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This excerpt taken from the ABG 10-K filed Mar 1, 2010. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. Duluth, GA We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2008 and the related consolidated statements of income (loss), shareholders equity, and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2008. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2008, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The accompanying consolidated 2008 financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, there is uncertainty that the Company will remain in compliance with certain debt covenants throughout 2009. This condition raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Managements plans concerning these matters are also discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, effective January 1, 2007, the Company adopted accounting principles relating to the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes. As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the financial statements referred to above have been retrospectively adjusted for the change in method of accounting for debt with conversion and other options. Also, as discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the accompanying 2008 and 2007 financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted for discontinued operations. /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP New York, New York March 16, 2009 (March 1, 2010 as to the 2008 and 2007 retrospective adjustments relating to discontinued operations and the accounting for debt with conversion and other options discussed in Note 2)
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Table of ContentsThese excerpts taken from the ABG 10-K filed Mar 16, 2009. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. Duluth, GA We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the related consolidated statements of (loss) income, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008. We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions. A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and
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Table of Contentsthe results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, there is uncertainty that the Company will remain in compliance with certain debt covenants throughout 2009. This condition raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans concerning these matters are also discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, effective January 1, 2007, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxesan interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109. /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP New York, New York March 16, 2009
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Table of ContentsREPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px">To the Board of Directors and Stockholders ofAsbury Automotive Duluth, GA We have audited We conducted our audits in FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, Because of the In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above
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FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, there is uncertainty FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, effective January 1, 2007, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px">New York, New YorkMarch 16, 2009 STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">84 Table of ContentsThese excerpts taken from the ABG 10-K filed Feb 29, 2008. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. New York, New York We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007. We also have audited the Companys internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Companys management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and an opinion on the Companys internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions. A companys internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the companys principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the companys board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A companys internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on the criteria established in Internal Control Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. As discussed in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements, effective January 1, 2007, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxesan interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109. /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP New York, New York February 29, 2008
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To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.New York, New York STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%">We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as ofDecember 31, 2007 and 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007. We also have audited the Companys internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Companys management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and an opinion on the Companys internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:4%">We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions. A companys internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on the criteria established in Internal Control Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. As /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">New York, New York February 29, 2008 68 Table of ContentsThis excerpt taken from the ABG 10-Q filed Nov 7, 2007. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.: New York, New York We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of September 30, 2007, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, and of cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. We conducted our reviews in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 8, 2007, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2006 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.
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We are one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States operating 122 franchises (92 dealership locations) in 21 metropolitan markets within 10 states as of September 30, 2007. We offer an extensive range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles, vehicle maintenance, replacement parts, collision repair services, and financing, insurance and service contracts. We offer 35 domestic and foreign brands of new vehicles, including six heavy truck brands. We also operate 23 collision repair centers that serve our markets. We developed our dealership portfolio through the acquisition of large, locally branded dealership groups operating throughout the United States. We complemented these large dealership groups with the purchase of numerous single point dealerships and small dealership groups in our existing market areas (referred to as tuck-in acquisitions). We continue to use tuck-in acquisitions to increase the number of vehicle brands we offer in a particular regional area and to create a larger gross profit base over which to spread overhead costs. Our retail network is currently organized into four regions and includes nine dealership groups: (i) Florida (comprising our Coggin dealerships, operating primarily in Jacksonville, Fort Pierce and Orlando, and our Courtesy dealerships operating in Tampa), (ii) West (comprising our McDavid dealerships operating throughout Texas, our California dealerships operating in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Fresno and our North Point dealerships operating in Little Rock, Arkansas), (iii) Mid-Atlantic (comprising our Crown dealerships operating in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia), and (iv) South (comprising our Nalley dealerships operating in Atlanta, Georgia). Our Plaza dealerships operating in St. Louis, Missouri and our Gray Daniels dealerships operating in