Motus eyes deals in the UK and Australia
Management of the automotive group says the profit contribution from international operations could lift over time
Motus Holdings, the automotive group that Imperial Holdings unbundled onto the JSE in November, is looking at deals in the UK and Australia to grow its dealership portfolios in those markets. The company sells just 6,000 of the 1.2-million new vehicles sold in Australia each year, “so there’s a lot of road to run there”, Motus CEO Osman Arbee said on Tuesday. In the UK, it sells 15,000 of the 2.6-million to 2.8-million vehicles sold annually, “so there are still big opportunities there too”. In both markets, there are opportunities to buy independent, owner-managed portfolios of dealerships, Arbee said. The company generates about 8% of its profits and 30% of revenues from outside SA, but the contribution from international operations could tick up over time, he said. “In SA, if there are acquisition opportunities, we’d look, but no one is selling the brands that we’re looking for.” The group, which has a 19.3% share of the country’s retail market, said on Tuesday that it expected S...
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