Dealership #1 Cochran expands with South Hills Honda purchase

Auto retailer #1 Cochran has snapped up another dealership, acquiring South Hills Honda in Peters Township.

The deal is the fourth acquisition for the company this year and fifth in the last 10 months.

South Hills Honda makes the first Honda store in #1 Cochran’s Pittsburgh market and second overall in its portfolio.

The companies did not disclose financial details of the deal.

The 42,000-square-foot Peters Township facility is being rebranded #1 Cochran Honda South Hills.

Nearly all sales and service professionals are joining #1 Cochran, increasing the auto group’s employee count to more than 1,600.

“This is a significant milestone for us,” said Rob Cochran, #1 Cochran President and CEO. “The acquisition expands our relationship with Honda, bringing a second store into our stable — and notably, our first in the Pittsburgh metro. Honda is one of the strongest, most coveted automotive brands in the industry, and we are delighted to deepen our partnership with them.”

Cochran said Peters Township is “a vibrant community with a thriving business district. The store augments our Washington County presence, adding a high-volume operation in a highly desirable location.”

With this most recent transaction, #1 Cochran operates 36 new-vehicle franchises.

#1 Cochran acquired its first Honda franchise last October, purchasing Thomas Team Honda in Johnstown. The company has since completed four more acquisitions — Sweeney Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Boardman Ohio, on Jan. 20; Boardman Nissan on June 15; Monroeville Ford on June 22; and now South Hills Honda.

Cochran noted that while the company has seen a flurry of deals recently, it’s been growing for years.

“We’ve grown a lot over the last 12 or 15 years, but it’s not linear,” Cochran said. “Acquisitions tend to come in chunks.

“We’re constantly in a process of speaking to other sellers and looking at how we can best enhance our network,” Cochran said. “Looking at what are the right brands, what are the right locations, what is right for our customers. When you’re the buyer, the variable is the timing of the sellers.”