LITHIA MOTORS INC - Quarter Report: 2014 March (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

(Mark One)

[X] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014

OR

[  ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from       to      

Commission file number: 001-14733

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes [X] No [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer [X] Accelerated filer [  ] Non-accelerated filer [  ] (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)     Smaller reporting company [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes [  ] No [X]

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

LITHIA MOTORS, INC.

FORM 10-Q

INDEX 

LITHIA MOTORS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 Consolidated Balance Sheets

 (In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying condensed notes to consolidated financial statements.

 LITHIA MOTORS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying condensed notes to consolidated financial statements.

LITHIA MOTORS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying condensed notes to consolidated financial statements.

LITHIA MOTORS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying condensed notes to consolidated financial statements.

LITHIA MOTORS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

Note 1. Interim Financial Statements

Basis of Presentation

These condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain unaudited information as of March 31, 2014 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. The unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for annual financial statements are not included herein. In management’s opinion, these unaudited financial statements reflect all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the information when read in conjunction with our 2013 audited Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes thereto. The financial information as of December 31, 2013 is derived from our 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The interim condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto included in our 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications of amounts previously reported have been made to the accompanying consolidated financial statements to maintain consistency and comparability between periods presented.

These reclassifications had no impact on previously reported net income.

Note 2. Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable consisted of the following (in thousands):

Accounts receivable classifications include the following:

Interest income on auto loan receivables is recognized based on the contractual terms of each loan and is accrued until repayment, charge-off or repossession. Direct costs associated with loan originations are capitalized and expensed as interest income is recognized on the loans. All other receivables are recorded at invoice and do not bear interest until they are 60 days past due.

The allowance for doubtful accounts is estimated based on our historical write-off experience and is reviewed monthly. Consideration is given to recent delinquency trends and recovery rates. Account balances are charged against the allowance after all appropriate means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The annual activity for charges and subsequent recoveries is immaterial.

The long-term portion of accounts receivable was included as a component of other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Note 3. Inventories

The components of inventory consisted of the following (in thousands):

Note 4. Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amounts of goodwill are as follows (in thousands):

Note 5. Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

We are party to numerous legal proceedings arising in the normal course of our business. Although we do not anticipate that the resolution of legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business or the proceedings described below will have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows, we cannot predict this with certainty.

Alaska Consumer Protection Act Claims

In December 2006, a class action suit was filed against us (Jackie Neese, et al vs. Lithia Chrysler Jeep of Anchorage, Inc., et al, Case No. 3AN-06-13341 CI), and in April 2007, a second class action suit (Jackie Neese, et al vs. Lithia Chrysler Jeep of Anchorage, Inc, et al, Case No. 3AN-06-4815 CI) was filed against us, in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska, Third Judicial District at Anchorage. These suits were subsequently consolidated. In the consolidated suit, plaintiffs alleged that we, through our Alaska dealerships, engaged in three practices that purportedly violate Alaska consumer protection laws: (i) charging customers dealer fees and costs (including document preparation fees) not disclosed in the advertised price, (ii) failing to disclose the acquisition, mechanical and accident history of used vehicles or whether the vehicles were originally manufactured for sale in a foreign country, and (iii) engaging in deception, misrepresentation and fraud by providing to customers financing from third parties without disclosing that we receive a fee or discount for placing that loan. The suit sought statutory damages of $500 for each violation or three times plaintiff’s actual damages, whichever was greater, and attorney fees and costs.

In June 2013, the parties agreed to mediate the claims. The mediation resulted in a settlement agreement that received the final approval of the Court on December 11, 2013.  Under the settlement agreement, we agreed to reimburse plaintiffs’ legal fees and to pay (i) $450 in the form of cash and vouchers to valid claimants and (ii) $3,000 for each claim representative.  The majority of cash and vouchers have been mailed as of April 25, 2014.  

As of March 31, 2014 we have recorded expenses of $6.7 million to settle all claims against us and to pay plaintiffs’ legal fees. As of the end of the quarter, we have paid $4.8 million in cash. The remaining amount of $1.9 million represents outstanding liability for vouchers based on our expected redemption rate. We believe that these estimates are reasonable; however, actual cost could differ materially. We recorded additional expense of $0.6 million based on the final number of approved claims in the three months ended, March 31, 2014, as a component of selling, general and administrative expense in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Note 6. Stockholders’ Equity

Reclassification From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

The reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive loss was as follows (in thousands):

See Note 9 for more details regarding our derivative contracts.

