CARY, N.C. -

The auto industry hit some bumps in the road during 2020, but there were some bright spots, including some positives in pre-owned. 

Those were evident in earnings releases as the public dealer groups began reporting full-year results this week.

For instance, Lithia Motors increased its used-vehicle retail revenue by 13.4% in 2020, and sold 7.5% more used retail units. The group also was making 12.8% more gross profit per unit on used retail sales.

Elsewhere, Asbury Automotive Group, which did see retail used sales and revenue decline, generated 20% stronger average gross profit per unit on used retail sales, with used retail gross margins climbing 60 basis points.  Used retail gross profits were up 9% year-over-year for the dealership group.

Below is a rundown on the two public retailers reporting annual and quarterly results, thus far, starting with Asbury.

Asbury retailed 80,537 used vehicles in 2020, compared to 88,602 in 2019.

Used retail revenue was at $1.93 billion for the year, down from $1.94 billion a year earlier.

Used retail gross profits at Asbury came in at $145.3 million, up from $133.1 million for full-year 2019.

Average gross profit per used vehicle retailed climbed from $1,502 to $1,804, while used retail gross margins climbed from 6.9% to 7.5%.

In the fourth quarter, Asbury retailed 21,386 used vehicles, down from 22,272 retail used sales a year earlier.

It had used retail revenue of $564 million, up from $491.5 million in Q4 2019. Asbury pulled in used retail gross profits of $39.2 million for the quarter, up from $30.9 million a year earlier.

Average gross profit per unit for used retail was $1,833 in Q4, up from $1,387 in the same period of 2019. Used retail gross margins climbed from 6.3% to 7.0%.

At Lithia, used retail revenue for the fourth quarter was $1.11 billion, up from $894.7 million in Q4 2019.

For the year, Lithia pulled in just under $4 billion in used revenue, up from $3.53 billion for full-year 2019.

Used-vehicle retail gross margins for Lithia were at 10.2% in Q4, up from 10.1% a year earlier. For the full year, they were at 11.2%, up from 10.4% in 2019.

Lithia sold 47,731 used retail units in the fourth quarter, up from 42,740 in Q4 2019. For the year, used retail sales climbed from 170,423 to 183,230 in 2020.

Gross profit per retail used unit was $2,369 in the fourth quarter, up from $2,109 in the prior-year period. For the full year, it was $2,432, up from $2,157.