With every year in the RV dealership industry comes evolving trends for buying and selling. In 2025, the landscape continues its transformation and regrowth, still stabilizing from the unprecedented surge in outdoor recreation in 2020. A phase that sparked a fundamental shift in consumer behavior and dealership operations is now returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Having said that, several key factors, which differ from the past, are shaping today’s valuations. From management to technology, geographic market dynamics, and beyond, knowing what will drive the value of your dealership should be a compass for your coming year’s strategic planning.
In this guide, we’ll provide all the dealership news you need to know about RV dealership values in today’s market. So, keep reading as we analyze the current market, helping you well-position your dealership with strong fundamentals and emerging trends.
A Look At The Current Market
In 2024, if there was anything consistent across the RV dealership industry, it was its ever-evolving nature. Compared to past year’s headlines of major players buying up smaller dealerships, the last year saw a cooling down of that aggression. In fact, many smaller and midsized dealerships expanded and flourished, rather than succumbing to M&A’s.
Overall, dealerships are still reeling and recovering from the post-pandemic era, and an aging inventory leads to unpredictability across the board. However, one new trend to note are smaller, more regional acquisitions that are somewhat flying under the radar from national consolidation news.
As small to midsized companies merge, they mutually strengthen local market presence, which leads industry experts to believe the trend of smaller, unpublicized transactions could continue.
What’s Driving Acquisitions Today
With that said there are still a few core or fundamental factors that remain steady in driving dealership values and acquisition talks. These being:
- Premium product lines
- Robust service departments
- Expansive facilities
But even more so, the customer and human element is becoming increasingly critical. Strong leadership teams have become crucial in dealership valuations, prompting owners to invest heavily in talent development and retention. Buyers recognize that an experienced management team committed to staying after the sale smooths the transition and often commands premium purchase prices.
Valuation Trends in 2025
In light of the most recent trends of less headline-worthy mergers and acquisitions and smaller regional transactions, here are the top key valuation drivers to continue considering and investing in.
Financial Performance
In 2025, valuations will continue to be influenced by the diversity and strength of revenue streams it offers. More so than ever, buyers are placing an increased emphasis on the parts and service revenue as a stabilizing factor. This is driving trends of annual maintenance packages and a higher emphasis on driving service foot traffic.
Working capital efficiency, particularly in inventory management, also remains a crucial valuation factor as floor plan costs impact bottom-line performance. Even more the most attractive dealerships are maintaining inventory turns above industry averages, while maintaining healthy margins through strategic purchasing and pricing strategies.
While demonstrated profitability trends will never go out of style, the factors above will continue to serve as key determinants in future valuation multiples.
Operational Considerations
Even though the human element is becoming increasingly important with a struggle to find valuable staff becomes more heightened, physical assets and operational capabilities will also continue to drive value. In fact, these factors are often the key differentiators between one dealership and another.
Premium locations with modern, well-maintained facilities and room for expansion command higher multiples, particularly when situated in high-traffic areas or growing markets. Protected territory rights paired with strong manufacturer relationships will also remain crucial valuation factors, with multi-brand dealers often seeing higher valuations due to diversified revenue potential.
Lastly, don’t count out technology. Dealerships with sophisticated digital infrastructure, including robust online sales platforms and integrated customer management systems, are attracting premium valuations as buyers recognize the growing importance of omnichannel retail capabilities.
Transaction Structure Trends
As for transaction structure trends, so far in 2025, they’re reflecting a more nuanced approach to risk allocation between sellers and buyers. Even though all-cash transactions still remain attractive, earnout provisions are growing in popularity. This sophisticated approach is often tied to specific performance metrics beyond traditional EBITDA targets.
Seller financing is another continuing trend, especially amongst mid-market transactions, seeing most arrangements covering 10-20% of the purchase price. Another thing to evolve are real estate considerations, where buyers are preferring separate real estate entities to maintain flexibility in facility management and future expansion.
Buyer Landscape
Last but certainly not least, let’s take a look at the buyer landscape trends. As usual, the buyer pool for RV dealerships remains competitive and highly diverse, although insiders are seeing an evolution in priorities. For instance, there’s a heightened focus on digital infrastructure and the human management element we mentioned earlier.
Large strategic consolidators continue their selective expansion, focusing on premium locations and established multi-store operations that complement their existing footprints. Like many industries, private equity firms continue to maintain strong interest in the sector, too. Private equity firms are particularly interested in corporate-like entities that operate with advanced management teams, robust technology, and clear growth potential and strategies.
Family offices or groups have emerged as increasingly active buyers in the RV dealership market, drawn to the industry’s combination of stable cash flows, tangible assets, and long-term growth potential. Finally, regional expansion patterns show particular strength in the Southeast and Mountain West regions, where buyers are actively seeking to carve out their portion of increased interest and sales.
The Final Word: Looking Ahead for Dealership Valuations
In a nearly unpredictable market, and as the RV dealership landscape continues to evolve, expert guidance has never been more critical for maximizing value—for both buyers and sellers. While mergers and acquisitions could vary this year, in comparison to previous years, it’s wise to prepare for a sale years before it happens.
So whether you’re looking to expand your portfolio through strategic acquisitions of your own, selling your dealership, or simply exploring the options available in today’s market, there’s no better partner than RVBS.
RVBS’s dedicated team of dealership advisors brings decades of industry expertise to guide you through the process. Our deep understanding of current market dynamics, extensive network of qualified buyers and sellers, and proven track record of successful transactions positions us to help you achieve your strategic objectives.
Contact RVBS today to confidentially discuss your dealership’s future and explore the opportunities ahead.
Roger L. Nuttall served as President of Camping World, Inc. from January 2011. Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer of FreedomRoads, LLC from January 2009 to January 2011, and the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of FreedomRoads, LLC from November 2003 to December 2015. From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Nuttall was a partner at McKay, Nuttall, and Reid, an accounting and consulting firm. Before that, he held various staff and management positions at Grant Thornton LLP from 1974 to 1981. From 1983 to 2003, Mr. Nuttall served as Chief Financial Officer and board member of Blaine Jensen & Sons, Inc., a multi-dealership RV company. He received a B.A. from Weber State University.
Mike has almost 30 years’ experience in the Recreational Vehicle (RV) Industry and provides advisory and consulting services to clients within that industry.
Scott Degnan is the Partner and Co-founder of RV Business Solutions and President of Degnan Management Group, Inc., a consulting firm.
Dom Bookman is the Chief Operating Officer and Investor Relations lead at RV Business Solutions. With 12 years of experience in the tech industry, Dom is a serial entrepreneur specializing in business development, marketing, and growth strategies for leading brands. He has successfully piloted startups and facilitated multiple exits for early-stage companies.