Share Repurchases

In August 2011, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to 2,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock. On July 20, 2012, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 1,000,000 additional shares of our Class A common stock. In the three months ended March 31, 2014, we repurchased 15,000 shares at an average price of $64.46 per share, for a total of $1.0 million. Through March 31, 2014, we have repurchased 1,288,047 shares and 1,711,953 shares remained available for repurchase. This authority to repurchase shares does not have an expiration date and we may continue to repurchase shares from time to time as conditions warrant.

In addition, we repurchased 106,719 shares during the first quarter of 2014 at an average price of $65.35, for a total of $7.0 million, related to tax withholdings associated with the vesting of restricted stock units.

Dividends

Dividends paid on our Class A and Class B common stock in the three months ended March 31, 2014 were as follows:

See Note 14 for a discussion of a dividend related to our first quarter 2014 financial results.

Note 7. Deferred Compensation and Long-Term Incentive Plan

We offer a deferred compensation and long-term incentive plan (the “LTIP”) to provide certain employees the ability to accumulate assets for retirement on a tax deferred basis. We may make discretionary contributions to the LTIP. Discretionary contributions vest between one and seven years based on the employee’s age and position. Additionally, a participant may defer a portion of his or her compensation and receive the deferred amount upon certain events, including termination or retirement.

In January 2014, we made a discretionary contribution of $2.1 million to the LTIP. Participants will receive a guaranteed return of 5.25% in 2014. We recognized compensation expense related to the LTIP as follows (in thousands):

As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the balance due to participants was $8.5 million and $7.1 million, respectively, and was included as a component of other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Note 8. Fair Value Measurements

Factors used in determining the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities are summarized into three broad categories:

The inputs or methodology used for valuing financial assets and liabilities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in them.

We use the income approach to determine the fair value of our interest rate swap using observable Level 2 market expectations at each measurement date and an income approach to convert estimated future cash flows to a single present value amount (discounted) assuming that participants are motivated, but not compelled, to transact. Level 2 inputs for the swap valuation are limited to quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets (specifically futures contracts on LIBOR for the first two years) and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (specifically LIBOR cash and swap rates and credit risk at commonly quoted intervals). Mid-market pricing is used as a practical expedient for fair value measurements. Key inputs, including the cash rates for very short-term borrowings, futures rates for up to two years and LIBOR swap rates beyond the derivative maturity are used to predict future reset rates to discount those future cash flows to present value at the measurement date.

Inputs are collected from Bloomberg on the last market day of the period and used to determine the rate used to discount the future cash flows. The valuation of the interest rate swap also takes into consideration our own, as well as the counterparty’s, risk of non-performance under the contract.

There were no changes to our valuation techniques during the three-month period ended March 31, 2014.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value

Following are the disclosures related to our assets and (liabilities) that are measured at fair value (in thousands):

See Note 9 for more details regarding our derivative contracts.

Fair Value Disclosures for Financial Assets and Liabilities

We determined the carrying value of cash equivalents, accounts receivable, trade payables, accrued liabilities and short-term borrowings approximate their fair values because of the nature of their terms and current market rates of these instruments. We believe the carrying value of our variable rate debt approximates fair value.

We have fixed-rate debt and calculate the estimated fair value of our fixed-rate debt using a discounted cash flow methodology. Using estimated current interest rates based on a similar risk profile and duration (Level 2), the fixed cash flows are discounted and summed to compute the fair value of the debt. As of March 31, 2014, this debt had maturity dates between November 2016 and May 2031. A summary of the aggregate carrying values and fair values of our long-term fixed-interest rate debt is as follows (in thousands):

Note 9. Derivative Financial Instruments

From time to time, we enter into interest rate swaps to fix a portion of our interest expense. We do not enter into derivative instruments for any purpose other than to manage interest rate exposure to fluctuations in the one-month LIBOR benchmark. That is, we do not engage in interest rate speculation using derivative instruments.

As of March 31, 2014, we had a $25 million interest rate swap outstanding with U.S. Bank Dealer Commercial Services. This interest rate swap matures on June 15, 2016 and has a fixed rate of 5.587% per annum. The variable rate on the interest rate swap is the one-month LIBOR rate. At March 31, 2014, the one-month LIBOR rate was 0.15% per annum, as reported in the Wall Street Journal.

