While contending with the ramifications of Hurricane Harvey, Group 1 Automotive watched its used-vehicle retail sales soften by 3.3 percent year-over-year during the third quarter.

According to its financial report released on Thursday, Group 1 stores in the U.S. turned 26,304 used vehicles during Q3. That’s down from the 27,201 used vehicles that the company’s stores during the same quarter a year ago.

While the unit figure ticked lower, Group 1 managed to keep its gross profit per used vehicle retailed nearly identical. In the third quarter, it was $1,443, while it stood at $1,441 a year earlier.

However in the F&I office, Group 1 sustained a slight drop-off there, too. F&I gross profit on all vehicles retailed dipped 1.4 percent to $1,566; that’s $22 less year-over-year.

The used-vehicle and F&I activities helped Group 1 to generate a Q3 net income figure of $29.9 million, diluted earnings per common share of $1.43, adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure) of $46.6 million and adjusted diluted earnings per common share (a non-GAAP measure) of $2.23.

The company explained that Q3 adjusted net income and diluted earnings per share exclude approximately $16.8 million of net, after-tax adjustments, or $0.80 per share, for non-core items. Group 1 noted these adjustments primarily consist of costs directly associated with Hurricane Harvey of approximately $9.0 million after-tax, or $0.44 per share; and, franchise right impairments of $5.9 million after-tax, or $0.28 per share.

“While the company’s third-quarter results were negatively affected by both the non-recurring costs from Hurricane Harvey, as well as business disruption for more than a week across our largest revenue-generating market, strong demand for replacement vehicles in September provided significant financial recovery,” said Earl Hesterberg, Group 1's president and chief executive officer. “We expect this recovery to continue for a number of months, as the region continues to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey's widespread impact.

“Our overseas businesses were also positive factors in our third quarter results,” Hesterberg continued. “Although the U.K. new-vehicle market declined roughly nine percent in the third quarter, we significantly outperformed the industry with our same-store new vehicle unit sales rising 2.9 percent. Our used-vehicle and F&I businesses were up almost 10 percent driving a total same store revenue increase of 9 percent on a local currency basis.

“In Brazil, our operations delivered another quarter of profitability, with gross profit up 19.4 percent on a same-store constant currency basis, reflecting continued double-digit growth in used, aftersales and F&I,” he went on to say. “Our combined performance in all three markets delivered record revenues, gross profit, and adjusted earnings for the quarter.”

Editor’s note: More details from Group 1’s third-quarter activities will be highlighted in a future report.