Dave Cantin Group Announces Investment from Kaltroco, Fueling the Continued Growth of Auto Industry’s Leading M&A Advisory Firm

November 13, 2023

Partnership will Set the Stage for DCG’s Industry, Geographic and Services Expansion 

New York, NY – November 13, 2023 – The Dave Cantin Group (“DCG” or “the Company”), a leading advisor to retail automotive groups and their owners, announced today that it received a significant minority investment from Kaltroco, a private investment company backed by the family of Steve Koltes, a co-founder of CVC Capital Partners.  Kaltroco was founded in 1994 as a vehicle to invest in private companies and is committed to supporting the long-term growth of high-quality middle-market businesses. Financial terms were not disclosed.  

DCG annually advises on over $1 billion in gross transaction volume and has advised on hundreds of transactions since its founding in 2017. Kaltroco’s investment will support the next stage of DCG’s growth and development, as the Company builds upon its leadership position in the automotive advisory space. Plans for strategic investment include continued expansion into adjacent industry verticals such as motorcycle (Harley-Davidson), recreational vehicle (RV), powersports, and heavy truck, further growth of the Company’s geographic footprint, and the launch of enhanced advisory offerings. 

“Our partnership with Kaltroco is truly transformational for DCG and will be a key differentiator for us in the dealer-driven advisory space,” said Dave Cantin, president and CEO of DCG. “While DCG is already one of the largest dealership-focused advisory companies in North America, we are confident that Kaltroco’s new capital, relationships and strategic counsel will further boost our growth trajectory. There is tremendous demand today for our services as public, private and institutional dealership owners look for guidance with succession planning and evaluation services, in addition to buy-side and sell-side advisory assignments. Our expansion will benefit DCG’s clients and employees alike and we are excited to pursue the next phase of our growth with the Kaltroco team at our side.”

“We are exceptionally impressed by all that Dave and his team have accomplished in the six short years since DCG was founded. We are excited by the Company’s many opportunities for continued growth, and we look forward to supporting management as they pursue their key value creation objectives in the years to come,” said Kenneth Hammond, Chief Investment Officer for Kaltroco. “Kaltroco has a long history of supporting fast-growing service businesses with unique and disruptive service models, and it was clear from our earliest conversations with Dave and his team that DCG is a true innovator in its industry, with a thoughtfully developed and distinctive service approach that offers differentiated benefits to the Company’s auto dealership clients. We are eager to work with Dave and the DCG team as we look to take advantage of many enticing opportunities in the sector.”

DCG was founded in 2017 by Mr. Cantin, who has held various leadership roles within the automotive industry for more than two decades. With deep roots across the automotive industry, DCG is supported by one of the largest and most experienced teams in the industry. The Company recently bolstered its senior leadership team with the addition of Brian Gordon as Chief Business and Marketing Officer, Stephen Jones as Chief Development Officer, and the promotions of Brian Traugott and Tony Karabon to Co-Executive Vice Presidents. All members of DCG’s senior executive team are shareholders in the business, signaling their shared, long-term commitment to the Company’s growth and success.  

Baird served as the exclusive financial advisor to DCG and a Hogan Lovells team led by Bill Curtin served as legal advisor to DCG on the transaction. 

About Dave Cantin Group

Headquartered in New York, NY, The Dave Cantin Group (DCG) is a leading advisor to retail automotive groups and their owners.  The Company also serves a variety of adjacent industries including automotive, motorcycle, powersports, heavy trucks, and recreational vehicles. DCG caters to the financial, transactional, and advisory needs of its clients throughout the dealership lifecycle, with particularly deep expertise as an advisor on both the buyside and the sell-side of the M&A process. Through its media division, DCG produces the #1 downloaded automotive podcast, Dealer News Today. The company’s nonprofit partner, DCG Giving, funds child and adolescent cancer research and treatment in communities nationwide through its support of the Children’s Oncology Group. For more information, please visit www.davecantingroup.com.

About Kaltroco

Kaltroco is a private investment company committed to supporting the long-term growth of high-quality middle-market businesses. Established in 1994, Kaltroco is owned and funded by the family of a founding partner of one of the world’s leading private equity firms. By leveraging its far-reaching global network and its deep experience as an investor in businesses across multiple sectors and at various stages of development, Kaltroco is able to support both the domestic and international growth ambitions of portfolio company management teams. Kaltroco’s partnership-minded approach is rooted in its distinctive, evergreen capital base, which allows for unusually strong alignment with management shareholders and family and founder owners as they pursue their long-term value creation objectives.

# # #

Media Contacts:

 

For Dave Cantin Group:

Jennifer Hurson

jhurson@lambert.com

845.507.0571

or

Katie Merx

kmerx@lambert.com

313.510.5090