Typically, we designate all interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges and, accordingly, we record the change in fair value for the effective portion of these interest rate swaps in comprehensive income rather than net income until the underlying hedged transaction affects net income. If a swap is no longer designated as a cash flow hedge and the forecasted transaction remains probable or reasonably possible of occurring, the gain or loss recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss is recognized in income as the forecasted transaction occurs. If the forecasted transaction is probable of not occurring, the gain or loss recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss is recognized in income immediately. The estimated amount that we expect to reclassify from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net income within the next twelve months is $1.2 million at March 31, 2014.

At March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the fair value of our derivative instruments was included in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as follows (in thousands):

The effect of derivative instruments on our Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in thousands):

See also Note 8.

Note 10. Acquisitions

In the first three months of 2014, we completed the following acquisitions, which contributed revenues of $9.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014:

All acquisitions were accounted for as business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. The results of operations of the acquired stores are included in our Consolidated Financial Statements from the date of acquisition.

No portion of the purchase price was paid with our equity securities. The following table summarizes the consideration paid for the acquisitions and the amount of identified assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date (in thousands):

We assumed a contract associated with an acquisition and determined the remaining term would not provide economic benefit. As a result, we recorded costs of $1.4 million, included as a component of selling, general and administrative expense in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

We account for franchise value as an indefinite-lived intangible asset. We expect the full amount of the goodwill recognized to be deductible for tax purposes. We did not have any material acquisition-related expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

The following unaudited pro forma summary presents consolidated information as if all acquisitions in the three-month periods ended March 31, 2013 and 2014 had occurred on January 1, 2013 (in thousands, except for per share amounts):

These amounts have been calculated by applying our accounting policies and estimates. The results of the acquired stores have been adjusted to reflect the following: depreciation on a straight-line basis over the expected lives for property, plant and equipment; accounting for inventory on a specific identification method; and recognition of interest expense for real estate financing related to stores where we purchased the facility. No nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the acquisitions are included in the reported pro forma revenues and earnings.

Note 11. Discontinued Operations

We classify a store as discontinued operations if the location has been sold, we have ceased operations at that location or the store meets the criteria required by U.S. generally accepted accounting standards:

We reclassify the store’s operations to discontinued operations in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, on a comparable basis for all periods presented, provided we do not expect to have any significant continuing involvement in the store’s operations after its disposal.

In October 2012, we determined that one of our stores met the criteria for classification of the assets and related liabilities as held for sale. As of March 31, 2014, the store has been classified as held for sale for more than one year.

Because this store has been classified as held for sale beyond one year, we periodically evaluate whether (i) we have taken all necessary actions to respond to the change in circumstances; (ii) we are actively marketing the store at a price that was reasonable; and (iii) we continue to meet all of the criteria discussed above to continue to classify the stores as held for sale.

Since the end of 2012, we have actively marketed this store for sale and continue to identify interested parties. In this period, we have had both signed letters of intent and contracts for the sale of the property. These sales have not been consummated for various reasons, including that the manufacturer did not approve the potential buyers. We believe the classification continues to be appropriate and that all criteria to classify the store as held for sale are still met as of March 31, 2014. The store’s assets and related liabilities are classified as held for sale and its associated operating results are classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

As of March 31, 2014, we have one store and no properties classified as held for sale. Assets held for sale included the following (in thousands):

Liabilities related to assets held for sale included the following (in thousands):

Actual floor plan interest expense for the store classified as discontinued operations is directly related to the store’s new vehicles. Interest expense related to our used vehicle inventory financing and revolving line of credit is allocated based on the working capital level of the store. For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, interest expense included as a component of discontinued operations was immaterial.

Certain financial information related to discontinued operations was as follows (in thousands):

Note 12. Net Income Per Share of Class A and Class B Common Stock

We compute net income per share of Class A and Class B common stock using the two-class method. Under this method, basic net income per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period excluding unvested common shares subject to repurchase or cancellation. Diluted net income per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and, if dilutive, potential common shares outstanding during the period. Potential common shares consist of the incremental common shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options and unvested restricted shares subject to repurchase or cancellation. The dilutive effect of outstanding stock options and other grants is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. The computation of the diluted net income per share of Class A common stock assumes the conversion of Class B common stock, while the diluted net income per share of Class B common stock does not assume the conversion of those shares.

