The McLean Group Advises NADA in its Announced Divestiture to J.D. Power

MCLEAN, VA – May 2015 – J.D. Power and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) today announced an agreement under which J.D. Power will acquire NADA’s Used Car Guide business, a premier source of used-vehicle values. The McLean Group served as an advisor to NADA.

Established by NADA in 1933, the NADA Used Car Guide is a leading provider of US retail, loan, trade-in and auction used-vehicle values, and is widely recognized in the industry as the authority for accurate and comprehensive used-vehicle valuation information. The company will remain based in the McLean, VA, vicinity where it serves more than 100,000 subscribing clients, including retailers, financial institutions, insurers and software providers.

J.D. Power is a global marketing information services company known for using the voice of the customer to create reviews and ratings which measure the shopping, purchase and ownership experience across a wide range of brands and products. The Power Information Network® (PIN) from J.D. Power provides real-time automotive information and decision-support tools based on the collection of daily new- and used-vehicle retail transactions.

The agreement brings together PIN, which combines advanced analytics of new- and used-vehicle retail sales and pricing data, with the complementary and extensive knowledge, expertise and market presence of the NADA Used Car Guide, thereby expanding J.D. Power’s analytical and modeling capabilities into new product offerings, deepening its presence in auto finance and auto insurance, and enriching retail solutions.

Joseph Cowden, COO and CFO of NADA said, “From managing the data room to advising NADA’s board of directors on valuation and other issues, The McLean Group’s counsel and support was integral to the success of this transaction process.”

Andy Smith, Principal of The McLean Group stated, “This transaction represents the unique capabilities of The McLean Group to integrate our business valuation expertise and M&A experience in support of a significant transaction for a leading non-profit organization.”

The transaction is expected to close early in the third quarter of 2015 and is subject to Hart–Scott–Rodino Act review. The NADA Used Car Guide name will be used by J.D. Power for a period of time before transitioning to the J.D. Power brand.