Proven Outcomes. Confidential Processes.
Selected engagements across North American automotive M&A. Seller identities withheld by agreement — results are real. Names available to qualified buyers under NDA.
Read full case study
Read full case study
Read full case study
Read full case study
$28M Single-Point Dealership — Closed in 45 Days
Overview
A multi-generational dealer principal approached retirement with no succession plan, a single-point rooftop generating $42M revenue and $3.8M EBITDA, and a strong preference for absolute confidentiality. The owner’s valuation expectation sat 30% above typical market comparables.
Challenge
Three constraints shaped the mandate: no public listing, no teaser, no broker-network distribution; the owner wanted to close within a single fiscal quarter to align with personal tax planning; and OEM approval was non-negotiable — any buyer would need to clear franchise review.
Process
Coussa Group conducted a targeted outreach to 47 pre-qualified acquirers drawn from our active buyer network — strategic dealer groups, private equity platforms, and independent operators with balance sheet capacity above $30M. Each prospect signed a binding NDA before receiving the CIM. We structured a managed auction with a 21-day LOI window.
Outcome
14 qualified LOIs received. Three finalists invited to management meetings and deeper diligence. Final buyer selected on a combination of price, certainty of close, and cultural fit with the seller’s staff retention priorities. Transaction closed 45 days from mandate signing, 12% above the owner’s reserve. OEM approval secured in parallel with final documentation.
3-Rooftop Group Divestiture — Cross-Border Strategic Buyer
Overview
A family-owned dealer group with three rooftops — one luxury European, two mass-market import — sought an exit while preserving employee continuity. Combined revenue: $128M. Combined EBITDA: $11.2M. The family wanted a single transaction, not a rooftop-by-rooftop unwind.
Challenge
Most Canadian acquirers lack the balance sheet for a three-rooftop simultaneous close at this scale. OEM approvals across three brands typically run 90 to 120 days and rarely align on timing. The sellers also carried meaningful emotional weight around retaining their general managers and service-department leads.
Process
Coussa Group identified a US-based strategic consolidator actively expanding into Ontario. We structured a confidential outreach, arranged a principals-only site visit, and negotiated a master purchase agreement covering all three rooftops with parallel OEM approval tracks. Our team managed the cross-border tax structuring, regulatory filings, and a staff-retention framework embedded directly in the SPA.
Outcome
Transaction closed at $128M — 8% above the original ask. All three OEM approvals secured within 95 days. 100% of GM-level staff retained through close; 94% total staff retention at 12-month mark. The sellers exited fully, remained as non-executive advisors for six months, and retained cultural influence over the business they had built.
PE-Backed Acquisition — Alberta Platform Expansion
Overview
A private-equity platform with existing rooftops in Ontario and Quebec sought its first Alberta franchise as an anchor for regional expansion. Target criteria: domestic OEM, $50M–$80M revenue, clean financials, owner willing to stay 12–18 months in a transition advisory role.
Challenge
The Alberta automotive market is tight, relationship-driven, and notoriously under-listed. Most viable targets are never publicly marketed. The PE platform needed off-market access, tight timelines to match their capital deployment schedule, and an advisor who could move without leaking intent into the local market.
Process
Coussa Group leveraged direct relationships with dealer principals across Alberta to identify three off-market candidates matching the PE mandate. We conducted confidential principal-to-principal conversations, structured the preferred target’s diligence package, and negotiated terms including an earn-out bridge tied to post-close performance. OEM approval ran in parallel.
Outcome
Transaction closed in 87 days from mandate. Purchase price $67M on $5.4M EBITDA (12.4x), reflecting a premium for the strategic nature of the Alberta entry. Seller remained as GM emeritus for 14 months as planned. Platform has since used this rooftop as the base for two additional Alberta acquisitions.
Import OEM Rooftop — Off-Market, Limited-Auction Sale
Overview
A single-rooftop import dealer in Quebec sought an exit with absolute discretion. The owner specifically requested no teaser, no CIM distribution, and no involvement from the typical broker channels — several of whom he knew personally and considered competitors.
Challenge
Confidentiality was not a preference but a requirement. The mandate required identifying buyers capable of closing at scale without any public-facing signal that the business was for sale. The owner’s francophone market context also required bilingual process management and a buyer comfortable operating in Quebec.
Process
Coussa Group invoked a limited-auction structure: six pre-qualified buyers, all vetted by the seller directly before NDA execution. All communications bilingual. All diligence conducted in virtual data rooms with staged access. No participating buyer was aware of the identities of the others until closing.
Outcome
Three of six buyers submitted LOIs. Final transaction closed at a 6.4x EBITDA multiple — above the regional average for single-rooftop imports. Zero market signal: post-close, neighbouring dealers reported no awareness the business had been in play. Seller retired fully with no public attribution.