Except with respect to voting and transfer rights, the rights of the holders of our Class A and Class B common stock are identical. Our Restated Articles of Incorporation require that the Class A and Class B common stock share equally in any dividends, liquidation proceeds or other distribution with respect to our common stock and the Articles of Incorporation can only be amended by a vote of the shareholders. Additionally, Oregon law provides that amendments to our Articles of Incorporation, which would have the effect of adversely altering the rights, powers or preferences of a given class of stock, must be approved by the class of stock adversely affected by the proposed amendment. As a result, the undistributed earnings for each year are allocated based on the participation rights of the Class A and Class B common shares as if the earnings for the year had been distributed. Because the liquidation and dividend rights are identical, the undistributed earnings are allocated on a proportionate basis.

Following is a reconciliation of the income from continuing operations and weighted average shares used for our basic earnings per share (“EPS”) and diluted EPS for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands, except per share amounts):

Note 13. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard update that amends the accounting guidance related to discontinued operations. This amendment defines discontinued operations as a component or group of components that is disposed of or is classified as held for sale and represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. This amendment also introduces new disclosures for disposals. The amendments in this accounting standard update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2014 and applies to new disposals and new classifications of disposal groups as held for sale after the effective date. The accounting standard update is expected to result in fewer disposals being presented as discontinued operations and, because the guidance relates to presentation and disclosures, will not affect our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Note 14. Subsequent Events

Acquisitions

On April 1, 2014, we acquired the inventory, equipment, real estate and intangible assets of, and assumed certain liabilities related to, Access Ford Lincoln of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas. We paid $26.1 million in cash for this acquisition.

Common Stock Dividend

On April 21, 2014, our Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.16 per share on our Class A and Class B common stock related to our first quarter 2014 financial results. The dividend will total approximately $4.2 million and will be paid on May 23, 2014 to shareholders of record on May 9, 2014.

Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

Certain statements under the sections entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Form 10-Q constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “project,” “outlook,” “target,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “seek,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “likely,” “goal,” “strategy,” “future,” “maintain,” and “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements in this Form 10-Q include, among others, statements we make regarding:

The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-Q involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and situations that may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. Certain important factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations are discussed in Part II - Other Information, Item 1A in this Form 10-Q and in the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented and amended from time to time in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events that depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. While we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and development of the industries in which we operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements in this Form 10-Q. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Overview

We are a leading operator of automotive franchises and a retailer of new and used vehicles and related services. As of April 25, 2014, we offer 28 brands of new vehicles and all brands of used vehicles in 100 stores in the United States and online at Lithia.com. We sell new and used cars and replacement parts; provide vehicle maintenance, warranty, paint and repair services; arrange related financing; and sell service contracts, vehicle protection products and credit insurance.

Our mission statement is: “Driven by our employees and preferred by our customers, Lithia is the leading automotive retailer in each of our markets.” We offer our customers convenient, flexible, personalized service combined with the large company advantages of selection, competitive pricing, broad access to financing, and warranties. We strive for diversification in our products, services, brands and geographic locations to insulate us from market risk and to maintain profitability. We have developed a centralized support structure to reduce store level administrative functions. This allows store personnel to focus on providing a positive customer experience. With our management information systems and centrally-performed administrative functions in Medford, Oregon, we seek to gain economies of scale from our dealership network.

Results of Continuing Operations

For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, we reported income from continuing operations, net of tax, of $24.7 million, or $0.94 per diluted share, and $21.9 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, respectively.

Discontinued Operations

The results of operations for stores sold, closed or held for sale are presented as discontinued operations for all periods in our Consolidated Statements of Operations if they qualify for reclassification under the applicable accounting guidance. As a result, our results from continuing operations are presented on a comparable basis for all periods.

We realized income from discontinued operations, net of tax, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, of $40,000 and $173,000, respectively. See Note 11 of the Condensed Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Key Revenue and Gross Profit Metrics

Key performance metrics for revenue and gross profit were as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands):

Same Store Operating Data

We believe that same store comparisons are an important indicator of our financial performance. Same store measures demonstrate our ability to grow our existing locations. As a result, same store measures have been integrated into the discussion below.