Jackson, Mississippi, remain standalone operations. Our revenues are derived primarily from four offerings: (i) the sale of new vehicles to individual retail customers (new retail) and the sale of new vehicles to commercial customers (fleet) (the terms new retail and fleet being collectively referred to as new); (ii) the sale of used vehicles to individual retail customers (used retail) and the sale of used vehicles to other dealers at auction (wholesale) (the terms used retail and wholesale being collectively referred to as used); (iii) maintenance and collision repair services and the sale of automotive parts (collectively referred to as fixed operations); and (iv) the arrangement of vehicle financing and the sale of various insurance and warranty products (collectively referred to as F&I). We evaluate the results of our new and used vehicle sales based on unit volumes and gross profit per vehicle retailed (PVR), our fixed operations based on aggregate gross profit, and F&I based on dealership generated F&I PVR. We assess the organic growth of our revenue and gross profit by comparing the year-to-year results of stores that we have operated for at least twelve full months. The organic growth of our business is dependent upon the execution of our balanced automotive retailing and service business strategy, as well as our strong brand mix, which is heavily weighted towards luxury and mid-line import brands. Sales of vehicles (particularly new vehicles) have historically fluctuated with general macroeconomic conditions, including consumer confidence, interest rates, availability of consumer credit, fuel prices and manufacturer incentives. We generally believe that any future negative trends in new vehicle sales will be mitigated by (i) our advantageous brand mix (ii) the stability of our fixed operations, (iii) used vehicle sales and (iv) our variable cost structure. Historically, our brand mix has been less affected by market volatility than the U.S. automobile industry as a whole. We expect the recent industry-wide gain in market share of the luxury and mid-line import brands to continue in the near future as the mid-line domestic manufacturers reduce production in the U.S. Our gross profit margin varies with our revenue mix. The sale of new vehicles generally results in lower gross profit margin than used vehicle sales and fixed operations. As a result, when used vehicles and fixed operations revenue increases as a percentage of total revenue, we expect our overall gross profit margin to increase. We continue to implement new initiatives specifically designed to accelerate the growth of our high margin businesses and to leverage our selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense structure. SG&A expenses consist primarily of fixed and incentive-based compensation, advertising, rent, insurance, utilities and other customary operating expenses. A significant portion of our selling expenses is variable (such as sales commissions), or controllable (such as advertising), generally allowing our cost structure to adapt in response to trends in our business. We evaluate commissions paid to salespeople as a percentage of retail vehicle gross profit and all other SG&A expenses in the aggregate as a percentage of total gross profit. Our operations are generally subject to seasonal variations as we tend to generate more revenue and operating income in the second and third quarters than in the first and fourth quarters of the calendar year. The seasonal variations in our operations are usually caused by factors relating to weather conditions, changes in manufacturer incentive programs, model changeovers and consumer buying patterns, among other things. Over the past several years, certain automobile manufacturers have used a combination of vehicle pricing and financing incentive programs to generate increased customer demand for new vehicles. We anticipate that the manufacturers will continue to use these incentive programs to drive demand for their product offerings.
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Table of ContentsThis excerpt taken from the ABG 10-Q filed Aug 9, 2007. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.: We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of June 30, 2007, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2007 and 2006, and of cash flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2007 and 2006. These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. We conducted our reviews in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, stockholders equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 8, 2007, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2006 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived. /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP New York, New York August 8, 2007
24
We are one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States operating 119 franchises (89 dealership locations) in 21 metropolitan markets within 10 states as of June 30, 2007. We offer an extensive range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles, vehicle maintenance, replacement parts, collision repair services, and financing, insurance and service contracts. We offer 35 domestic and foreign brands of new vehicles, including six heavy truck brands. We also operate 23 collision repair centers that serve our markets. We developed our dealership portfolio through the acquisition of large, locally branded dealership groups operating throughout the United States. We complemented these large dealership groups with the purchase of numerous single point dealerships and small dealership groups in our existing market areas (referred to as tuck-in acquisitions). We continue to use tuck-in acquisitions to increase the number of vehicle brands we offer in a particular regional area and to create a larger gross profit base over which to spread overhead costs. Our retail network is currently organized into four regions and includes nine dealership groups: (i) Florida (comprising our Coggin dealerships, operating primarily in Jacksonville and Orlando, and our Courtesy dealerships operating in Tampa), (ii) West (comprising our McDavid dealerships operating throughout Texas and our California dealerships operating in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Fresno), (iii) Mid-Atlantic (comprising our Crown dealerships operating in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia), and (iv) South (comprising our Nalley dealerships operating in Atlanta, Georgia and our North Point dealerships operating in Little Rock, Arkansas). Our Plaza dealerships operating in St. Louis, Missouri and our Gray Daniels dealerships operating in Jackson, Mississippi, remain standalone operations. Our revenues are derived primarily from four offerings: (i) the sale of new vehicles to individual retail customers (new retail) and the sale of new vehicles to commercial customers (fleet) (the terms new retail and fleet being collectively referred to as new); (ii) the sale of used vehicles to individual retail customers (used retail) and the sale of used vehicles to other dealers at auction (wholesale) (the terms used retail and wholesale being collectively referred to as used); (iii) maintenance and collision repair services and the sale of automotive parts (collectively referred to as fixed operations); and (iv) the arrangement of vehicle financing and the sale of various insurance and warranty products (collectively referred to as F&I). We evaluate the results of our new and used vehicle sales based on unit volumes and gross profit per vehicle retailed (PVR), our fixed operations based on aggregate gross profit, and F&I based on dealership generated F&I PVR. We assess the organic growth of our revenue and gross profit by comparing the year-to-year results of stores that we have operated for at least twelve full months. The organic growth of our business is dependent upon the execution of our balanced automotive retailing and service business strategy, as well as our strong brand mix, which is heavily weighted