In Part 1 of our series, we compared brand-level blue sky multiples and the consistency (and variation) in estimates from Haig Partners and Kerrigan Advisors. But as we noted, the multiple is only half the story. The real engine driving valuation is the earnings base, or the number to which that multiple is applied. And in auto dealership valuations, defining what we call “ongoing earnings” isn’t as simple as referencing last year’s net income. In this installment, we discuss our perspective on how dealership earnings are evaluated, adjusted, and normalized, based on our experience and discussions with dealmakers in the space.