Same store measures reflect results for stores that were operating in each comparison period and only include the months when operations occurred in both periods. For example, a store acquired in February 2013 would be included in same store operating data beginning in March 2014, after its first full complete comparable month of operation. The first quarter operating results for the same store comparisons would include results for that store in only the period of March for both comparable periods.

New Vehicle Revenue and Gross Profit

(1) A basis point is equal to 1/100^th of one percent.

New vehicle sales improved primarily due to volume growth as same store unit sales increased 8.3% in the three-month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. The number of new vehicles sold in the U.S. during the first three months of 2014 grew approximately 1.3% compared to the same period of 2013.

Our domestic brand same store unit sales grew 9.1%, import brand same store unit sales grew 7.5% and our luxury brand same store unit sales grew 7.0% for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. This performance outpaced national growth for the first quarter in the same categories. We continue to focus on increasing our share of overall new vehicle sales within our markets.

Recovery in some of our specific markets behaved differently than the national average. Certain of our markets saw an increase in local market sales volumes exceeding the national average, while others continued to lag behind the national average. As of the end of 2013, which is the most recent data available, we believe approximately half of our markets remain below the pre-recessionary vehicle registration levels experienced in 2006.

New vehicle gross profit dollars increased 12.6% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period of 2013. On a same store basis, gross profit increased 5.9% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2014. These increases were due to a greater number of vehicles sold, offset by lower gross profit per unit and gross margins.

We focus on gross profit dollars earned per unit, not on gross margin percentage. On a same store basis, the average gross profit per new retail unit decreased $53 for the three-month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period of 2013. This decrease was primarily due to the strategic decision to increase market share through lower pricing. Additionally, certain manufacturer incentives are tied to increases in units sold per store, and, given consecutive years of significant unit sales increases, these objectives have been more difficult to achieve in 2014 than in prior years, resulting in lower total incentive dollars earned.

We believe increasing new unit sales creates additional used vehicle trade-in opportunities, finance and insurance sales and future service work. We believe the incremental business generated in future periods will more than offset the lower new vehicle gross profit per unit that has occurred with the pursuit of our volume-based strategy.

Used Vehicle Retail Revenue and Gross Profit

Used vehicle retail sales are a strategic focus for organic growth. We offer three categories of used vehicles: manufacturer certified pre-owned vehicles; core vehicles, or three-to-seven-year-old vehicles below certain mileage limitations; and value autos, or older vehicles with higher mileage. Additionally, our volume-based strategy for new vehicle sales increases the organic opportunity to convert vehicles acquired via trade to retail used vehicle sales.

During the three-month period ended March 31, 2014, sales increased in all three categories of used vehicles compared to the same period of 2013:

Total same store used vehicle retail unit sales grew 11.7% in the three months ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period of 2013. Growth in certified pre-owned vehicle unit sales outpaced growth in other categories. While certified pre-owned vehicles had a higher average selling price, gross profit per retail unit was consistent with the other categories. This resulted in an increase of 19.2% in used vehicle retail revenue, which outpaced the change in average selling price and gross profit per retail unit as compared to the prior period.

On average, each of our stores currently sells approximately 55 retail used vehicle units per month and we target increasing average sales to 75 units per month.

Used retail vehicle gross profit dollars increased 16.6% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period of 2013. On a same store basis, gross profit increased 11.0% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period of 2013. These increases were related to volume growth offset by a decrease in gross margins as growth in certified pre-owned vehicles, which have a lower gross margin percentage, outpaced growth in our other used vehicle categories. Similar to new vehicle sales, we focus on gross profit dollars earned per unit, not on gross margin percentage, in evaluating our sales performance.

Used Vehicle Wholesale Revenue and Gross Profit

Wholesale transactions are vehicles we have purchased from customers or vehicles we have attempted to sell via retail that we elect to dispose of due to inventory age or other factors. Wholesale vehicles are typically sold at or near inventory cost and do not comprise a meaningful component of our gross profit.

Finance and Insurance

The increases in finance and insurance sales were driven by increased vehicle sales volume and higher retail prices in the three-month period ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period of 2013. Penetration rates on arranging financing for our customers and the sale of extended service contracts and lifetime lube, oil and filter contracts also increased. As a result, our average finance and insurance revenue per retail unit increased. We continue to see the availability of consumer credit expand in 2014 with lenders increasing the average loan-to-value amount available to most customers.

Penetration rates for specific categories of products were as follows:

Service, Body and Parts Revenue and Gross Profit