Group 1 Automotive Inc reports results on Wednesday 28 October, before the market opens. Sales are still rising, just more slowly than before. Revenue over the twelve months to Q2 2026 was $22.2 billion, which rose 0.8% on the year before.
Source: reported quarterly EPS and aggregated third-party estimates. Historical surprises are context, not a forecast.
View chart data
| Period | Reported EPS | Analysts' estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Sep '25 | $10.45 | $10.73 |
| Dec '25 | $8.49 | $9.16 |
| Mar '26 | $8.66 | $8.82 |
| Jun '26 | $9.61 | $10.60 |
What analysts expect
Analysts have been cutting their forecasts going into the report. The average EPS estimate for the quarter is $9.50, in a range from $8.65 to $10.65. Meanwhile, the average revenue estimate for the quarter stands at $5.6 billion. For full-year EPS, the analysts’ average estimate is $37.19, which would be down 8.6% on last year (based on 12 analysts). That estimate has fallen 9.7% over the past 90 days. Of the analysts’ recommendations, 8 are positive, 3 neutral and 1 negative.
Earnings surprise model
The model estimates EPS could land below the analysts’ average estimate by 2.5%. Its estimated chance of an EPS beat is 25.0%, based on the last 4 quarters. The model shrinks the median recent surprise toward zero and uses a neutral prior for beat frequency; this small sample is a reference estimate, not company guidance.
Track record against estimates
The company reported EPS above the analysts’ average estimate in 0 of the last 4 quarters. Last quarter, EPS of $9.61 compared with an estimate of $10.60, below it by 9.4%.
The trends going in
The trailing gross margin was 15.9%. The trailing operating margin was 3.1%, down 1.0 percentage points from a year earlier. The trailing net margin was 1.3%. Net income over the twelve months was $290.1 million, which fell 39.7% on the year before.
The cash picture
Operating cash flow over the twelve months was $439.2 million, down 49.3% on the year before. Capital spending was $272.9 million, or 1.2% of revenue. Free cash flow, operating cash flow less capital spending, was $166.3 million, down 72.3% on the year before. Free cash flow was 0.8% of revenue (the free-cash-flow margin), down 2.0 percentage points from a year earlier. The average diluted share count fell 6.7% over the year.
In context
Measured against its own history: today’s free-cash-flow margin of 0.8% is higher than 40% of the company’s own past quarterly readings, which have ranged from −2.7% to 8.5%. Today’s operating margin of 3.1% is higher than 49% of past readings (2.4% to 7.1%). Today’s twelve-month revenue growth rate of 0.8% is higher than 16% of past readings (−12.0% to 31.2%).
Questions this report will answer
Whether the slowdown in revenue growth continues. Whether results land above or below the analysts’ expectations set out above. At the same time, whether margins hold at the trailing levels above. The next filing will show whether the trends above continue, slow or reverse.
