednesday.

Other major dealers scheduled to report third-quarter earnings include Group 1 Automotive on Oct. 26, followed by AutoNationAsbury Automotive Group and Sonic Automotive on Oct. 27.

Auto suppliers

Looking to auto suppliers, which have experienced significant cost increases during the coronavirus pandemic, several Wall Street analysts expect continued growth this year, followed by single-digit growth, if not less, next year.

Suppliers are largely paid after they deliver parts or products to larger suppliers or automakers. Smaller suppliers that produce materials or parts for lager companies have particularly been under pressure due to lower volumes, increased costs and labor shortages.

Gary Silberg, KPMG’s global head of automotive, told CNBC that a significant number of suppliers are going back to the original equipment manufacturers asking for support.

“Not only just for them but for their suppliers. It’s a dance basically that everyone’s doing all the time,” Silberg said. “They don’t have a lot of leverage is the problem. It’s been a very, very tough 18 months” for smaller automotive suppliers.

A KPMG survey that included more than 100 automotive industry CEOs whose companies have annual revenues of over $500 million found 86% believe there will be a recession in next 12 months, and 60% said it will be mild and short.

Responses for the KPMG CEO Outlook survey were submitted from mid-July to late-August.  

Deutsche Bank expects auto suppliers to report third-quarter results in-line with Wall Street’s expectations. Analyst Emmanuel Rosner said in a note to investors Wednesday that the firm favors suppliers over automakers into next year, but sees potential earnings downside risk from smaller suppliers such as American Axle & Manufacturing and Dana Inc.

– CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.

Originally published by CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/19/wall-street-eyes-auto-industry-earnings-for-signs-of-demand-destruction-.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.glip.mobile.shareExtension

September Newsletter

September starts off with a long weekend to recognize many of the individuals who built this great country… The Laborers! The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. Without the efforts of the millions of American laborers, we certainly wouldn’t be the country we are today. Although the jobs being performed may look different today, it is still the labor force that keeps this country moving forward. 

To learn more about the history of Labor Day click here.

ADS has some great events planned and some exciting news… 

https://mailchi.mp/advdealer.com/september-newsletter

August Newsletter

It is hard to believe we are already in the month of August! The recent heat waves across the country surely reminded everyone we are in the dog days of summer! Hopefully, everyone was able to find some comfort near a pool, lake or in the comfort of their air-conditioned home. 

ADS is excited to make a few big announcements… 

View our newsletter to see all the exciting things happening soon!

https://mailchi.mp/advdealer.com/august-newsletter

November Newsletter

1/6th, that is all we have left of this wild year. Are you prepared to go into the final 6th more determined than you started? Can you and your team accelerate past the competition as mental and physical fatigue begin to set in? Can you put the finishing touches on the masterpiece of work you have been working on your whole career?

https://mailchi.mp/advdealer.com/newsletter-november-ads

Advanced Dealer Solutions Welcomes Eddie Rains

For Immediate Release

ADVANCED DEALER SOLUTIONS WELCOMES EDDIE RAINS IN TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Richfield, OhioAdvanced Dealer Solutions is proud to welcome Eddie Rains in Training & Development.

Eddie has been in the automotive space for 30 years working his way up through the dealership space. He has spent most of his career traveling the country delivering sales and F&I training for dealers that has helped grow sales and F&I results. With his extensive background in developing people, Eddie will be a great resource for ADS and their dealer clients.

“Eddie’s personal values align effortlessly with our company values, and I know his vast experience will have a positive impact for our dealers. “– says Bob Mancuso – President of Advanced Dealer Solutions.

“Given the opportunity to join such a great team does not come along very often. I believe this will be a perfect fit for me based on their core values their team lives by and represents.”  – says Eddie Rains – Training & Development at Advanced Dealer Solutions.

“We are excited to welcome Eddie and his many talents to our team. We know the value he brings to a team as well to the many dealers he has worked alongside over the years.” – says Ryan Nelson – EVP of Advanced Dealer Solutions.

Eddie will be based in Abilene, TX and will be focused on growing our training & development platform as well as being a resource for the ADS team and its dealer clients.

Advanced Dealer Solutions is a full-service, dealer development agency focused on automotive, RV, and powersports dealers across the United States. Please contact 844-320-3722 or [email protected] for any inquiries.