towards luxury and mid-line import brands. Sales of vehicles (particularly new vehicles) have historically fluctuated with general macroeconomic conditions, including consumer confidence, availability of consumer credit, fuel prices and manufacturer incentives. We believe that any future negative trends in new vehicle sales will be mitigated by (i) the stability of our fixed operations, (ii) increased used vehicle sales, (iii) our variable cost structure and (iv) our advantageous brand mix. Historically, our brand mix has been less affected by market volatility than the U.S. automobile industry as a whole. We expect the recent industry-wide gain in market share of the luxury and mid-line import brands to continue in the near future. Our gross profit margin varies with our revenue mix. The sale of new vehicles generally results in lower gross profit margin than used vehicle sales and fixed operations. As a result, when used vehicles and fixed operations revenue increases as a percentage of total revenue, we expect our overall gross profit margin to increase. We continue to implement new initiatives specifically designed to accelerate the growth of our high margin businesses and to leverage our selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense structure. SG&A expenses consist primarily of fixed and incentive-based compensation, advertising, rent, insurance, utilities and other customary operating expenses. A significant portion of our selling expenses is variable (such as sales commissions), or controllable (such as advertising), generally allowing our cost structure to adapt in response to trends in our business. We evaluate commissions paid to salespeople as a percentage of retail vehicle gross profit and all other SG&A expenses in the aggregate as a percentage of total gross profit. Our operations are generally subject to seasonal variations as we tend to generate more revenue and operating income in the second and third quarters than in the first and fourth quarters of the calendar year. Generally, the seasonal variations in our operations are caused by factors relating to weather conditions, changes in manufacturer incentive programs, model changeovers and consumer buying patterns, among other things. Over the past several years, certain automobile manufacturers have used a combination of vehicle pricing and financing incentive programs to generate increased customer demand for new vehicles. We anticipate that the manufacturers will continue to use these incentive programs to drive demand for their product offerings.
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This excerpt taken from the ABG 10-Q filed May 9, 2007. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.: We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of March 31, 2007, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income and cash flow for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006. These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. We conducted our reviews in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have previously audited, in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 15, 2007, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2006 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.
21 This excerpt taken from the ABG 10-K filed Mar 12, 2007. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006. We also have audited managements assessment, included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Companys management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements, an opinion on managements assessment, and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, evaluating managements assessment, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions. A companys internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the companys principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the companys board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A companys internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 70 In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, managements assessment that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Furthermore, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP New York, New York 71 This excerpt taken from the ABG 10-K filed Mar 8, 2007. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006. We also have audited managements assessment, included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Companys management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements, an opinion on managements assessment, and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, evaluating managements assessment, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions. A companys internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the companys principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the companys board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A companys internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 70 In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, managements assessment that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Furthermore, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP New York, New York 71 This excerpt taken from the ABG 10-Q filed Nov 7, 2006. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.: We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of September 30, 2006, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, and statements of cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005. These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. We conducted our reviews in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have previously audited, in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 15, 2006, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2005 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.
24 This excerpt taken from the ABG 8-K filed Sep 7, 2006. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors
and Stockholders of We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2005 and 2004, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2005. We also have audited managements assessment, included in the accompanying Management Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2005, based on criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Companys management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements, an opinion on managements assessment, and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, evaluating managements assessment, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions. A companys internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the companys principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the companys board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A companys internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2005 and 2004, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2005, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, managements assessment that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2005, is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Furthermore, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2005, based on the criteria established in Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
2 This excerpt taken from the ABG 10-Q filed Aug 8, 2006. REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.: We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of June 30, 2006, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, and statements of cash flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2006 and 2005. These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. We conducted our reviews in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have previously audited, in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 15, 2006, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2005 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.
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