Spots N Dots
The Daily News Of TV Sales
February 22, 2016

AUTO DEALERS’ PROFIT UP 7.4% FOR 2015

AVERAGE SALES INCREASED BY 6.8%

The National Automobile Dealers Association has now released Dealership Financial Profiles for December, showing that for the full year the average automotive dealership made a net profit before tax of $1.167 million, a 7.4% increase over 2014. Sales at the average store were $52.143 million, which was a gain of 6.8% over the previous year.

Gross profit (which the NADA says includes the cost of goods but not selling, general or administrative expenses or advertising) was $6.791 million, 13.0% of total sales and up 5.9% from 2014. Expenses were up 5.5% to $5.625 million, leaving the $1.167 million figure for the net profit, which was 2.2% of dealership sales. That 2.2% figure remained steady from the preceding year.

Advertising at the average dealership amounted to $520,029, which was a 5.8% increase over 2014 and the average advertising investment per new vehicle sold was $617, compared to $608 the year before.

The contribution each department made to the dealers’ total sales figures remained virtually unchanged year-to-year. New vehicle sales accounted for 57.9% of total sales (it was 57.6% last year), used vehicle sales made up 30.8% of sales (compared to 31.0% in 2014), and the service and parts departments produced 11.3% of the average dealerships’ sales (those were at 11.4% in the prior year). Of the three, the 7.3% gain in new vehicle sales was the largest year-to-year increase.

The average new vehicle selling price came in at $33,419, which of course was a new record for the industry, and was 2.5% better than the $32,618 average dealers had produced in 2014. The gross profit as a percentage of the selling price was 3.42% and excluding any finance and insurance sales, the gross profit averaged $1,144 (which was actually a bit less than the $1,186 dealers had made per new vehicle sold in 2014).

Historically, dealers usually make a greater profit per used vehicle sold on a percentage basis than they do on new vehicles, and that held true again last year. The average price of used vehicles sold during the year was $19,397 (up 2.9% from the $18,846 average in 2014), but the gross profit as a percentage of the selling price was 12.23%, almost four times as a percentage what the dealer clears on a new vehicle sale. The retail gross profit on a used vehicle (again excluding any finance or insurance sales) was $2,372, more than double what the dealership made for selling a new vehicle even though a new vehicle sold for about a 72% higher average price. The $2372 gross on a used vehicle was up 0.8% compared to $2014, while the $1144 on a new vehicle was down 3.5% from 2014.

ADVERTISER NEWS

When Coca-Cola introduced the use of names on its cans, there was some thought the innovative packaging was having a positive effect on sales, and now Pepsi is planning to use emojis on bottles and cans, according to Advertising Age. Using what’s being called PepsiMojis was tried in three countries last year including Canada……Deere & Co. results can be seen as a proxy on the farm economy to some degree, and the latest quarterly results from the world’s biggest seller of tractors and combines are not good. Quarterly sales were down 13%, and Deere now projects a 10% decline for this year, worse than the 7% drop it had previously thought it would face in 2016……The once-bankrupt Perkins Restaurant &Bakery had a very good year in 2015, with systemwide same-store sales up 4.5%. About half of the 132 company-owned locations and 40 of the 271 franchises have been remodeled, and results from those that have been refreshed outpace units that have not yet been updated. Nation’sRestaurantNews says family dining brands, including Denny’s, IHOP, and Cracker Barrel, had the best 2015 of any sector in the restaurant business……BJ’s Restaurants fourth quarter same-store sales were up 0.7%, well below the first nine months’ results, bringing the full year in at plus 1.7%. The chain, currently at 172 units, expects to add just under 20 new locations this year……Results at all four Bloomin’ Brands banners were down in the fourth quarter with comps off by 2.2% at Outback, 4% at Carrabba’s, 5.4% at BonefishGrills and 0.3% at Fleming’s. Bloomin’ plans to close 14 Bonefish locations and says it will return the chain to “its polished casual roots”……Total Nordstrom sales, including e-commerce and its Nordstrom Rack off-price banner, were up 5.2% in the fourth quarter, with same-store sales up just 1%. With increased markdowns due to lower than expected sales, profit fell from $255 million in the prior year to $180 million……La-Z-Boy had a strong third fiscal quarter with total sales up 7.3% and net income up 22%. Sales at the company-owned retail stores were up 22.7%, although the company did not disclose same-store results……Aaron’s rent-to-own stores (1,223 company-owned and 732 franchised) had negative same-store sales and customer counts in the fourth quarter, but a 32% increase in revenue from the ProgressiveFinance subsidiary brought total revenue up to a 9.7% gain……The CEO of Cabela’s said warm weather helped create a “challenging environment” in the fourth quarter as same-store sales fell by 3.5%. The company has already announced a “strategic review,” which often leads to a sale of the business.

