Motion on Tuesday posted a decline in quarterly revenue after its recent acquisitions were unable to overcome sluggish organic sales and currency effects.
The Alabama-based distributor — no. 2 on ID’s 2024 Big 50 — saw $2.2 billion in first-quarter sales, a decline of 0.4% compared to the first quarter of last year, parent company Genuine Parts Company announced.
Acquisitions bolstered the company’s revenue by 1.3% year-over-year, but comparable sales were down by 0.7% and unfavorable foreign currency impacts dented its total by 1%. The latest quarter also had one fewer selling day compared to the first three months of 2024, officials noted.
Motion’s quarterly EBITDA total of $279 million, however, was “in-line” with the previous Q1, and its EBITDA margin climbed 10 basis points year-over-year to 12.7%. GPC officials also maintained an initial forecast of 2% to 4% sales growth for the Motion business over the full year.
Genuine Parts Company, which also includes the NAPA automotive parts business, reported $5.9 billion in overall Q1 sales, an increase of 1.4% year-over-year, and net income of $194 million — down from $249 million in the previous first quarter. Both the revenue and adjusted net income totals reportedly exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the company maintained its overall forecast for the year.
"We had a solid start to 2025, despite the tariffs and trade dynamics that are impacting the operating landscape," President and CEO Will Stengel said in a statement. "We remain focused on what we can control — excellent customer service and our strategic initiatives to improve the business.”
