MACON, Ga. — Dec. 16 — The Presidio Group LLC (“Presidio”), an independent merchant banking firm focused on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and investments in the automotive retail and consumer mobility sectors, exclusively advised Five Star Automotive Group (“Five Star”) in the sale of five dealerships in Macon, Ga., and Warner Robins, Ga., to ALM Automotive Group (“ALM”).
The transaction closed on Dec. 15 and included the purchase of all related real estate. The dealerships involved were Genesis of Macon, Five Star Mazda, Five Star Hyundai Warner Robins, Five Star Hyundai Macon and Five Star Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram Macon.
For Five Star, the transaction was made to help maximize its long-term potential in other markets.
“This sale allows us to diversify further and continue strengthening our position across regions while still serving middle Georgia with several great stores,” said Wes Pope, vice president and operating partner of Five Star Automotive. “It’s a strategic move for our group to maintain a balanced portfolio with an eye toward growth. Working with Presidio’s team on this sale was key to its success — they know the dealership M&A business inside and out, and their attention to detail made a real difference every step of the way.”
For ALM, the transaction is another move forward in its diversification strategy to build up the franchised dealership side of its portfolio.
“We are excited to welcome these dealerships and their dedicated staff into the ALM family,” said Khush Bhatia, CEO of ALM Automotive Group. “The Macon and Warner Robins markets fit perfectly into ALM’s footprint, and adding more franchised new-vehicle dealerships is a strategic growth play for ALM. I’ve known and trusted the Presidio team for a long time, so it was an easy decision to pursue this acquisition when they reached out to me.”
The transaction is Presidio’s third this year in the greater Atlanta region where the firm’s dealership M&A team is based.
“It was an honor for us at Presidio to help Five Star pursue its long-term strategic goals through this transaction,” said Alex Watterson, managing director at The Presidio Group. “This move allows Five Star to maintain its significant presence in its home market of Macon, while also fueling its expansion in high-potential markets elsewhere. This kind of growth-focused strategy by talented dealership executives is driving robust activity levels in the broader dealership transaction market.”
The deal is another example of how strategic portfolio management moves are central to the ongoing momentum in the dealership M&A market.
“Strategic portfolio management is becoming a hallmark of leading dealership groups,” said George Karolis, president of The Presidio Group. “The Presidio team has advised many dealership groups on these focused portfolio realignments throughout 2025, and we foresee many more targeting such actions as we head into 2026. Overall deal activity is robust, and we expect that to continue into next year.”
Seller legal counsel was provided by Ken Jones, general counsel of Five Star Automotive. Buyer legal counsel was provided by Eric Gregory of Gregory Law LLC.
The Presidio Group provided exclusive advisory services to Five Star Automotive through its wholly owned investment bank Presidio Merchant Partners LLC.
About Five Star Automotive Group
Five Star Automotive Group is a family-owned automotive retailer based in Macon, Ga. Established in 1986, the dealership group has grown to 30 locations across the South and Midwest representing 19 major automotive brands. Five Star dealerships sell new, used and certified pre-owned vehicles and provide service and parts. For more information, visit www.drivefivestar.com.
About ALM Automotive Group
ALM Automotive Group was founded in 2006 with standalone used-vehicle stores in metro Atlanta. ALM has since expanded its reach and now operates 18 franchised dealerships and six standalone preowned dealerships at 24 locations in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. ALM offers a fully online car buying experience. For more information, go to www.almcars.com.
About The Presidio Group LLC
The Presidio Group was founded in 1998 with the simple mission to relentlessly put the interests of its clients first. By steadfastly adhering to this philosophy, the firm has earned the trust of clients throughout the United States. During their careers, the professionals at Presidio have collectively closed more than 295 transactions for nearly $20.0 billion. The Presidio Group, based in Denver and Atlanta, publishes Presidio Perspectives: A Quarterly Outlook on Auto Retail and M&A Trends, a leading source of information about the automotive retail landscape. Presidio Merchant Partners LLC is a subsidiary of The Presidio Group LLC and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information on Presidio, visit www.thepresidiogroup.com.