NETWORK NEWS

What does it take to be Amy Schumer’s on-set assistant? How many phone calls does the editor in chief of Cosmopolitan get a day? What is the actual weight limit for checked bags at the airport? The Today show anchors and hosts are adding new meaning to on-the-job training by stepping out of Studio 1A and becoming “interns” at some of the country’s most interesting professions. The “Up for the Job Today” begins this week on NBC.Matt Lauer will work for air traffic control at John F. Kennedy Airport; Savannah Guthrie will assist Amy Schumer on the set of her new movie; Al Roker will spend a day at the San Diego Zoo; Natalie Morales will intern for Cosmopolitan Editor in Chief, Joanna Coles; Carson Daly will serve as a ramp agent for Delta Air Lines; Willie Geist will intern at Saturday Night Live—and so on……Univision says the 28thannual edition of Premio Lo Nuestro Latin music awards on Thursday, February 18 outperformed CBS, NBC and FOX in Adults 18-34. Broadcast from 8:00 to 11:00 pm Premio Lo Nuestro reached 7.3 million Total Viewers 2+, who tuned-in to all or part of the three-hour airing. It delivered an average audience of 3.7 million viewers.

WEEKEND RATINGS

Shark Tank led ABC to the demo win on Saturday night, with the Nielsen overnights showing an average 1.3 rating in Adults 18-49 and an average 5.76 million viewers. CBS, led by Blue Bloods, had the most viewers and was at 1.2 18-49 and 8.46 million; NBC 0.8 18-49 and 3.99 million; FOX 0.7 18-49 and 2.58 million; and The CW 0.3 18-49 and 0.96 million.

NBA Saturday Primetime gave ABC the demo win on Saturday as well, but NBC, with Dateline Mystery, had the most viewers. The Nielsen overnights showed ABC at 0.9 18-49 and 2.52 million; NBC 0.7 18-49 and 4.17 million; CBS 0.6 18-49 and 3.92 million; and FOX 0.2 18-49 and 1.23 million.

ANOTHER TECH INVESTMENT BY NAB

The National Association of Broadcasters announced that its technology division, PILOT, the successor to NAB Labs, has invested in Haystack TV. The California-based startup aggregates content from a variety of sources for a continuous stream of tailored news. The videos can be viewed on mobile devices, as well as on connected TVs. Along with the investment NAB Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny will join Haystack TV as an advisor.

THIS AND THAT

Fierce Cable reports that Dish-owned Sling TV has quietly added the ABC O&Os to its OTT offering in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno-Visalia. ABC is available in the $5-a-month "Broadcast Extra" add-on package, which also includesUnivision and UniMás……MediaPost reports that Google will stop serving paid-search advertisements on the right side of search engine query page results, with some exceptions. For brands it could mean rising cost per clicks for paid-search advertisements.
AVAILS

Local Sales Manager:WFXB-TV, the Fox affiliate in Myrtle Beach, SC, (Bahakel Communications, Inc), is searching for a Local Sales Manager with at least two years of sales management experience. We're searching for a leader with a proven track record of success in a multi-platform sales environment including traditional television, interactive, digital services, and mobile. The successful candidate will have strong inventory management and strategic pricing skills. Excellent verbal and written communication and research skills are required. Attention to detail is a must! Info to: . EOE

WAXN TV 64 – Cox Media Group Television Station in Charlotte, NC (Market #22) seeks a Local Account Executive. We’re looking for passionate sellers that want to WIN. The ideal candidate will be a sales professional with 1-4 years of media sales experience. The candidate will be responsible for prospecting and selling new business, as well as our vast digital portfolio, and growing a transactional list. Interested?Please contact Mark Afshar, LSM, 704.371.3120, . EOE

Comcast Spotlight seeks a Regional Director of Research, who will be responsible for overseeing the Washington DC DMA as well as oversight of Baltimore, the Maryland Eastern Shore, and Southern Virginia. This person will be responsible for providing leadership and direction for team and for gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information about the market. This role provides leadership and direction for diverse and complex functions at a corporate, regional, and divisional level. CLICK HERE for more information or to apply now. Comcast is an EOE/Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer.

WBTV-CBS/Raycom Media, Charlotte’s News Leader, has a fantastic opportunity for an experienced LSM or senior account executive that is ready to move up to our open LSM position in the 22nd market. A qualified candidate will be a team leader with a clear focus on new business development and providing client advertising solutions with both on air and digital sales platforms. Coaching and team building skills and the ability to plan and achieve sales objectives are important. Qualified applicants, please apply online and attach resumes and links to your work.No calls please.EOE/M/F/D/V

Midwest Network affiliate is looking for an experienced anchor/reporter. This individual will anchor a daily newscast M-F and serve as senior reporter providing daily newscast content. Minimum of three to five years professional experience is required. Send cover letter/resume and current demo link to: . EOE.

IKEA is being accused of evading over $1 billion in taxes. Prosecutors have actually been after IKEA for years. They've just been having a hard time putting their case together.
--Jimmy Fallon

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SPOTS N DOTS
The Daily News Of TV Sales
February 22, 2016

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