Driven Brands Holdings: Dominating North America's Auto ServicesKey arguments in support of the idea.
A potential rise in U.S. car prices may positively impact the company’s sales.
DRVN is expanding its footprint in the essential automotive services market, simultaneously reducing its car wash segment with more cyclical sales.
Investment Thesis
Driven Brands Holdings Inc. (DRVN) is the largest automotive services company in North America, operating an increasing network of approximately 5,200 franchise, independently owned businesses operated by the company across 49 U.S. states and 13 other countries. The company has a footprint in all major automotive service areas, catering to both retail and commercial customers. Its main business segments include car maintenance and repair, express car wash, bodywork and paint services.
U.S. car import tariffs, introduced in March, support the trend of an increasing average age of cars on U.S. roads and may lead to higher car prices. These factors may contribute positively to DRVN’s revenue growth. On April 3, a 25% tariff on cars imported to the U.S. will take effect, and by May 3, equivalent tariffs on automotive components will be implemented. These tariffs may disrupt automakers’ production processes due to a reconfiguration of production chains. Only half of the 16 million new cars sold annually in the U.S. are produced domestically, while other autos could be subject to these tariffs. Production disruptions may result in price increases for both new and used cars. Many consumers may delay purchasing new cars, opting instead to spend more on maintaining their current vehicles. The new factors support the general long-term trend to an increasing average age of cars on U.S. roads. In 2000, the average vehicle age in the U.S. was 8.9 years; it has now grown to 12.6 years and continues to rise annually. Despite this, the total number of vehicles on U.S. roads is also steadily increasing at an average annual rate of about 1% over the past two decades. Combined with the new tariffs, the overall growth of the automotive aftermarket is likely to boost DRVN’s revenue in the upcoming years.
Driven Brands continues successfully shifting its focus to essential automotive services. After 2023, the company began reducing its ownership of standalone car washes while expanding its Take 5 Oil Change locations. Take 5 Oil Change provides rapid oil change services within 10 minutes, allowing drivers to remain in their cars. In March, reports have indicated that Driven Brands plans to sell its Take 5 Car Wash chain. We suppose this deal will accelerate the expansion of the Take 5 Oil Change segment and enable the company to allocate some proceeds toward debt reduction, potentially decreasing debt service expenses by up to 20%.
The valuation of DRVN stock, compared to its peers, shows potential for growth. DRVN’s valuation corresponds to 14 projected earnings for 2025, aligning with the average valuation among U.S. car dealers. Nonetheless, DRVN’s potential for revenue growth in the coming years is anticipated to surpass that of its peers. In the last three quarters alone, the Take 5 segment has demonstrated a sequential revenue increase of 10%, accounting for about 60% of the company’s total sales.
We suppose that Driven Brands Holdings Inc. (DRVN) shares may exhibit positive momentum in the near term.
The target price for DRVN shares over a two-month horizon is $19.90, with a “Buy” rating. We suggest setting a stop-loss at $15.50.
