Ed Morse Automotive Group

What Ed Morse Automotive Group does

Ed Morse Automotive Group is a privately held, family-owned automotive and powersports dealership group headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida (legal entity: Morse Operations, Inc.), founded in 1946 and now led by third-generation Chairman and CEO Teddy Morse. The company operates 60+ dealerships representing 100+ franchises across 31 brands in Florida, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Arizona, supported by 2,800+ employees, 4,500+ vehicles of inventory, a 240,000 sq ft parts distribution center, and seven collision centers. Revenue is generated through three streams: vehicle sales (new, certified pre-owned, and pre-owned), service and parts (maintenance, repair, collision, and wholesale parts), and finance and insurance products (extended warranties, GAP up to $50K, theft deterrent, tire & wheel, prepaid maintenance, Wisecare service contracts).

The business model is fundamentally horizontal retail: Ed Morse purchases inventory from OEMs and via trade-ins, prices via quote-based transaction pricing with state-varying documentary/administrative fees, and monetizes each unit through gross profit plus attach of in-house F&I products. Distribution combines 60+ physical rooftops with a 100% buy-online purchase flow, fleet sales, and an inside sales function, supported by community-driven marketing (Ed Morse Cares, MDA Golf Classic) and the Miami Dolphins sponsorship. The group has executed more than 60 acquisitions since 2022, including the 2024 entry into Arizona (Lawley Automotive Group, seven stores), the 2022 entry into Harley-Davidson via Cowboy Harley-Davidson (three Texas locations) and Destination Daytona (a Harley-Davidson dealership plus Clarion Inn and event pavilion), and luxury moves such as Porsche Des Moines in 2026, making the current strategy a multi-vertical, multi-geography roll-up rather than a single-brand retailer.

Name

Ed Morse Automotive Group

Legal name

Morse Operations, Inc.

Website

https://edmorse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Ed Morse Automotive Group is a privately held, family-owned multi-brand automotive and powersports dealership group operating 60+ dealerships across 31 brands and 8 U.S. states, serving retail consumers with new and pre-owned vehicle sales, service, parts, collision repair, and F&I products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brandon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales: New, pre-owned, and certified pre-owned vehicle sales across 31 brands and 60+ dealerships. Primary revenue driver with transaction-based pricing.
2. Service and Parts: Maintenance, repair, and parts sales at dealership service departments. Ongoing revenue from vehicle service and maintenance needs.
3. Finance and Insurance (F&I) Products: Extended warranties, protection packages, and financing services offered at point of sale.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ed Morse Automotive Group operates a multi-brand automotive and powersports dealership network across 60+ locations in 8 U.S. states. The group sells new, pre-owned, and certified pre-owned vehicles across more than 20 automotive brands, plus Harley-Davidson motorcycles and powersports through Teddy Morse-branded stores. It also operates a 240,000 sq ft parts and distribution center, a NAPA retail parts store, a hotel, and an online vehicle purchase channel with home delivery.

Product overview

Ed Morse Auto Group operates a multi-brand automotive and powersports dealership network offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include new and pre-owned vehicle sales across 20+ automotive brands (Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Lincoln, Porsche), complemented by Harley-Davidson motorcycle sales through Teddy Morse branded dealerships and powersports products. The group provides integrated value-added services including vehicle financing (via CreditPlus and manufacturer financial services), vehicle protection products (Wisecare service contracts, GAP protection, theft deterrent, tire & wheel protection, pre-paid maintenance), full-service maintenance and collision repair, auto parts sales, and 100% online vehicle purchasing with home delivery. The portfolio also includes ancillary businesses such as a 240,000 sq ft parts distribution center with 60+ trucks and a hotel operation at the Destination Daytona complex. The company has grown from 12 to over 60 dealerships through aggressive acquisition, now operating in 8 states (Florida, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arizona) with over 2,800 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Woodhouse Auto GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeller of Porsche Des Moines dealership to Ed Morse Automotive Group. Represents a strategic acquisition target that expanded Ed Morse's luxury vehicle presence.
• Miami DolphinsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNFL team partnership providing corporate sponsorship and vehicle solutions for organization. Community engagement and marketing partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holman Automotive: Family-owned US automotive group with franchised dealerships plus fleet leasing and parts distribution. Closest peer to Ed Morse's vertical integration model (sales + service + fleet + parts distribution).
• Ken Garff Automotive Group: Family-owned US dealer group with 60+ dealerships concentrated in the Mountain West and Southwest. Closest comparable to Ed Morse on family ownership, footprint, scale, and multi-brand franchised model.
• Sonic Automotive: US franchised dealer group with ~140 dealerships and EchoPark used-car standalone brand. Comparable mid-sized multi-brand franchised dealer with both traditional and digital retail exposure.
• Asbury Automotive Group: US franchised dealer group with ~150+ dealerships and meaningful Clicklane digital retail platform. Direct peer in mid-sized multi-brand franchised retailing with similar geographic and brand mix.

Broad incumbents

• Lithia Motors: Largest US auto retailer by revenue with 300+ stores and the most aggressive acquisition strategy in the industry through its Driveway digital platform. Closest analog to Ed Morse's roll-up playbook, especially its scale and M&A cadence.
• AutoNation: Largest US automotive retailer with ~250+ franchises across 20+ brands and 30+ states. Most directly comparable large-cap peer to Ed Morse's multi-brand dealership model, though at much larger scale and publicly traded.
• Group 1 Automotive: US/UK franchised auto retailer with ~200 dealerships and strong luxury/import exposure. Comparable multi-brand, multi-state franchised model with similar premium brand mix (BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda).
• Hendrick Automotive Group: Largest privately held US dealer group with ~140+ dealerships. Closest privately-held, family-controlled peer at larger scale, demonstrating the family-owned franchise roll-up model Ed Morse is executing.
• Penske Automotive Group: Premium franchised dealer group with heavy luxury concentration (Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Lamborghini). Closest peer for the luxury segment of Ed Morse's portfolio, including its Porsche Des Moines acquisition.
• Berkshire Hathaway Automotive: Berkshire Hathaway-owned dealer group (formerly Van Tuyl) with ~80+ dealerships across 10 states. Comparable large privately-controlled multi-brand franchise platform with similar geographic footprint in central/south US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/edmorseauto
• Facebookfacebook.com/edmorseautomotivegroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ed-morse-automotive-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ed Morse Automotive Group